Dimensional Data

As a B2B marketer, you know that the sales rep relationship remains critical to closing deals in the B2B world. But how can you support that relationship-building process in a world where hybrid events are more common? Let’s take a step back and appreciate just how much B2B event marketing has changed.  By necessity during the pandemic, events made a rapid transition from in-person to virtual, and that served the purpose of maintaining a connection with buyers. The rapid rise of video conferencing technology allowed marketers to continue delivering events remotely, albeit in a more restricted way than pre-pandemic.  But events are evolving, resisting the call to return to previous in-person-only formats and instead adopting a more refined hybrid approach. The key benefit of this approach is being able to reach a wide audience, regardless of geography, timezone and other factors. What sets hybrid events apart from remote events is embracing the tools available to enhance the event experience with real-time 3D interactive applications. These can be experienced by both in-person and remote attendees. Maintaining a focus on the all-important B2B buyer journey, marketers can provide buyers in a hybrid event the opportunity to self-educate on products in a way that moves beyond conventional marketing methods such as leaflets and videos. With real-time 3D technology, it’s possible to provide custom-selected supporting information to the buyer, for example, including a personalized sales presentation in a follow-up email that displays the exact product configuration they showed an interest in, along with a quote. Simultaneously, your sales team is equipped with that same data about the preferences of each buyer, placing them in an ideal position to discuss individual needs in the follow-up sales call. Wondering what a virtual showroom really looks like? Check out the story behind one of the world’s top manufacturers for woodworking machinery, who worked with their agency partner to create a fully interactive showroom that not only caters to remote visitors, but also supports the buyer self-serve journey by providing additional product information within the experience. Do your events engage everyone, including in-person and remote attendees? Do they give you the opportunity to gather meaningful insight into what your customers really want?