In addition to tracking top-of-funnel metrics like number of attendees or cost per attendee, Event Optimizers are also measuring bottom-funnel event metrics like sales pipeline, prospects accelerated down the funnel, and actual revenue generated.
2. Event Optimizers are shifting their focus from sponsored to hosted events
Salesforce, featured in the report, is one of the Event Optimizers that rigorously measures its event marketing. While the company tracks top-of-funnel metrics like number of attendees, it also leverages its own CRM products and third-party event-marketing software to dig deeper.
When you host your own events, you have full control of the customer experience — and you’re more likely accomplish your specific intention and maximize the ROI of your events.
Event Optimizers have honed their hosted event strategy and will invest even more (four in 10 survey respondents say their organizations plan to spend more on hosting events next year).
However, sponsored events are still a part the strategy, with 85% of organizations prioritizing them (vs. 93% of orgs who prioritize hosted events). Event Optimizers know how to align their sponsored events with specific business objectives and are choosing sponsored events when driving net new leads or capitalizing on a key industry event are imperative.
3. Event Optimizers are investing in more events, higher budgets, bigger event teams
The fastest-growing companies — those who have grown 30+ in revenue in the last 2 years — are investing the most in events.
4. Event Optimizers diversify their event types, and align their goals to each type
Event Optimizers not only spend more on events, but also hire more dedicated event staff. More than a quarter say they have 11 or more full-time event planning and management employees, while one-third of say they spend between 21% and 50% of their marketing budgets on events. One in 10 allocate more than half their marketing budget to events.
On top of that, those who are tracking their event impact — Event Optimizers -- are the ones increasing their marketing budgets the most.
Event Optimizers aren’t just banking on one type of event — they use different events at different stages of the sales funnel because they know the different outcomes they can expect for expect for each event type.
For example: while VIP dinners are meant for pipeline acceleration, sponsored or partner events are meant for brand awareness or net-new leads.
5. Event Optimizers adopt end-to-end event technology
Event Optimizers use event technology and say it helps them track and measure events, improve event registration and attendance, increase productivity, provide a better attendee experience, and ensure better event planning and execution in line with their company’s goals.
With advancements in the latest generation of event technology, including the ability to track deep attendee data and automate many manual processes, the best tech adopters are better at measuring ROI (37% vs 23% of non-adopters) and 90% of tech adopters on average consider themselves “well-positioned for future success,” compared to only 65% of non-adopters.
6.Event Optimizers leverage powerful event data and have integrated systems
The most aggressive event tech adopters are tech companies, followed by business/professional services, consulting firms, and health care companies.
Capturing high-quality data from every touchpoint gives Event Optimizers the ability to continually optimize for better event outcomes by unlocking deep insights on event attendees’ preferences, enabling personalized event experiences, relevant post-event communications, supporting future personalized marketing efforts, and allowing for proper event measurement.
Integrating their event technology with their CRM software or the rest of the marketing stack provides easy access to the data needed to generate actionable intel, including real-time event insights at every stage of the event lifecycle—segmented by customer type—enabling better follow-up by the sales team.
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