Focusing on quality not quantity when it comes to your events strategy is the key to wise management of your marketing dollars. Take the time to prequalify! Assess (or reassess) the events you are considering—those you’ve previously attended and new possibilities—with an increasingly discerning eye while keeping these suggestions in mind:
- Make qualified chooses before you invest. Pay for one sales guy to walk the exhibit floor and attend a few conference sessions to determine if the event is right for you. If it is, be the first to sign up for the next event (at the current event) with a great booth location and a lead on speaking opportunities. If it’s not, you had an opportunity to hand out a few business cards and save your company lots of money.
- Cut the bad ones loose. Events that used to yield success may no longer prove valuable. Do not continue to invest in these events out of fear that absence suggests instability. Today, demand creation supersedes brand equity in an event, so unless you have a free speaking slot secured, you should reallocate your marketing budget.
So, now that you’ve built your events calendar with the pre-qualified events you’ve deemed worthwhile, now what? Be creative to make sure you get the biggest bang for your buck. We’ll discuss this in greater detail tomorrow.
