Let’s get this out of the way: one webinar won’t close a million-dollar deal. No one wakes up, hears a 30-minute panel on “the future of AI in logistics,” and rushes to buy your six-figure platform.
Still, somehow, B2B marketing keeps clinging to the idea that a single event usually bloated, off-topic, and filled with attendees who showed up for the raffle will magically drive the pipeline.
Newsflash: It won’t.
If your event strategy looks like a calendar of disjointed webinars and expensive in-person meetups where everyone forgets why they came, you’re not doing pipeline marketing. You’re doing performance art.
The marketers who actually move the needle think differently. They build event sequences that mirror how buyers think and not how marketers want them to behave.
Event format: Topical virtual events (30–60 attendees, open invite)
Kick things off with a smart, tightly framed virtual session, one that speaks to a problem your ICP actually cares about, not what your product manager is obsessing over this quarter.
You want 30 to 60 attendees, mixed titles, and minimal barriers to entry. A relevant topic, a credible speaker, and a decent subject line are usually enough to pack the (virtual) room.
The purpose isn’t depth, it’s signal generation. Who shows up? Who asks the smart questions? Who drops off after five minutes? That’s the intel you’re after. Treat it like a content-rich sniff test for future engagement.
You’re not filtering yet. You’re observing. The goal here isn’t to book meetings. It’s to see who bites. Attendees reveal themselves not by clicking “register,” but by showing up, asking questions, and following up. That’s the signal. Everyone else? Just noise.
According to McKinsey, B2B buyers now consult ten or more channels before making a decision. A smart virtual event gets you into that mix early without screaming “look at me.”
And no, panel fatigue is not real if the panel actually says something new.
Event format: Roundtables (Virtual or In-Person)
Now that you’ve separated the “sort-of-interested” from the “worth-talking-to,” it’s time to go smaller. Invite them to a roundtable. Think 8 to 10 peers, one real topic, zero pitch decks.
This isn’t an event. It’s group therapy for your buyers.
You’ll hear the real blockers. They’ll hear they’re not alone. And you’ll know exactly who’s leaning in based on who talks, not who RSVPs.
IBM found that 70% of buyers get more value from peer discussions than from vendor content. So instead of another “executive keynote,” try shutting up and letting them talk to each other.
Event format: Evaluator briefings and executive dinners
At this point, your buyers are somewhere between intrigued and about to ghost you. Time to give them something to chew on – literally and metaphorically.
Evaluator briefings give buying groups the safe space to ask the awkward questions. They’re not demos. They’re “here’s how this actually works in your mess of a stack.”
And for the C-suite? Dinners. No slides. No swag bags. Just high-stakes conversation over medium-rare steak. Trust is built faster over wine than over whitepapers.
EY reports that 57% of enterprise deals get stuck due to internal misalignment. These events exist to unstick them with less theater and more truth.
Event format: Custom Experiences and CX Roundtables
Congrats. They bought it. That doesn’t mean they love you.
Now comes the hard part: make them look smart for choosing you. Exclusive experiences. Peer exchanges. Strategy workshops that don’t suck.
These aren’t “thanks for your business” emails in disguise. They’re your next expansion deal waiting to happen. Because happy buyers become louder advocates than any LinkedIn ad could dream of.
And those same people? Perfect headliners for the next big awareness play. That’s called a loop. Try building one.
| Buyer Stage | Event Format | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Topical Webinars (30-60 attendees, open invite) | Opens doors without opening the sales pitch |
| Consideration | In-Person or Virtual Roundtables, Workshops (8-10 peers, hand- picked invitees) | Buyers talk to buyers, not just sellers |
| Decision | Evaluator Briefings, Executive Dinners | Answers real questions with real stakeholders |
| Post-Sale | Custom Experiences, Customer Roundtables, Advocacy Dinners | Turns customers into co-sellers (without them knowing) |
You can plan the perfect dinner, but if your guests don’t care about the topic or your product, enjoy your evening of silence and forced smiles.
The whole system hinges on defining your Ideal Customer Profile with ruthless clarity. Not just “CMOs at SaaS companies” but “CMOs at $50M–$200M SaaS companies struggling with pipeline coverage who attend peer events.”
Without that, your event becomes a TED Talk for the wrong audience. With it, your pipeline becomes a fast-moving, multi-threaded buying engine.
And in case you’re wondering, less than 10% of event leads convert in traditional event marketing, according to Forrester. Why? Because most events are built to impress, not progress.
One event won’t save you. But a strategic sequence of events, each one intentionally tied to the buyer’s next question, can build unstoppable momentum.
From “this is interesting” to “let’s bring the team” to “we’re signing next week,” it all starts with one thing: treating events as conversations, not campaigns.
Forget the party planning. Build the pipeline. You can read about more of such examples here.
Explore Custom Events.
