sellingout

Director of Partnerships

Trade Show: Sales tool or Awareness vehicle?

Maybe that's a false dichotomy...but I'm wondering how you view trade shows/industry events. Our industry is largely built on service orgs and SaaS companies...so it's not a traditional 'show us your wares' trade show situation.

We typically just go as attendees and try to meet people, rather than spend all the money to have a booth and give away branded pens and stuff.

Are y'all having success driving service/SaaS new business from events? (not just meeting current clients but legit first contact to close)

🙌 Events

📨 Marketing

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jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Bit of both.. Having a booth can be important for awareness, especially if your company has had one for awhile - the absence can give people the idea that you're no longer a player.

That being said, in my experience most of the value comes from networking and meeting people. I was at a conference last week, just as an attendee, and lunch was the most valuable part for me. That, and some time between speakers in one of the halls when I was able to spark some conversation with someone that might be a good fit.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Never been to a conference, so good to know!

hh456

Celebrated Contributor

sales

yeah. ive always closed a couple leads at each event a couple months down the road. i know who i want to meet before i get there and i prime the pump before they arrive.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Kinda a necessary evil

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

Officer of ♥️

Sales is relationship building. The more people you build a relationship the better and conferences are like speed dating

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

We are in healthcare tech, and I know that we have a decent amount of success with both awareness and actual selling

tightlines

Politicker

Account Executive

Our fortunes in trade shows have been dwindling, but I know that in the UK they are pretty legit, so I guess it depends on where you are

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

My company puts a BIG emphasis on trade shows and puts serious money behind sponsorships. Too much, IMO, but its not my money so...whatever.
However the expectation is we have lots of demos at the show, client meetings, etc. which for the most part we are able to do. It take a lot of pre-planning and effort though.

MeowMeow

Politicker

Senior Enterprise Account Executive

Waste of damn time.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Standing in a booth tomorrow, as a matter of fact. For the first time in a few years.

It's brand awareness, as well as the opportunity to network, take a look at what the competition is doing (and how much traffic they're getting), and a chance to meet f2f with some prospects you haven't yet been able to meet.

I look forward to being exhausted tomorrow at the end of day 1.

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sellingout

Trade Show: Sales tool or Awareness vehicle?

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