According to Marketingsherpa 72% of B2B marketers believe events still pack a punch! In fact good old traditional outbound methods are definitely not dead - but that's another blog for another time.
41.5% event budget boost in 2013
BtoB, many B2B marketers still see events as a key part of their marketing mix - infact the Outlook survey found that 41.5% will boost their event budgets this year.
4 top reasons to invest in events
Event Marketing Institute, the four top reasons for marketers investing in events are:
- Generating leads and sales
- Branding and awareness
- Engaging with prospects and existing customers
- Educating attendees
2012 IDC Tech Marketing Benchmarks Study
On average, event marketing constitutes 1/5 of the marketing budget - still representing a pretty sizeable percentage.
95% say face-to-face meetings are essential
A survey carried out by Harvard Business Review found that 95% of business professionals confirm that face-to-face meetings are essential for the development and retention of long-term business relationships. Additionally, 28% of their current business would be lost without face-to-face meetings.
Virtual events save $1,000 per attendee
According to Gigaom, online events should be part of everyone’s event marketing mix. They are cost effective, require less time, and can be just as successful as offline events. The report says that “the average virtual event saves $1,000 in travel costs per attendee.”
SMEs value face-face interactions
56% of business owners surveyed by B2B Marketing magazine, said they would like to spend more time meeting people and networking. Infact they see "office distractions and emails as obstacles to effective business."
Events, whether live, virtual, intimate or large-scale, they are clearly an important part of the B2B marketing mix. Ensure events form a part of your 2013 marketing strategy.
Do you have any comments?