Page 149 - SKU-000506274_TEXT.indd

Market Smart: How to Gain Customers and Increase Profits with B2B Marketing

If you’re doing the event in partnership with an industry
association, board of trade, or other group, you are more
likely to be able to charge—but keep the fee under fifty dollars
unless you’re doing a long event with significant learning
opportunities for the attendees.

Provide food. Make it clear on the invitation what you’re
providing. If attendees arrive expecting dinner, and all you have
planned is canapés, you’re going to have a grumpy crowd.

Encourage audience participation early. There’s nothing
worse than a lecture that drones on and on. I personally don’t
like the cheesy games and giveaways that some speakers
do at the start of presentations, but I’ve seen even serious
crowds (medical specialists) respond positively to a pop
quiz with prizes thrown into the crowd. Do whatever fits the
presenter’s personality.

Include a question and answer session. This is a great way
to interact with attendees and get them interested in what you
have to offer. You have to be very familiar with the subject
matter to be effective in Q & A. If you do, this is the section
where you’re most likely to gain traction with the audience. If
you don’t know the subject matter cold, limit the amount of Q
& A as it can do more damage than good.

Leave them wanting more. Don’t give away all your
knowledge. The true objective of this kind of session is to share
some expertise and convey the complexity of the problem you
solve (i.e. it isn’t easy for attendees to solve it on their own).
Encourage attendees to engage with you for more discussion
following the event. If they leave with everything they need to
do the job themselves, you’ve defeated the purpose of holding
the event.

Nurture the leads. Once the event is over, communicate
with the leads you gained. Follow up with them as soon as

169

© 2012 Lisa Shepherd