Hint: They like hanging out with people in their own industries.
According to new Warrillow research, four out of five small business owners have attended a business-related event in person. When asked what type of business events they attend, responses ranged from a local Chamber of Commerce meeting to a large national trade convention.
According to the small business owners Warrillow surveyed, “vertical,” industry-specific events are clearly more attractive than cross-industry, or “horizontal,” events.
The next decision is whether to go for the reach of a national event or the intimacy of a local event. Again, the research suggests there may be a happy medium in state-wide events that provide the scale and reach of a larger event, with the relevance of local issues being discussed by local industry leaders.
Warrillow cites ADP’s sponsorship of the Calfornia CPA show, produced every June by Flagg Management, as a good example of vertical focus.