Maximizing Event Management

Every fall, companies (retailers and vendors alike) are deep into planning industry engagement for the coming year. Having too many options can be more challenging than having just a few options. 

There are more than 50 regional and national programs developed by state associations, national associations, media companies and consultants servicing the industry offering opportunities to engage.  Whether a business seeks to gain insight, build relationships and ultimately sell to the convenience retail and retail petroleum industry, the programs are vast and varied. 

Different levels of marketers and retailers attend different programs. Where is your best entry point and how can you maximize your marketing engagement dollars? It is important to evaluate shows by understanding the audience at each potential program and determining how that audience aligns with your target audience. 

This 3-step process will help guide your company to better engagement planning and results.

1.  Evaluate Attendees

• What type of company is your customer? A major oil company, wholesale fuel distributor, company with operated retail sites, company with dealer sites, major fuel brand outlet, proprietary fuel brand outlet, or a combination of all the above?
• Which level of contact is your customer / buyer

2.  Pre-Event Planning

• Why should someone want to engage with you?
• Do you know what other options they have related to what you offer?
• What is most interesting / compelling about your product or service?
• Does your attendance package include a detailed listing of attendees and the ability to contact attendees to set appointments or coordinate a meal?

3.  Event Organization and Post-Event

• At the event, participate where those you wish to meet are participating! For example, attending the educational sessions allows you to not only learn about what the retailer or marketer may deem important, but also provides for casual engagement. If you engage only to sell, you will not be as successful as if you engage to learn and build interaction.
• Additionally, come prepared with a plan in place to organize information, thoughts, and contacts to ensure meaningful opportunities for post-event follow-up. Consider writing notes on the back of a business card or on your phone about your conversation with an individual. Making these notes makes sending a more personalized follow up email much easier.

Once you’ve chosen the events to attend, it’s important to consider networking and how you will engage with potential clients and business partners. Let’s face it, not everyone is skilled at “working a room”. As a result, business leaders often miss opportunities by a lack of strategy or by speaking too long with someone they already know. While it is important to stay in contact with those we know,  there must be a balance with meeting new people too.

Making the most of networking events calls for direction, strategy and goal setting. Meeting fewer people, but the right contacts, can be less exhausting and more efficient professionally. A key piece of advice: make use of a networking partner who is knowledgeable about both your business and the industry and set a strategy beforehand.

Optimizing Online Presence

Beyond events, another key element for engaging potential clients and new customers is your digital presence.

The convenience industry – with over 450 consumer-facing companies and various operating structures — is constantly changing and evolving. Reaching a target B2B audience is challenging. Keeping pace with how retail operators search for suppliers and service providers online can be especially difficult as technological innovation drives shifts in user preferences and engagement. It is no longer enough for vendors to just have a website. Here are some best practices to optimize online presence and increase engagement and conversions across devices.

1.  Content Drives Traffic

Refreshing the content on your website consistently helps maintain engagement while improving the online awareness of your brand. Content such as fresh blog posts, case studies, press releases, video, survey updates and other types of content can establish the credibility of your online presence and the products and services you provide. Content can also be customized based on a prospect’s buying preferences – engaging consumers in unique ways and inspiring them to reach out to your team.

2.  Be Mobile-Friendly

If your site doesn’t render well on all devices, you are overdue for an update – now!

If a buyer’s path is interrupted due to lack of responsiveness across devices, they are likely to quickly abandon your site. Website function should include elements such as personalization based on user preferences, content offers that nurture prospects throughout the buyer’s journey, the ability to subscribe to future content to expand learning and offering a variety of form types (request entry forms) that can accommodate prospects who may be reluctant to submit their contact information.

3.  Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

While it is important to ensure your online presence is appealing across all devices, it is just as important that your website can be easily found using search engines. Website optimization is an ongoing, data-driven process that requires continuous monitoring, testing, and refinement to ensure long-term growth and success. 

4.  Adjusting Your Selling Approach to Marketing Leads

Users who download content are demonstrating a desire to learn more about your products and services, and for many potential buyers this is an essential part of research and due diligence prior to deciding to buy. When a lead submits  contact information online, a prompt response from a member of your sales team is crucial. Providing your salesperson with information about the lead that is gathered through their engagement on your website can also help close a sale.

Mike Flebotte is a partner with The Business Accelerator Team, a consultancy assisting with insight, strategy, marketing and business-development for suppliers, retailers and media in retailing and foodservice. He can be reached at mflebotte@thebateam.com.

Kay Segal founded Business Accelerator Team in 2015 with an eye on providing business solutions focused on accelerating revenue in the c-store, foodservice and B2B media industries. Kay’s combined experiences positioned her to offer diverse industry insight and a unique niche of services that help clients boost profitability.