From breaking even to a sales channel
A growing company ran hundreds of events a year but hosted exactly one of its own: a well-loved annual flagship that paid for itself and never produced a measurable return.
Give events a number.
For the first time, company-led events had a revenue target, measured on pipeline that started at the event and was tracked in the CRM.
Invite buyers, not just fans.
The flagship became part education, part sales. Four new regional events went to the markets with the most potential buyers, and only prospects got an invitation. Speakers covered the whole business case, live demos turned interest into sales conversations, and sales shared responsibility for filling the room.
Put someone in charge.
A new events manager took the lead over two junior staff, with project management tools, a standard way to split the work, and an agency for specialist help.
Events stopped acting like a cost line and started acting like a sales channel.
Start a conversation.
One short conversation is usually enough to know if a project makes sense, and what it would take.