When showcasing your brand at large-scale events, your approach in partnership marketing can be the difference between blending in and standing out from the crowd.
Events like re:Invent offer unique opportunities and challenges for companies aiming to make the most impact with their presence.
Drawing from the experiences of Margot Mazur, Partner Marketing at Miro, Justin Forth, Director of Strategic Alliances at LogicMonitor, and Chris Badger, Technology Business Development and Alliance Executive, we’ll delve into how to leave your mark in an event brimming with possibilities.
Whether you plan to sponsor a booth or engage in collaborations, understanding these strategies can be a game-changer in maximizing your presence at the event.
Understanding the Event’s Scale and Noise
The sheer scale and buzz of events like re:Invent can be both an opportunity and a challenge for companies looking to make an impact. As Forth points out, navigating through the noise is crucial:
“With the size of re:Invent, there is a ton of noise around the event. It’s easy to get lost in the mass of happy hours, dinners, parties, announcements, PR, etc.”
A balanced strategy is vital to cutting through this noise and capturing attention effectively. Here are some approaches that can help:
- Marketing-Led but Sales-Supported: Create an email-based outreach campaign to drive booth traffic. This includes drip campaigns with relevant information about what you’ll showcase, your partnership with AWS, and more.
- Sales-Led but Marketing Supported: Engage in personalized outreach to prospects and customers. This involves meeting with executives and leveraging these connections to draw attention to your booth and offerings.
- Collaborating with Event Organizers: Work closely with AWS, especially if there are in-flight opportunities. Joint meetings involving AWS reps can significantly increase your visibility and engagement at the event.
These strategies emphasize the importance of a cohesive approach, where marketing and sales efforts complement each other to penetrate the event’s bustling atmosphere effectively. A balanced strategy is vital to cutting through this noise and effectively capturing attention.
Balancing Strategic Email and Direct Outreach
Margot Mazur from Miro raises an essential point about the effectiveness of broad email marketing in such a dynamic environment:
“We haven’t seen broad email marketing be the most successful lever to pull for booking meetings.”
Despite this, Mazur acknowledges the potential of a more focused approach, combining strategic email campaigns with direct outreach. This dual strategy can be highly effective:
- Tailored Email Campaigns: Rather than broad, generic emails, focus on targeted messages that resonate with specific segments of your audience. This can include personalized invitations to your booth, information about exclusive event offerings, or insights into how your partnership with AWS benefits them.
- Individual Outreach: Complement your email efforts with direct, one-on-one communication. This can involve personalized messages to crucial prospects or existing customers, inviting them to special meetings or events at your booth.
- Continuous Engagement: Keep the conversation going. Follow-up emails or messages can remind attendees about your presence at the event and any special sessions or showcases you’re hosting.
Since every event is unique, you must tailor your approach based on the event itself and its attendees. Doing so ensures you’re not just another face in the crowd but a valuable partner worth engaging with.
Maximizing Impact with Targeted Approaches
Chris Badger from OTW emphasizes the need for a targeted approach, especially when dealing with partners like AWS in a crowded event setting:
“With the AWS field, you have to be super targeted if you want their help… AWS’ priority will always be getting their customers aware of the new AWS services and programs.”
Here are key strategies to focus on:
- Separate Meeting Space: Securing a separate meeting space is crucial if you have a booth. “Getting buy-in from AWS sales team leaders is essential,” said Badger. A quieter, dedicated space allows for more impactful discussions.
- Aligning with AWS Priorities: Understand and align your strategies with AWS’s objectives. If you have established momentum or partner awareness, getting buy-in from AWS sales team leaders is essential to promote your presence effectively.
- Leveraging AWS Relationships for Promotion: “The gold to get AWS promotion about you as a partner is through bringing a customer willing to speak at re:Invent,” said Badger. While challenging, this can yield significant benefits.
These targeted approaches enhance your visibility at the event and strengthen your relationship with key partners like AWS, providing a solid foundation for future collaborations.
Leveraging Partnerships and Customer Engagement
Engaging effectively at major events like re:Invent isn’t just about promoting your brand. It’s also about leveraging partnerships and customer relationships to enhance your presence.
Here’s how you can make the most of these partnership marketing opportunities:
- Highlighting Customer Success Stories: It can be a powerful draw if you can bring a customer willing to speak about their success with your product or service. This showcases your value proposition, builds credibility, and attracts more attendees to your booth or session.
- Joint Ventures with Partners: Collaborate with partners like AWS on joint marketing initiatives. This could involve co-hosted sessions, shared booth space, or joint announcements. Such collaborations can significantly increase your visibility and reach at the event.
- Building on Existing Relationships: Use your existing relationships with customers and partners to create buzz around your participation. Encourage them to share your event-related content on their social media or invite them to be part of your event activities.
- Engaging with Attendees Post-Event: Don’t let the conversation end with the event. Follow up with attendees, especially those who engaged with you or your partners, to nurture these relationships and potentially convert them into business opportunities.
By focusing on these aspects of partnership and customer engagement, you create a more compelling and memorable presence at large-scale events, turning them into fruitful opportunities for partnership marketing.
Conclusion
The key to successful partnership marketing at major events like re:Invent lies in a well-balanced mix of strategies. By leveraging the power of customer success stories, joint ventures, existing relationships, and post-event engagement, you can impact events like re:Invent and generate valuable business opportunities for your company.
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