Event-Led Growth: What and How?
Do you know how events can elevate your growth efforts? How does it align with different business stages, goals, and industries? What frameworks should you use for successful execution?
👋 Hey, Ayush here! Welcome to this week’s ✨ free edition ✨ of Startup GTM Newsletter.
I have been building startups for the last 7 years and working with founders on GTM, growth, people-first strategies, communities and anything else about building a startup.
If you’re not a subscriber, here’s what you missed earlier:
Subscribe to get access to these posts, and every post. Follow me on Linkedin and Twitter. Want to discuss about your GTM? Setup a meeting on this link
How does event-led growth drive real business value? It's not just about hosting events or webinars; it's a strategic move towards measurable success.
Some of the stats on real ROI…
MovableInk influenced $8M in revenue with its largest conferences (Source)
GumGum achieved a 3x increase in sales pipeline and sales velocity. (Source)
On average, the ROI for events is 25-34% (Source)
Curious? We'll dive into the following areas…
10 Questions CMOs and Founders Should Ask
Successful Event-Led Growth Campaigns
Framework for Planning Event-Led Growth Initiatives:
Business Stage,
Audience Type,
Industry Type,
Funnel Stage, and
Business Goals
10 Questions CMOs and Founders should ask
Event-Led Growth's Role: How does it fit into our Go-To-Market strategy?
Goals and Metrics: What are our long-term objectives with event-led growth, and how will we gauge success?
Cross-Departmental Unity: Strategies to align sales, product, and customer success for unified event-led growth?
Target Audience Insight: Who are our ideal attendees, and what drives them?
Event Formats: Which resonate more with our audience - physical, virtual, or hybrid?
Event Focus: Industry-specific, niche conferences, or in-house experiences - where should we concentrate?
Budget Planning: Event-led growth budget for next year and its allocation across event types?
Utilizing Internal Resources: What's available for event planning, execution, and follow-up?
External Partnerships: Need for external agencies/platforms, and selection criteria?
Success Metrics: Key metrics for tracking event-led growth and measuring ROI?
Successful Event-Led Growth Campaigns
Hubspot’s Inbound
Event: INBOUND is an annual marketing, sales, and customer service conference hosted by HubSpot. It features keynotes from industry leaders, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and a vibrant expo hall.
Results: INBOUND 2023 attracted over 11,000 business leaders and generated over $10 million in revenue for HubSpot. The event also helped HubSpot to:
Increase brand awareness and thought leadership.
Generate leads and nurture existing relationships.
Drive product adoption and upsell existing customers.
Peloton's Homecoming
Event: Homecoming is Peloton's annual fitness event, featuring instructor-led cycling classes, live music, and celebrity appearances.
Results: Peloton's Homecoming 2023 attracted over 3,000 attendees and generated significant buzz on social media. The event also helped Peloton to:
Increase brand awareness and engagement.
Drive sales of Peloton bikes and subscriptions.
Build a strong community of Peloton riders.
Slack's Frontiers Conference:
Event: Frontiers is Slack's annual conference for developers and IT professionals. It features keynotes, workshops, and networking opportunities.
Results: The event helped Slack to:
Educate developers about the capabilities of its platform.
Attract new developers to the Slack ecosystem.
Foster relationships with key partners.
Frameworks for planning Event-Led Growth Initiatives
Event Type vs Funnel Stage - Decision Matrix
Event Type vs Audience Type - Decision Matrix
Event Type vs Business Goal - Decision Matrix
Event Type vs Business Stage - Decision Matrix
Want to discuss your go-to-market strategy?
Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights, tips, and expert advice.
Plus, schedule a 1:1 GTM Brainstorming meeting with Ayush through Calendly link!