By Alexandru Stan, serial entrepreneur, CEO of Tekpon, a one-stop platform for all software needs.
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There are many ways to grow your SaaS business other than traditional marketing. One of these opportunities is attending conferences. For us, starting to attend SaaS conferences was a great and beautiful opportunity to meet open-minded people with whom we share the same problems and goals in our businesses. Let’s talk about how simple attendance at a conference can yield more than you would have expected.
Face-To-Face Networking
There is no better marketing strategy than speaking to people directly in an informal context like a conference. It’s a great opportunity for SaaS businesses to make connections and to pitch their product or service in front of other businesses, especially if you are new in the industry.
If you already have some time in the market, it’s a great strategy to grow your relevance or constantly build your brand. But make sure you do something to stand out from the crowd. People like creativity. Thus, I am sure that attending such an event could bring you at least one partner with whom to collaborate for your business.
A Great Way Of Learning
If you’re new, you should learn as much as you can about the industry. And at a conference, you have the opportunity to do this with the best leaders in the industry. So, apart from networking, it is also a great way of learning how to grow or improve certain things in your company or startup. Moreover, it can also serve as a way of finding your customers’ real needs and testing the solutions you offer directly to them.
Also, I think attending all the webinars, workshops and other micro-events that SaaS conferences offer is very important. Businesses have the ideal context to find people with years of experience in the tech industry, to interact with them or to exchange ideas. Thus, besides networking, for the price you pay for entrance, you can have the chance to learn many things about your business.
Attract Investors And Partners
Most of the SaaS, software or tech events also have this special section where you can choose only to meet with investors or partners that want to invest in new businesses or ideas. But you can also find new people to invest in your company without attending those special events.
Try to find people that will invest in your people, your story and your values because when all of these are in a good place, you can create any product or service you desire. Try to pitch your idea and business culture to every person you discuss. You never know who may be standing in front of you.
Get Some New Clients
For SaaS companies, conferences are a great market to sell their products to end-users and companies. In addition, those with a considerable budget can invest in a stand where a team from their company can help onboard some new clients. It’s a big investment to do for a new business, but if you have the will to invest in an offline strategy, this is a good option.
A New Way To Do Team Building
I know that many companies or people will not consider this. But, as a leader of my business, I want my team to grow and discover new things for themselves. And the best way for us to do this was to attend conferences. It’s a great way to understand the industry better, learn how to approach new people for the business and conduct a formal discussion by letting your employees be themselves and have fun while talking about your product. And the more team members you have at a conference, the more likely others will notice you.
In conclusion, it’s worth paying for tickets to attend SaaS conferences or other events related to the industry. I think it is a smart way of marketing by getting out of the digital environment for a while and going more for the offline strategy. No online marketing can replace human interaction, and it’s a great way of promoting your business in front of many leaders, business owners or possible customers. And I am glad that the SaaS events are starting to grow and become bigger and bigger.
Not only will you meet new contacts, but you can also build your brand reputation and learn how to accelerate your growth. Every SaaS conference can be another step in your business journey. But don’t forget to follow up with every person you connect with! If you are reading this and you have a SaaS business, I can’t wait to meet you at the next conference.
