Dee Blohm is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Anteriad.
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It’s that time of the year again, when B2B marketers need to push hard to make year-end goals.
With most of the budget already accounted for, marketers need to maximize outcomes from what they already have planned. That includes tightening up on account targets and aligning with current pipeline opportunities, ensuring that sales and marketing are in lock step around sales touches and marketing campaigns, and using data to expand opportunities where they are most ripe.
During Q4, one of the most important tools in a marketer’s toolbox to supercharge pipeline is events. But events come with challenges. By Q4, most events are already planned and locked in, with little wiggle room to shift budget around.
However, marketers do have opportunities to make the most of planned events in Q4 with a bit of creativity. I’ve seen the effect that some extra effort can deliver for both hosted and sponsored events.
How To Make Hosted Events Punch Above Their Weight
With Q4 budgets tight and the calendar packed, we don’t use a generic list when we invite clients and prospects to a hosted event. Every seat at that table needs to represent an account that can realistically move before the year closes.
This requires close collaboration with the sales team during the planning stage. I literally sit with the team to plan out invites and seating to make the most of every contact, and also to ensure that sellers have ownership over the outcome.
For example, as we finalize the format for our co-hosted dinner in northern California this Q4, we’re leaning hard on intent data and firmographic signals to build the invite list, rather than just pulling everyone in the territory. Then AI-assisted scoring helps our sales team prioritize which registrants to focus on before the night even starts.
Sales and marketing teams also need to be ready post-event with relevant next steps and content to help move that needle accordingly. Before the event, we’ll be asking our attendees which from a list of challenges is most impactful. Those insights, as well as what we hear at the event itself, will inform outbound content for both marketing and sales outreach.
Do The Work, Get The Payoff
One advantage I have coming into Q4 with is the knowledge that we’ve aggregated from past attendee lists to pipeline success from different types of post-event campaigns. Every year, I review what we already know and use that as a starting point, so I’m always coming into an event a little stronger than before.
Of course, even with the best plans, not every event in Q4 will punch above its weight. But, having that plan in place makes a flop less likely to occur and helps build trust with the CFO and sales teams who worked with me through the entire process. With a tight plan, good communication and coordination with other teams, marketing can make sure they’ve done everything possible to maximize revenue, which not only helps achieve Q4 goals, but helps with the planning and discussions for next year’s budget.
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