Getting the most from B2B events: a savvy Marketer’s blueprint

As we approach the last quarter of the year, the calendar is peppered with a number of ‘big-deal’ B2B tech events and, depending on your market, it can be hard to focus. It’s easy to get caught up in the scramble; hurried meeting invitations, a cobbled together deck, a hastily penned thought-leadership piece. It can sometimes feel like a hopeless task, trying to get heard above the ‘noise’ of the event build-up, not to mention carving out a distinctive position for yourself on the floor itself. The truth is, simply being present isn’t enough anymore. Success isn’t a matter of frantic execution; it’s the result of a deliberate and strategic methodology, applied weeks, if not months before the event is even on the horizon.

So, how can you move beyond chaos and build an event marketing plan that drives measurable, lasting impact? Here are your three foundational pillars.

1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Now, this goes beyond your standard business ICP, it’s your event ICP (or your EICP, if you want to get cute about it). Before you write a single word of copy or start briefing your designers on stands, you need to answer one crucial question: Who are you trying to reach?

If you present yourself as a Jack of All Trades, then sadly, you do come across as a Master of None. We’re aiming for the few, in this case, not the many. Be specific about your audience: instead of targeting “IT professionals” or “tech buyers”, dig deeper. This might look like “head of infrastructure at tier one CSP, currently struggling with complex network integration and craving support for an underresourced team”. Your audience needs to be brought to life. What are their daily challenges? What are their professional aspirations? What kind of content do they consume?

Keeping your approach focussed in this way ensures that every interaction, from a social post to your event leave behind, is tailored for maximum impact and emotional resonance.

2. Develop Your Positioning and Messaging

Now that your audience is defined, you can craft a strong, compelling position for your brand. After all, you now know who you’re talking to, right? This is the strategic core of your brand, taking you beyond bog-standard features and benefits and landing you in the realms of a “brand Friday”, swooping in to save the day. Instead of simply saying your product “improves network security,” take your buyers up the “benefits ladder” and say it “provides peace of mind for CISOs”.

A strong positioning statement clarifies:

• Who you are targeting
• What you are positioning
• What the alternatives are
• What makes you different

Once established, your messaging should be consistent, everywhere and at every stage of your buyer’s journey. Every piece of content you produce, from a blog to a customer conversation, must reinforce the same central narrative. This is how you build a powerful and unforgettable brand identity.

3. Set SMART Objectives

Events are often a significant investment for your brand. Your event plan deserves clear, measurable goals to help you stay on track, get the most from the event and crucially, support your recommendations and ideas in front of senior stakeholders. A vague objective like “increase leads” isn’t specific enough. You could try:

• Specific: “Secure five top-tier media briefings with outlets in our key markets”
• Measurable: “Increase ‘contact us’ requests by 10% post-event”
• Achievable: Ensure your goals are realistic for your team and budget
• Relevant: Tie your marketing goals directly to your overall business objectives
• Time-bound: Set clear deadlines for all phases of your campaign

These objectives are your North Star, guiding all tactical decisions and allowing you to definitively measure your ROI.

Lastly, in today’s unpredictable industry landscape, predictability is often the biggest risk. By building a foundation of strategic planning and focused execution, you allow your braver, more exciting marketing decisions to thrive. The brands that stand out at events have a few things in common:

1. A crystal clear brand position and developed messaging
2. A long-tail, detailed plan that covers the build-up to the event, the event itself, and crucially, the follow-up
3. SMART objectives
4. Bold, unique and creative ideas for execution – which, when supported by strategy, data and experienced execution, are actually the safest move you ever made.

If you’re ready to turn your next event from noise into measurable impact, get in touch with our team today.