4 ways in which Segmenting drives Marketing ROI from Virtual Events

Guest Blog Post from Sonesh Prakash.

Having donned the hat of a virtual CMO for multiple B2B SaaS startups and SMEs, I recognize the importance of segmenting audiences in virtual events. To streamline pre- and post-event activities and achieve success in our campaigns, we must implement segmentation strategies that provide deep insights into attendee behavior, interests, and engagement levels during the event. By doing so, we can design transformative experiences that resonate with attendees and give us a competitive edge.

For example, B2B SaaS companies like Salesforce do a great job hosting annual conferences like Dreamforce (which went completely virtual during the pandemic ..but has returned in a hybrid avatar) with multiple tracks covering different topics. To ensure maximum attendance and engagement, they segment their audience based on their job roles and interests - for eg they have different tracks for their customers, developer community, partners, marketers, and sales heads. They then send targeted invitations to specific tracks, resulting in higher attendance and engagement rates. The attendees feel that the event has been designed specifically for them, leading to a personalized experience that resonates with their interests.
Let’s dig down deeper and understand the 4 ways in which Segmentation facilitates enhanced customer experiences and improves marketing ROI

1. Personalization and engagement are key to the success of virtual events, and segmentation allows us to achieve this. By targeting our messaging and content to each segment, attendees receive the most relevant and meaningful information. For example, B2B SaaS product companies can organise virtual events for their product launch and can segment the audience based on their buying preferences - be it enterprise customers or SMBs. This can allow them to identify the most interested and qualified leads, resulting in higher conversion rates and a better return on investment.
   
2. Segmentation also provides us with better data and insights on attendees. For instance, we can track the attendance and engagement of each segment during the event and use this data to optimize our marketing and outreach strategies. I have attended virtual roundtable discussions with industry thought leaders where the audience was segmented based on their seniority levels. This enabled the organizers to gain insights into what topics were most relevant to each group, allowing them to tailor their content and messaging accordingly.
   
3. Post-event follow-up is another critical aspect of virtual events, and segmentation allows us to personalize our communication to each segment. For example, we can send targeted thank-you emails to attendees who engaged heavily during the event, along with links to relevant content or upcoming events. On the other hand, for those who didn't engage as much, we can send follow-up emails with a recap of the event and a reminder of the value they could gain by engaging more in the future.
   
4. Finally, segmentation allows us to design transformative experiences for our attendees. By gaining deep insights into attendees' behavior, interests, and preferences, we can create experiences that truly resonate with each group. I have attended virtual training sessions where the audience was segmented based on their skill levels and job roles. This enabled the training organizers to design custom experiences for each group, including tailored content, personalized networking opportunities, and targeted calls to action.

By segmenting our audiences, we can create personalized experiences that resonate with attendees, leading to higher engagement, better ROI, and stronger relationships. This approach not only streamlines pre- and post-event activities but also provides us with deep insights into attendee behavior and preferences, allowing us to optimize our marketing strategies and achieve a competitive edge.

Author- Sonesh Prakash (CMO Outsourced)

About Sonesh
Sonesh has 15+ years of experience in B2B sales and marketing across various industries. He identified a gap in marketing initiatives of B2B startups and SMEs and now works as a virtual CMO while curating and managing sustainable marketing ecosystems for his clients. He has helped more than 30 B2B companies set up marketing ecosystems, increase lead funnel by 10X, and improve social media engagement exponentially.