Why Conversational Events Build B2B Sales Pipeline: The Power of Authentic Engagement

We recently hosted a dinner for a client in cybersecurity who needed to get people excited about their sometimes hard-to-understand offering. They knew who they wanted to get in front of, and we got those buyers in the room with them. But that’s not what this story is about….

In the case of this dinner, we had the CEO of the company participate as their SME and conversation moderator, asking questions and sharing real-world anecdotes of how the company has addressed similar pain points for their current customers. Halfway through the dinner, the CEO revealed that a major streaming service was producing a documentary about his life.  As you can imagine, this created excitement, interest, and plenty of selfie requests. This is one of hundreds of ways our clients work with us to create authentic engagement.

In today’s fast-paced, digital-first business environment, building strong relationships and fostering trust are more important than ever. As B2B companies seek new ways to connect with prospects and grow their sales pipeline, conversational events have emerged as a powerful tool for engaging potential clients and driving meaningful conversations. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore why conversational events are so effective in building B2B sales pipelines and how you can harness their potential for your business.

Welcome to the World of Conversational Events

What is a ‘conversational event’? We define it as a roundtable, workshop, panel discussion or even conference where focus is on, you guessed it, conversation. They offer a unique opportunity for B2B companies to engage  potential clients in a more authentic and collaborative way. Forget those mind-numbing sales pitches – these events are all about genuine interaction, info-swapping, and teamwork. Webinars are often called “interactive” but honestly they are best suited to training or getting a marketing message out to a large group of people; the speakers in a webinar are there to speak, not listen.

Trust, Credibility, and the Secret of B2B

Everybody knows trust and credibility are the bread and butter of B2B relationships. Conversational events offer a unique opportunity for B2B companies to demonstrate their expertise, showcase their thought leadership, and address the specific challenges faced by their target audience. By facilitating meaningful discussions and providing valuable insights, B2B companies can position themselves as trusted partners and advisors, making it more likely that potential clients will consider their solutions.

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Connection and Collaboration: Let’s Share Ideas

These events are built on good old-fashioned collaboration. By bringing together potential clients, industry experts, and thought leaders for a conversation, you create an environment where ideas can be exchanged and relationships started. The result? An atmosphere that encourages participants to share their experiences, challenges, and solutions openly, helping B2B companies better understand their target audience and tailor their offerings accordingly, further supporting their sales pipeline.

High-Quality Leads: The Holy Grail

Who doesn’t love top-quality leads? Conversational events are a goldmine. Since these events attract a highly engaged and targeted audience, the participants are more likely to be genuinely interested in your products or services. By engaging in meaningful conversations and providing valuable insights, you can establish a strong connection with potential clients and boost your chances of converting them into customers.

It’s a Long-Term Relationship, Baby

Conversational events are not just about making an immediate sale – we’re in this for the long haul. These events are all about nurturing those precious connections and building a solid foundation for future business. By fostering an environment of open dialogue and shared problem-solving, they can help B2B companies establish better and longer-lasting connections with their target audience. This ongoing engagement can lead to repeat business, referrals, and a robust sales pipeline over time.

Accelerating the Sales Cycle

Who knew talking could make your sales cycle move faster? By providing potential clients with valuable insights and addressing their specific challenges, these events can help move prospects through the sales funnel more quickly. As potential clients gain a deeper understanding of your products or services, see the value they can bring to their organization, and get to know reps on a personal level, they’ll be signing on the dotted line in no time.

Boost Your Brand Image

By showcasing your expertise and thought leadership, you can position your company as an industry authority and a go-to resource for potential clients. This enhanced brand image can lead to increased visibility and interest in your products or services, helping to grow your B2B sales pipeline on a larger scale.

Putting it into Practice: How to Leverage Conversational Events for Your B2B Sales Pipeline

Now that you’re a conversational event enthusiast, let’s talk about how to make the most of them for your B2B sales pipeline. By following these best practices, you can maximize the impact of these events and drive meaningful results for your business.

Set Clear Objectives: Know what you want, and go for it.

• Before you begin planning your conversational event, it’s essential to define your objectives. Consider what you want to achieve, such as generating leads, building brand awareness, establishing thought leadership (or all of the above). Having clear objectives will guide your event planning process and help you measure the success of the event.

Identify Your Target Audience: 

• To ensure your conversational event is relevant and engaging, you have to understand your target audience. Identify their needs, pain points, and interests, and use this information to guide your event’s content and format. By tailoring your event to your target audience, you can ensure it resonates with them and generates actual leads.

Choose the Right Format: 

• Conversational events can take many forms, including roundtable discussions, workshops, or panel discussions. We favor the in-depth discussions associated with a roundtable, panel or workshop format with smaller audiences. If you’d rather talk than listen, you’ll want to do a  webinar–just don’t expect engagement.

Curate Engaging Content: 

• Nobody likes boring. The content of your event is crucial to its success. Keep the topic and conversation relevant, engaging, and insightful.  Focus on providing valuable insights and actionable advice that addresses the specific challenges faced by your target audience. If your life is about to be portrayed by Tom Cruise, even better.

Invite Industry Experts and Thought Leaders: 

• Get the top dogs involved to amp up your event’s appeal. By partnering with well-respected professionals, you can showcase your company’s own influence in the industry, and foster a valuable environment of knowledge-sharing and collaboration for participants.

Promote Your Event: 

• Shout it from the rooftops – or, you know, just use email, social media, and content marketing. Effective promotion is key to attracting your target audience and generating interest. Utilize multiple channels to reach your audience, and ensure your promotional materials clearly communicate the value of your event for attendees.

Facilitate Networking Opportunities: 

• Networking is a significant aspect of conversational events, as it allows participants to connect with like-minded professionals and build relationships. Encourage mingling and idea-sharing by incorporating breaks, Q&A sessions, or activities into your event. You could also provide a dedicated networking platform or virtual breakout rooms for attendees to connect and share ideas.

Follow Up with Attendees: 

• After your event, send a personalized follow-up email to each attendee, thanking them for their participation and providing any relevant resources, such as a compilation of key takeaways or recordings. Use this opportunity to ask for feedback, schedule a follow-up call, or invite them to future events.

Measure Your Success: 

• Track those KPIs and analyze what worked and what didn’t. Did the number of attendees, leads generated, and conversion rates match what you were aiming for?  There’s always room for improvement – nobody’s perfect, after all. Refine your event strategy to drive better results in the future.

Conclusion

It’s time to embrace the power of conversational events for your B2B sales pipeline. Build trust, credibility, and long-lasting relationships while enjoying some quality discussion. By following the best practices outlined above, you can effectively harness the power of conversational events and drive meaningful results for your business. Partnering with organizations like BuyerForesight can make it even easier – contact us at grow@buyerforesight.com to discuss.