E177 - Getting Maximum ROI from your Events featuring Tom Boccard

In this episode of Tech Sales Insights, Randy Seidl is joined by Tom Boccard, EVP of Sales at SmartSource, to discuss strategies for achieving maximum ROI from events and tips for selling to new accounts and markets. Tom shares his career journey, provides an overview of SmartSource's services, and delves into best practices for event planning, including cost control, leveraging technology, and proactive engagement with potential customers. He highlights the importance of relationship-building, utilizing sales tech stack tools like ZoomInfo and Outreach, and the advantages of collaborating closely with marketing teams. The conversation also touches on hiring new sales talent, training, and fostering a collaborative company culture focused on continuous improvement. KEY TAKEAWAYS Maximizing Event ROI: Learn practical steps to improve your return on investment from events, focusing on aligning marketing and sales efforts, understanding your audience, and leveraging technology to create immersive experiences. Sales and Marketing Alignment: Discover the importance of a unified revenue team and how to break down silos between sales and marketing for more effective go-to-market strategies. Leveraging Relationships: Understand how to build and maintain strong client relationships that lead to long-term success, and how to train your sales team to do the same. Evolving Sales Strategies: Explore the significance of staying curious and continually developing sales skills, from early career lessons to advanced sales tactics. QUOTES "Stagnation is the equivalent of death. You’ve got to keep evolving, learning, and fine-tuning your skills." "Maximizing event ROI isn’t just about having a great event; it’s about what you do before, during, and after the event to ensure you’re driving value." "The key to a successful sales and marketing alignment is viewing both as one team with a common goal, not as separate entities with competing interests." Find out more about Tom Boccard through the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tboccard This episode is sponsored by SmartSource, the Event Success sponsor of the Sales Community. With over 35 years of experience, SmartSource provides comprehensive IT, AV, and interactive technology solutions to a wide range of industries, from legal and finance to entertainment and events. Their national presence, extensive inventory, and deep expertise in logistics and technical support ensure that businesses can successfully communicate and operate, no matter the challenge.