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From expos and product launches to user conferences and VIP dinners, B2B events can play a significant role in a company’s marketing strategy. Done right, these events can drive sales and boost your clients’ bottom line.

While return on investment (ROI) is essential for all events in the B2B marketplace, not only do you want your event to stay top-of-mind long after it’s over, but you’ll also need to show that it was fully aligned with your client’s objectives. The following marketing and lead generation strategies will help make your event a success so you can easily deliver the ROI your clients are looking for.

1. Optimize Your Pre-Event Strategy

Great events with a killer ROI don’t just happen. They’re the result of thoughtful, thorough planning and execution. Before you begin planning your event, make sure you’re crystal clear about precisely what the client is trying to achieve. Then, consider how you’ll leverage each aspect of the event to maximize ROI and meet other stated objectives.

You’ll want to incorporate social media and email promotion early in the planning stage. Consider working with other complementary organizations to promote the event. Also, send a press kit to each presenter so they can promote the event in their circles. 

Use event hashtags as early as possible. This will allow attendees and other interested parties to follow them and see relevant posts from the event host, sponsors, and speakers. This is an excellent way to encourage engagement and build excitement well before the event begins.

2. Incorporate Immersive “Live” Product Displays

Live product presentations are nothing new. After all, who could forget seeing Steve Jobs unveil the first iPhone live on stage? While they’re popular in the B2C world, they shouldn’t be overlooked when planning B2B events. In fact, since  B2B customers tend to put much more thought into product purchases, this can be a key driver of event ROI.

As events move to the virtual and hybrid world, you’ll need to get creative. For virtual events, plan to leverage the power of live video. You can also play shorter demo videos at optimal times throughout the event. Remember that these videos should not be a pitch. Instead, it’s all about showing the audience what it’s like to use the product and allowing them to visualize how they’ll benefit from it. 

For hybrid events, you may also incorporate virtual reality demonstrations. This will give in-person attendees an up-close, interactive encounter while also adding the “Wow” factor that comes with the virtual reality experience.

3. Enhance Your Virtual Event Platform

A top-notch virtual event management platform will include features designed to help maximize engagement and boost your event’s ROI. This may consist of interactive pages, exhibitor webcasts, video chats, and other features that allow businesses to create meaningful connections with attendees.

Your platform can also help the event host learn more about their customer. They can do this directly by using features like attendee polls or indirectly by analyzing behaviors through RFID tracking or leveraging reporting features within the platform’s software.

4. Leverage Your Event App for Consistent Engagement

A mobile event app is one of the best ways to keep event attendees engaged and informed. The capabilities can allow attendees to learn more about speakers, take notes during presentations, view interactive floor plans, and more.

When attendees can plan ahead to optimize their experience, they’ll get more out of the event. This will make conversions much easier. 

5. Focus on One-to-One Meetings

While group sessions will give your host or sponsors maximum exposure, one-to-one meetings are where deals get closed. The ultimate goal of every product or solution provider at an event is to actually talk to the attendees – even if only for a few minutes.

To ensure maximum ROI, you’ll want to create opportunities for one-to-one sessions. Using a networking and appointment management solution will help you match attendees with exhibitors or sponsors based on their industry or interests. When an attendee finds something they’re interested in, they can request a one-to-one meeting right from your event platform. This will improve the attendee experience while also creating real opportunities for businesses to profit from the event. 

6. Assist with Follow-Up After the Event

As you collect attendee data, it’s important to think about what you’ll do with it after the event is done. To maximize ROI, it’s important to give hosts and sponsors a way to connect with attendees beyond the few days surrounding the event. This may include lead generation strategies such as adding gated content to your event website. 

As an event planner, the bulk of the hard work is over after the event ends. However, there’s still a lot more to do for hosts, vendors, and sponsors. They’ll need to follow up with all the leads they collected. They may also want to share materials with attendees or send out a survey about the event along with an offer to schedule a follow-up meeting.

You can help with this by ensuring your platform collects all the necessary data and allows you to provide it to them in a format that’s easy to use. It’s best to reach out to leads within a day or two after the event is done, so it’s critical to provide this information as quickly as possible. 

Cutting Edge Tools Designed to Drive ROI

Companies spend a lot of money on B2B events, and they want to make sure they get a sufficient return on their investment. Taking the steps above will put you in a position to support their objectives while also setting you apart from the competition. Having the right tools in place makes everything easier. eShow offers you the ability to pick and choose the tools you need to create show-stopping events that deliver maximum ROI. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a free demonstration.