It’s Time To Get Back To Business: In-Person Events Returning This Spring

A few years ago, I never would have thought I’d need to remind channel companies that their business is driven by in-person, face-to-face interactions with prospects. Similarly, those interactions are critical to continuing to build existing client relationships. And since February 2020, there have been very few good-sized channel events, which means that MSP vendors have sorely been missing out. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to get back to business — to the in-person events we all know and love.

Technology Marketing Toolkit has been one of the few companies that did any in-person events last year. In fact, we’ve had 11 events since June 2020, which was just a few months after the start of the pandemic. Those events ranged in attendance from 20 people to 125 and left me with a few big takeaways.

First — and most important — we’re not at the beginning of this thing anymore, and I don’t just mean the vaccines making the rounds. Hotels, airlines, and other event-based industries have got their safety and comfort protocols down to a science. That makes sense; it’s been in their best interests to do so, but it’s something a lot of people haven’t thought about. From every employee masked up to the way they’re cleaning private and public spaces, I haven’t felt uncomfortable about my safety at any channel event in a very long time. You’ll see remotes in plastic bags, shields at public food lines, and even new high-tech filters in airplanes that scrub all the air in the cabin every few minutes.

At the same time, in-person doesn’t mean impersonal. You won’t need to hide behind a plastic encased booth (unless you want to) because there’s more room these days than ever. At events like our mid-May Boot Camp in Orlando, you can expect a lot more real estate for the same price. Hotel space is dirt cheap right now, which means instead of cramming everyone together, things will be a lot more spread out. Instead of 8–10 people at a table in the main ballroom, you’ll see more like 4–5. Booths won’t be pushed together, so you’ll have a little more room to breathe, and you can expect between 50%–100% more space in general. I’ve noticed that when I’m in a space for a 1,000-person event, it’s actually what would have been in a 2,000-person space 18 months ago. 

It’s cheaper than it used to be to travel — our flights from Nashville to Orlando cost half what they would have before, and the hotels are $100 cheaper per night. This is good for your business AND for the attendees at large events. It’s more affordable to get out of the office these days, and that means they’ve got more money to spend on you!

Of course, for those who are still uncomfortable with the laws, protocols, and safety measures the travel industries have in place, our Orlando Boot Camp event in May will have a virtual component as well. We don’t want anybody to miss out completely. But I can tell you right now, this business is driven by in-person interactions, even if you are both wearing masks! If you’ve been waiting for the right time to come back to events, there’s no time like the present, and things are getting better every week. 

If you want to learn more about our Orlando event, sign up to attend, or check out the prospectus, visit RobinsBigSeminar.com/sponsor. Together, we’re going to get back to business and the in-person events we all know and love.

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