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You can be more than a booth
Redefining success in the B2B conference circuit: How side events drive authentic engagement and business impact.
Hey marketers!
Event season is in full swing.
SaaStr, Inbound, and Dreamforce, oh my!
Last week we saw (and many of us experienced) two of the biggest conferences in B2B Marketing converge. SaaStr and Inbound. Super bummed they happened at the same time.
I was at SaaStr, but I know several people who attended both (sheesh, that’s a long flight to only be at part of an event.)
I’m still very bullish on events being one of the most valuable pieces in a marketing strategy. But it’s not about booths, badge scans, or swag - although, I’ve gotten some cool swag in the past that’s actually useful.
It’s about the relationship building that takes place.
While at SaaStr I saw tons of opportunity for fostering connection outside of the main event. From after parties in a hangar (shoutout Lavender) to intentional areas set up at the main event for meeting and connecting.
These are both great strategies and tactics, but there is tons of opportunity for organized side events.
At AudiencePlus we’ve done this a couple times now in our less than 1 year in market. Let me break down what we did at SaaStr last week and why it’s so valuable.
The old playbook and the new opportunity
Events used to be about the booth.
Over my career I’ve been to and/or sponsored 100+ events. The focus was almost always, “how do we get people to our booth?”
It’s all about attention.
But it’s really hard to capture attention when every booth around you has coffee, snacks, swag, giveaways, the list goes on.
Once you get people to the booth, it’s all about the badge scan. In many cases you’re essentially bribing someone for a badge scan in exchange for the opportunity to win something.
Once you get the badge scan, it’s all about the post event follow up. Remember, most of these badge scans are people who entered your system because they wanted that backpack, t-shirt, or the coveted Yeti water bottle.
At it’s core this is a transactional approach for a desired relational outcome.
But there is a better way. One that is more valuable and impactful for both your audience and your business.
The side event. The pop-up event. The satellite event. The fringe event. Call it whatever you’d like, just don’t overlook the opportunity.
What this can look like
We did this back in Q2 with The Efficient Growth Tour (you can read more about that here). A multi-city roadshow in partnership with other brands.
One of the stops was in Scottsdale, AZ. We strategically placed it in the same week as B2BMX, a large marketing tech conference. This allowed us to target persona’s within our ICP and drive them toward a half day event filled with high quality content and connection.
It worked. We were able to get 100 people in the room leading to connection with our audience and a few deals.
We just did something similar during SaaStr last week - CMO Summit.
Many of the top CMOs in the industry gathered together for a day during SaaStr at the same venue. We weren't there just for speaker sessions, dazzling slideshows, or persuasive pitches.
Our primary goal? Facilitating genuine connection.
If you've ever attended an event and felt lost in the crowd, you'll understand the value of a space where you can genuinely connect with your peers. A place where, instead of just being a face in the audience, you can share, reflect, and collaborate.
At the CMO Summit, the emphasis was on building relationships, nurturing existing ones, and above all, understanding the shared challenges and experiences that tie us all together in this marketing journey.
We had small group discussions and collaborations. We had group presentations, flash talks from industry leaders, and even some fun prizes for the winners.
Overall, we fostered genuine connection and associated our brand with value.
Some ideas and inspiration
There are many ways to execute a side event. Here are a few potential ideas to get those creative juices flowing.
Remember, it’s all about focusing on providing value while creating a memorable experience.
Don’t just product push.
Find creative ways to subtly highlight your solution. In many cases when you focus on the value, your product will organically come up.
Hackathon: Organize a mini-hackathon where participants use your software to solve real-world problems. Offer prizes for the most innovative solutions.
Tech Breakfast or Brunch: Most conferences are missing a good breakfast. Organize a casual morning gathering with tech talks, demos, and discussions—and a good meal.
Expert Panels: Host a panel of industry experts discussing trends and the future of the software industry. Your software can be subtly showcased as a tool to address some of the challenges discussed.
Themed Coffee Breaks: It’s tough to find good coffee at an event. Set up a high-end coffee cart and have flash talks or networking opportunities.
Wellness Sessions: Recognizing the potential for burnout in the tech industry, offer short wellness sessions or mindfulness breaks, showing you care about the well-being of attendees.
Influencer Engagements: Collaborate with industry influencers for exclusive meet-and-greets or Q&A sessions at your side event.
Flash Talks: 10-minute lightning talks where participants can share their success stories using your software or discuss the challenges they're hoping technology will soon address.
Another huge opportunity is partnering with other brands who have a similar or shared audience. This helps reduce some of the cost and helps amplify it to a larger (but still relevant) audience.
It’s definitely not a one size fits all approach. Try to create some unique experiences based on your target audience, industry, and product solution.
The takeaway
Sometimes, the side stages and micro events are where the real magic happens.
It’s where you build relationships that last, foster connection, and truly provide value beyond the main event.
Think about your event budget. How can you use that not just to be a part of the grandeur but to create intimate spaces where your target audience feels heard, valued, and understood?
As marketers, our currency isn’t just in advertisements or campaigns; it's in the authentic relationships we build and the communities we nurture. And sometimes, that means going the extra mile, hosting that side event, or creating that exclusive space.
Lastly, remember, marketing isn’t just about being seen; it’s about seeing others, understanding their needs, and enabling deeper connections.
Until next time, keep thinking outside the box, value each interaction, and continue to be the amazing marketers you are!
Cheers,
JK
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