Maximizing ROI with Ancillary Events: A CISOs Perspective

Who is Charles Payne?

Charles Payne is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Neptune Media. With a unique background that spans both finance and technology, Charles brings a distinctive perspective to the cybersecurity landscape.

Charles began his career in finance, working for a financial company and investing in the stock market from a young age. He later transitioned into the technology sector, starting in network security and evolving with the field into what is now known as cybersecurity.

At Neptune Media, a leading provider of executive-level summits, Charles plays a crucial role in delivering world-class events that bring together top decision-makers in the business world. His expertise helps in creating engaging and insightful experiences that keep executives informed about the latest trends and challenges in their industries.

Beyond his role at Neptune Media, Charles is also an angel investor, leveraging his technical knowledge to evaluate investment opportunities in the cybersecurity space.

Charles is known for his insights on various cybersecurity topics, including AI risk mitigation, the challenges of selling to different regions, and the importance of building relationships within the industry.

Insights and Key Takeaways

Smaller Events Build Stronger Connections

Insight: Charles finds that smaller, more intimate events allow for genuine conversations and meaningful connections that large, crowded trade shows often lack. The relaxed atmosphere of these settings encourages natural dialogue rather than high-pressure sales.

Unlike massive expos, smaller events facilitate one-on-one time with security professionals, allowing vendors to establish trust and credibility more naturally.

These events also attract buyers looking for quality over quantity, with the opportunity for in-depth discussions without the usual trade show distractions.

By focusing on smaller, niche events, vendors can develop relationships that last beyond the event itself, making their product or service a memorable part of the buyer’s toolkit.

Charles’s insight here highlights an essential truth: buyers value personal relationships, and smaller events make these possible.

Mistakes at Small Events - Vendors, Don’t Sit Back

Insight: One of Charles’s biggest pet peeves? Vendors sitting behind their booths and waiting for attendees to come to them. At smaller events, this passive approach doesn’t work; vendors need to be proactive, personable, and ready to engage.

At smaller events, simply showing up isn’t enough. Vendors who sit back miss the point of these intimate gatherings—connecting on a human level.

Vendors who actively approach attendees, initiate conversations, and engage in meaningful exchanges stand out in the crowd.

Charles sees smaller events as a prime opportunity for vendors to demonstrate their value and build relationships, but it requires them to leave their comfort zones.

Vendors who take the initiative to connect will ultimately have a greater impact and increase the chances of securing long-term partnerships.

Soft Skills Matter Just as Much as Technical Knowledge

Insight: Beyond technical expertise, Charles emphasizes the importance of soft skills, especially at events designed to foster relationship-building. In cybersecurity, a sector often focused on hard skills, soft skills are sometimes overlooked, but Charles believes they are essential for retention and engagement.

Cybersecurity’s challenges aren’t purely technical; they’re interpersonal too. Events focused on soft skills, like communication and relationship-building, help vendors build trust with executives who value these qualities.

This shift to soft skills is crucial for creating lasting bonds, enabling vendors to move beyond transactional interactions.

For security professionals and vendors alike, the ability to connect and engage on a personal level is as important as technical knowledge in the long-term success of partnerships and client relationships.

Authentic Follow-Up is Key to Strong Relationships

Insight: When it comes to post-event follow-up, Charles prefers consistency and authenticity. He believes that the same person he met at the event should be the one reaching out afterward, avoiding the frustration of repeating conversations or explaining past interactions.

Effective follow-up is about continuity.

When vendors hand off follow-up tasks to a new representative who wasn’t at the event, it can make the buyer feel unimportant and disrupt the flow of the relationship.

Charles’s advice is simple: keep follow-ups personal and authentic by ensuring that the original point of contact remains involved.

This practice fosters trust and reinforces the impression that the vendor values the relationship.

Vendors who get this right set themselves up for better retention, smoother deals, and long-term loyalty.

Relationship ROI Over Quick Wins

Insight: For Charles, the true ROI of an event lies in the quality of relationships, not immediate sales or lead numbers. When vendors build a strong relationship with a buyer, they create future business opportunities that can continue for years, often beyond the buyer’s current role.

This relationship-focused view of ROI is critical for vendors to understand. In cybersecurity, where trust and credibility are paramount, focusing on long-term relationship building can pay dividends.

Vendors who prioritize relationship capital over rapid conversions are more likely to become trusted partners who are considered first when future needs arise.

This approach isn’t just about one-off success; it’s about creating a sustainable, repeatable business model where connections made at events lead to lasting partnerships.

TL;DR

As Charles explains, successful vendors at cybersecurity events don’t just measure success by lead counts or initial sales.

Instead, they build meaningful relationships based on trust, genuine connection, and consistent follow-up.

In a world of tight-knit KPIs and short-term metrics, Charles urges vendors to think bigger—focus on long-term connections that yield future business.

He advocates for the value of smaller, intimate events, where authentic interactions happen naturally.

For those seeking to make a real impact in the industry, the key takeaway is clear: prioritize relationships over immediate returns.

Until next time,
Dani