It doesn’t matter what industry you are in or what your business does: using business events for business development will be the key to success. A powerful way to engage with your peers and with potential business partners. Whether you are heading to a networking event to meet affiliates, or you are attending a multi-day conference, your business is going to be better equipped to engage with others and continue developing.
Almost all upcoming affiliate events this year had been put off from last year given the pandemic. However, as often events are used as a business development tactic, it’s time for your business to start planning which ones you’re going to attend. Tackling events as part of your business development strategy is a must, and the tips below are four ways to use business events for business development.
1. Make Sales a Priority Early
Marketers in every business are going to be searching for new and more creative ways to engage professionals when they attend events. The problem is that most people forget what comes next once the engagement has started. You have your qualified leads, but what now? Don’t neglect the sales team in your planning process. You need to have the people who know how to sell in the forefront of this event plan. If your marketing team who attend events work with the sales team, they can also learn tactics to help. Get your sales team involved in the details of the event and see how they can work alongside your marketing team to get this right.
2. Make Conversations Content
You are (hopefully) going to talk to a great many people when you attend an affiliate event, and you can make the conversations that you have with them your next content base for your site. If people are asking you specific questions about your business, you can turn these into sessions on your blog or YouTube channels so that you can answer them for all. Record the important questions and information you are asked, and make sure that you use the expertise in sales to expedite the engagement efforts later with those businesses, too.
3. Get Sponsorship
When you attend events, you become inspired about setting up your own mini-events. Doing this allows you to gain sponsors. Events are great to get in front of people, but if you host your own smaller events that focus on the community, you’re going to make better, one to one connections that will lead to sales. Build your business with private receptions and dinners with other local businesses and you can capitalize on your prospects in the end.
4. Talk To Everyone
There is a big focus on talking to the “right people” during an event. But really, everyone is the “right person”. They’re all attending this event for a reason, and you have to ensure that you are crossing words with them all to be seen and remembered!
Business events are going to change the way your business does things in the future, and you’re going to build amazing connections as a result.