Yournextheadofsales

Sr Account Executive

Association Conference Best Practices

In my role, I am responsible for attracting and earning new business from wholesale distributors across several industries. Many of our leads come from association conferences with C-Suite attendees. Typically manufacturers are pre-scheduling meetings with the distributors to negotiate costs, terms, new products and other purchasing decisions.

As service provider with no previous relationship with the prospect, I am attempting to get in their appointment book during the conference.

What are some best practices you have used in this selling environment?

🏫 Conferences

📖 Prospecting Stories

👍 Sales Process

15 comments

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saaskicker

Tycoon

Enterprise AE

Did you get a list of everyone attending the conference? This is usually step one, email them and ask for a meeting. If you have the means/budget, host a social event or happy hour and invite everyone.

BTQ

Politicker

Fractional SDR

In my experience with this, it ends up being all vendors and no prospects for HHs. And I admit my exp is limited to two conferences so far.

Yournextheadofsales

Contributor

Sr Account Executive

Many times I do have a list and usually slim it down to the best targets for me to connect with. I also like to reach out to current clients and ask for introductions.

Because the event is mostly about connecting manufacturers with distributors, hosting an event is difficult. Usually larger manufacturers hosts these events and they have larger budgets.

I’ve thought about attempting to invite a few active clients with a prospect or two to breakfast or lunch, since dinners and evening events are unavailable.

My question is how can we differentiate ourselves before attending from other SaaS vendors/ solution providers and above their regularly scheduled relationships?

BTQ

Politicker

Fractional SDR

I like your thought process with active clients. We did this and invited prospects to dinner too.
As for differentiating yourself, it's either your customer service or product has to be superior. It's kind of hard for me to tell you what sets you apart without knowing your biz.

saaskicker

Tycoon

Enterprise AE

putting active clients with prospects is a great tactic.

Yournextheadofsales

Contributor

Sr Account Executive

Thanks! I am trying to plan for a conference in January with a similar setup. This time I am going to invite a few late stage opportunities but it would great if I could give them a companion pass of sorts to bring a new friend.

Yournextheadofsales

Contributor

Sr Account Executive

To clarify— what can I do during the prospecting stage to be different than others trying to get on their calendar?

saaskicker

Tycoon

Enterprise AE

there's no silver bullet. personalization helps, make it seem like it's not a canned blast they are getting for going to the conference.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Yeah, preparing who where when and why

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

ERP Sales

Love it!

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Lots of tradeshow advice via search

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Such a wise Fox. Why don't people listen?
*le sigh*

wolfofmiami

Opinionated

🐺

emailing pple and calling them before hand to try and get them to stop by the booth, then just go around and talk to people

Yournextheadofsales

Contributor

Sr Account Executive

Guerrilla marketing! I like it. Sticking to the basics. Do you feel like you make a stronger connection to them when you see them at the conference even if you didn’t actually get through to them before?

wolfofmiami

Opinionated

🐺

I think it’s easier bc you’re face to face it’s not like they can just hang up on you And also face to face even if you can’t help them out you could go out with them just make a new connection