After conducting a live data center webinar event and distributing the recorded version, don’t you think it would be beneficial to put the technology away and share your knowledge in person?
Although some people love the concept of webinars, others still prefer meeting people in person, and those people could be potential leads. So, what can you do to promote and conduct an offline version of your webinar?
Just as you would with an online seminar, you should start promoting your offline event about eight weeks in advance. Start by segmenting your email list and contacts matching your data center’s buyer personas for this particular event. Next, send them two friendly email reminders at most after they register.
Another tip? Stop sending emails to individuals who have already registered. The last thing you want to do is lose an attendee for coming across too aggressive.
Joshua Feinberg, Co-Founder and Vice President of SP Home Run, makes an astounding point regarding webinars stating, “If you're taking the time to develop this great content, with some small modifications, there’s no reason you couldn't offer these as breakfast seminars in your office or data center. Or conduct lunch and learn events, networking receptions, submit speaking proposals to relevant conferences, or you could do jointly sponsored events/co-marketing with partners, channel partners, or other organizations.”
Seminars are a great way to promote your brand. Data centers conduct seminars to teach and share knowledge. Whether the seminar is taught at a school, by an instructor, or at an organization, when you educate your audience regarding certain topics, they eventually look to you for expert advice. The more knowledge you provide, the greater success you will have within your industry.
Lunch and learns are great academic events where coworkers come together for a company-wide lunch, share the spotlight, and learn about new and interesting things. Lunch and learns are used for networking, bringing teams closer together, or training your clients. You make your lunch and learns whatever you want them to be!
Networking receptions are popular amongst data center salespeople.
It is hard to operate a business without any connections; these events allow people to show up and meet other individuals in their fields or related fields. Unlike traditional events—like seminars and lunch and learns, where you are obligated to show up at a specific time—networking receptions are open for a certain amount of time, and you can swing in whenever you want to make those connections.
Public speaking can be quite difficult for some people. In fact, some say it is one of the most common and greatest fears people have. However, public speaking is a vital skill to possess, especially when attempting to gain trusted advisor status amongst your audience. Speaking at small or mid-size conferences is a fantastic way to connect or potentially bring home valuable leads.
Attending joint-sponsored events and co-marketing are both great options for taking your webinars offline and sharing knowledge with your audience.
HubSpot defines co-marketing as “when two companies collaborate on promotional efforts for a co-branded offer” and continues, “in a co-marketing partnership, both companies promote a piece of content or product and share the results of that promotion.”
There are various ways your data center can start building its expert status in the industry, and strong online seminar programs are an extremely useful tactic for educating and achieving trusted advisor status.
Do you have the confidence to take your webinars offline and set up a live public event? Let us know in the comments below.
Learn more about Colocation Data Center Providers and Go-to-Market Strategy (GTM) for Growth.