Networking continues to be one of the most important parts of events. In the last three years that we have conducted our Events and Marketing Strategy survey, the vast majority of respondents have indicated plans to increase the amount of networking time at their events.
Respondents also say they are dedicating more space throughout the venue to networking. This recurring trend shows the value of human connections and building relationships at events.
Your approach to networking at events should span the entire buyer’s journey. In our last blog post on networking, we introduced effective event strategies for helping attendees network. In this post, we’ll discuss how event networking fits into broader journey-based marketing and suggest ways that the events team and marketing team can work together to maximize the value of networking interactions.
The Importance of Journey-Based Marketing
The time that an attendee spends networking at an event is a pivotal part of their customer journey. They form authentic connections with your brand ambassadors and gain trust in your products and services. Different types of events have particular appeal for buyers at each stage in the buying cycle. At all events, offering ample networking time helps your organization’s reps become genuine influencers early in the journey, rather than unknown sellers.
Awareness Stage
In addition to your own events, time spent at industry events held by others should be considered a vital part of the networking strategy. Conversations among attendees often first make new buyers aware of an organization and its offerings. Sending representatives to industry events, whether you have a dedicated booth or not, has always been an impactful marketing tactic. For your own events, consider expanding the reach and building awareness by enabling attendees to share their plans to attend your event(s) on social media. Another effective way to boost awareness (and attendance) is through group packaging.
Consideration Stage
During this stage, events can help nurture leads. By inviting prospects to attend your webinars or regional events, you give them an opportunity to naturally interact with your team, ask questions, and learn about your offerings. Events that are close to home are ideal for the consideration stage as they don’t require much effort on behalf of your prospects. As they form deeper relationships with members of your team, they’ll be more likely to move into the decision stage.
Decision Stage
In the decision stage, event networking can reassure customers that purchasing your products or services is the right choice. They can get specific questions answered by on-site experts and talk with current customers. Building solid relationships even before contracts are signed will help your soon-to-be customers feel that they can rely on your team whenever they need help.
Driving Upsells Post-Purchase
The power of networking isn’t limited to prospects. Networking events such as user conferences or exclusive meetups can help strengthen the relationships you have with existing customers and encourage upsells and loyalty.
As you prioritize these strategies for building human connection, you’ll gain attendees’ trust and devotion, ultimately turning them into long-term brand advocates. Learn how RainFocus enables companies to offer networking at events by visiting our networking page.
