Trying to find new clients? Sales leads drying up? Struggling to promote a new product?

These are challenges that all businesses face but, when looking for solutions, many often neglect the importance of attending events.

Events are a lead generation gold mine that produce results for sponsors of any size – whether you’re a small start up or a large corporation.

In any competitive industry, making a lasting impression is crucial and effective branding can set you apart from the rest. This is where investing in branding and sponsorship packages step in, offering a comprehensive solution to enhance your visual identity and overall success from attending.

As the leading provider of alternative data events and research, we wanted to share our expertise with you and offer some tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your event experience.

Why do people go to events?

Simple answer – to meet people, increase brand awareness, generate leads and (eventually) make sales.

Events help sales and marketing achieve many of their key business goals, including:

• Increased visibility of the brand and product offering within target markets
• Networking opportunities for sales teams
• Lead generation activities among highly qualified delegates
• Positioning of key executives as thought leaders and industry experts
• Brand awareness among potential new clients that has a lasting impact
• Exposure to leading issues and trends within the industry, which help sales and marketing teams tailor their pitches to existing industry pain points

The beauty of events is that they are designed to work for you. So, how do you get the most out of your attendance at a Neudata event?

Relationship building

In-person events are the home of face-to-face interactions. In a world of virtual meetings, these opportunities to meet others are critical to building relationships. Sponsoring events lets you engage with attendees and establish these vital connections that create lasting impressions.

Whatever reason you have for attending an event, these interactions go a long way in building trust and credibility, which are essential for long-term business success.

Make people come to you

Exhibition booths are an event staple for a reason – they give you a permanent hub to set up shop on the event floor. Event attendees will walk by your booth many times during the day, building your brand recognition. You’ll also be able to grab their attention and spark up a conversation.

Good branding is a crucial element of a successful booth. Nobody’s going to notice you sitting behind a plain table, so get creative! Display your logo prominently. Invest in a tablecloth, backdrop, pull-up banners, screens – anything that makes you stand out.

Distribute marketing materials

Booths are a great place for you to give out marketing materials to attendees. From leaflets and brochures to branded swag like hats, electronics, snacks or water bottles, getting creative will attract people to your stand. Branded giveaways also serve as a reminder of your company, so investing in good quality products means your materials are likely to live on past the life of the event.

Content generation

Sponsorship goes beyond the event itself. It opens doors to content creation opportunities that can fuel your digital marketing efforts. From blog posts and social media updates to videos and interviews, you can leverage your presence at the event to generate valuable material that resonates with your online audience, further enhancing your brand's presence.

Thought leadership

Securing a speaking slot at an event is a great chance to position your organisation as a thought leader in your space. By speaking at events you have a completely captive target audience where you can speak on a current trend, launch a new product or present a use case.

Sponsoring and speaking at events relevant to your industry can also create positive associations with other industry experts and enhance your credibility, particularly when participating in a panel with your customers.

Capture market share from competitors

Standing out in a crowded market can be challenging. Event sponsorship provides a unique opportunity to differentiate your business from competitors. By aligning your brand with a well-executed and well-known event, you get to showcase your commitment to innovation and community engagement, setting yourself apart in the minds of your future customers.

Lead generation

Event sponsorship packages can help sponsors build their sales pipelines and engage in meaningful conversations with potential new clients.

One way that events can facilitate this process is through structured networking opportunities. At Neudata, our ‘AltDating program’ is a personalised matchmaking service connecting buyers and sellers in meetings during and after our quarterly summits. Services like this take the hassle out of scheduling meetings with prospective buyers and enable you to tap into an organisation's qualified network.

Summary

Event sponsorship isn’t something you just throw money at – it’s a measurable investment. From creating a strong first impression to fostering trust and consistency, the impact of a well-designed branding package is undeniable. If you want to increase your brand awareness, grow your client base, generate leads and make sales then you need to be utilising events and making the most of them.

So, the next time you're reviewing your lead generation and sales pipelines, consider a branding package as an integral part of your strategy.

Video course

Neudata Academy is our educational video series that trains vendors on different aspects of selling data to the investment management industry. Our ‘Marketing Strategies’ course explores the most effective ways that you can promote your brand and take your product to market – and events are one of these strategies. Watch the full video here to get an in depth lesson in all things event marketing.

Neudata Academy is only accessible for subscribers. If you’re not a Neudata subscriber, reach out to info@neudata.co to discuss your options.

Talk to the team

We’re event experts. With years of experience, Neudata is the expert in helping data providers and owners position their products to the investment management industry.  We’re always keen for you to get involved in our events. To discuss how you can participate in an event or make the most out of your sponsorship experience, chat with us at events@neudata.co.