For those of you who were not able to tune into last week’s insightful webinar with Head of Sales at SaaStock Will Brightling, you’re in for a special treat.
We at Bloobirds gathered the major takeaways from the live Q&A so you can make the most of your next B2B SaaS conference.
If you’re looking to attend, host, or scale industry events, then keep on reading below! These key points are certain to help position your company strategically.
1. Prepare in advance to gain the most benefits of SaaS conferences
When asked about a company whose strategic decisions made a positive, lasting impression, Will immediately thought of one name: ProfitWell. This Boston-based company delivered its A-game way before, during, and after the SaaStock conference.
And as a result, the company not only generated the most leads in that event but also in SaaStock history (considering the relative number of attendees to event size).
If you want to follow in their footsteps, then you’ll need to be ready to plan every for every aspect of the event, i.e. how the brand will be represented; what prospecting team will be in place; and, what type of content will be created.
In the case of ProfitWell, the company began its preparation 8 months before the start of the event and touched base often with the event organizers.
Similarly, you’ll need to be well-rested, because to be remembered afterward, you’re going to have to make it rain with your energy and enthusiasm.
One of the main reasons that ProfitWell managed to generate so many leads was because its founder and customer success manager could be seen engaging with audience members non-stop for the two-day event.
Those who come prepared are those who leave with potential revenue in pockets.
2. Make sure your goals are clear and passion-driven
To create an industry-related conference, you’ll need to have one thing clear… your goal is not to make money.
That’s a by-product, so to speak.
Indeed, to be successful in the B2B prospecting world, you must define goals that are clear and resolute, and most importantly, find their roots in your passion.
When that is established, you can then begin to embark on a series of steps to host your dream event. That is,
- Gather an initial team of founders, sales development representatives, and marketeers to position the event.
- Add more value with the inclusion of a content specialist.
- Overdeliver before, during, and after the SaaS conference to promise that an attendee’s experience is both memorable and unique.
3. Attend and host events that maximize value
To attend an event or host it ….that is the question. Fortunately though, according to Will, both are possible (and recommended), including for even small-sized companies. Indeed, when you host and attend industry-related events, you make sure to:
1) Not miss out on potential new customers
2) Continue your company’s growth trajectory.
At the same time, hosting a SaaS conference does not need to be as troublesome as it may appear. If you have two or more strong thought leaders within your organization and you feel the time is right, go ahead!
As Will argued, “I don’t really see a difference between a company that has 15 employees with two very strong founders who can deliver really good content versus a separate 300-person company that has 200 customers… I don’t really see a major difference.”
What matters is that you make the most of the good content and relevant leaders in your company to drive brand value and help generate revenue.
4. Don’t hesitate to speak to former SaaS conference partners
Time and time again, many potential exhibitors raise the concern of return on investment, as it relates to exhibitor success. If the figures provided by event organizers make you wary, then dispel your worries by going straight to the source.
Speaking to past exhibitors can help resolve any doubts that you may have.
Similarly, sitting down with event organizers and reviewing what steps they will take to help you achieve your goals of lead generation and/or pipeline. In moments like these, communication is key to making informed decisions regarding your event budget and goal alignment.
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If you enjoyed these highlights from our live session, we encourage you to check out the webinar in its entirety.
