I've attended 100+ events in my sales career, and when done right, there is no better way to land your dream clients.
In today's issue, I'm going to teach you how to maximize an event.
Automated outreach is getting out of control. People are craving human connection, and this is only going to grow in importance.
Many people sign up for a random event, show up, and then say it's a waste of time when it doesn't produce results.
When you maximize your events, you'll:
Here's how to do it:
Events take time and resources. Going to an event that isn't aligned with your goals is a waste of time and resources.
Before attending events, create your goals. Ask the following question, "What does success look like?"
Different companies will have different goals. Here are some examples:
When you have clear goals, you're much better positioned to send the right people to the right events.
With your goals in mind, it's time to find events. In most cities, there are countless events to attend. (No events in your city? It's an excellent opportunity to build your own. For now, we'll save that for a future newsletter.)
Based on your goals, who are the attendees you are most interested in meeting? Let's say you're targeting marketing leaders at insurance companies. Attending an event filled with claims leaders at insurance companies will be a waste of time.
Here are a few examples to find the right events:
Once you nail down some events, contact the hosts and ask for a typical attendee profile.
Bonus: See if they need any volunteer help with the event. This is a great way to meet people tied to your industry.
So many people will book an event, forget about it, and simply attend when it arrives. If you have success doing this, it's pure luck. You need to have a plan.
The first thing you want to do is see who's attending. You'll have an attendee list through the booking tool for most smaller events. If not, try contacting the hosts beforehand, see if anyone is speaking, and figure out who the sponsors are.
Next, assign targets to each person on the team. This ensures you're fully covering the event. Riding solo? Pick the top 3 people you want to meet.
Then, connect with each person on LinkedIn and send them a personalized note.
No attendee list? Create an action plan for when you get to the event. For example, "When we get to the event, we'll spread out to maximize coverage. Each person will have a goal to meet with 5 people."
Bonus: Sam McKenna has a GREAT process if you have enough time.
The event is here! The #1 mistake I see is spending the entire event talking to one prospect. I've done it 100 times. It's easy to do without goals or a plan.
Remember, stick to your plan and seek out the people you want to meet.
Start the conversation by building rapport. Nobody wants to hear a pitch right out of the gate. Get to know them as a person, and then understand their goals and challenges. Not hitting it off? Move on. It's okay if you're not for everyone.
Before leaving the conversation, establish the next steps.
Odds are you've talked a bit about what you do, so don't be afraid to make the ask. "I'd love to learn more about your challenges driving new leads and share how some of our clients have handled that situation. Are you up for hopping on a call in the next week or two?"
If they aren't interested? Move on. It's okay if you're not for everyone.
Bonus: Take notes from your conversation to reference in the follow-up message.
If you take nothing else from this article, take this: Always follow up. I can't tell you how many good leads are wasted from poor follow-up—or even worse, no follow-up.
In a perfect world, you've already established the next steps with the people you spoke with. If that's the case, it's as simple as reaching out to schedule a call.
If that's not the case, all isn't lost. Start with the people you spoke with but didn't have a chance to establish the next steps. There is likely rapport there. Make sure to reference something specific from your conversation to jog their memory.
Next, split up the remaining attendees among the team and send a personalized note. "Hi Mike, I missed you at the event but noticed (personalized research). If you're up for it, I'd love to hop on a call and learn more about your business."
By using this strategy, you'll maximize the events you attend and land more dream clients. Events can be a waste of time or a fantastic channel when you have a step-by-step plan.
