Recession-Resistant B2B Opps: Appointment Events

Two B2B appointment events formats are up-trending: 1. The pure play appointment event. At these events, sponsors pay for, and are guaranteed a certain number of one-on-one meetings with potential clients. 2. The speed-networking approach, where an attendee and sponsor are brought together at a pre-existing event by the organizers. As with the executive roundtables, pure-play appointment events are well-suited for tough economic times. Once you develop sponsorship support, you begin the work of rounding up attendees. Exhibitors get what they pay for, everyone should be happy. Richmond Events was the first to attempt this on a large scale, their unique twist being that events are held on cruise ships, increasing the attractiveness for attendees, and reducing the likelihood that attendees will “skip out” on their appointment commitments. Speed-dating or speed-networking usually involves vendor/attendee, attendee/attendee, and even vendor/vendor meetings of several minutes. In a less formal implementation that has been called “tech tours” or “booth tours” a group of attendees is led by a tour guide from booth to booth to see a presentations pre-selected exhibitors. There needs to be a more intensive application of imagination and experimentation to discover successful new memes.

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