How should early-stage startups approach their event strategy?
Calling all early-stage founders and startup teams: How are you approaching your event strategy? You might think events only become relevant once you’ve raised funding or started to scale. But developing an event strategy early can help you decide where to spend your time and money, build relationships with potential customers, and show investors how events contribute to your pipeline. If you’re new to trade shows and events, I want to help you understand your options and the costs involved. Should you attend, exhibit, sponsor, or hold off? I’ve designed a scorecard to help you evaluate which opportunities make sense for your startup today and what to consider as you grow. There are plenty of ways to participate, both in person and virtually. The goal is to choose an approach that fits your objectives, budget, and team’s capacity. Before committing, ask yourself:
What do we want to achieve? Are we looking for customer feedback, qualified sales meetings, partnerships, or investor connections?
Do we have the team to make it worthwhile? Can we keep a booth or table staffed while others explore the show floor, attend relevant sessions, and network?
Can we reduce the cost of attending? Are complimentary or discounted passes available through a sponsor, investor, accelerator, or partner?
If exhibiting makes sense, can we rent a booth or use a simple setup? Do we need a custom build to accomplish our goals?
My suggestion: Read through the scorecard and its guidance first. Then agree with your team on your desired outcome and a measurable target before comparing conferences. For example, if your goal is sales conversations, define what counts as a qualified meeting and what you’re willing to spend to secure one. A high score makes an opportunity worth a closer look. It doesn’t automatically justify buying a booth. Score each participation option separately: attending, exhibiting, or sponsoring. Each comes with different costs, opportunities, and staffing needs. Have a conference in mind? Let’s talk about which approach makes sense for your team. Please share your feedback, as I am always looking for ways to improve and content to create 😁