Seasonal Event Scheduling

CEO or CFO: “Is this event really worth us spending $20K?” Marketing/Comms/Sales lead: “I really think so… it’s in [insert cool city], so it’ll be great for morale and culture either way!” Yeah. That’s really not gonna cut it anymore. Budgets are tighter. ROI expectations are much higher. And “it’s in Napa” isn’t a business case. Here’s the real decision framework I use with clients to decide whether a conference, symposium, or sponsorship is worth it — before anyone books a single flight or hotel. 1️⃣ Clients and Customers If your current clients expect to see you there, that’s great. But show up with a real plan, not just a lanyard. A 30-minute coffee with a top client > three generic panels combined. 2️⃣ Prospects Will actual decision-makers (not “Business Development Associates”) be there? If not, it’s not a growth event — it’s a vacation in disguise. 3️⃣ Media Value CES, HLTH, Davos, JP Morgan, = tier 1 press magnets. Other have decent value for trade press. Most others? Not so much. If there’s no chance for earned coverage, deskside interviews, or content leverage, rethink the spend. 4️⃣ The $20K Question Flights + hotels + sponsorships add up fast. Ask: “What would this same money buy in paid, owned, or earned media instead?” What would it buy in recruiting and retention? 5️⃣ Location, Location… ROI? There’s a world of difference between Orlando and Singapore. If it’s overseas, it better be because your market or investors are too. 6️⃣ Launchpad or Lull? Announcing a major product, partnership, or data release? Then yes, the stage might be worth it — but only with real prep and a comms plan, not a last-minute deck. 7️⃣ Competitive FOMO If your competitors are sponsoring, don’t reflexively follow. If your customers aren’t there, let the competitors waste their budgets. If they are there, remember my rule: you’re either at the table or on the menu. 8️⃣ Thought Leadership vs. Thought Decoration Being “on a panel” isn’t thought leadership. If it doesn’t build credibility, create content, or advance policy or sales, it’s ego spend. 9️⃣ Life ROI If it means missing your big kid’s recital, sports championship game, or a big nonprofit board meeting, consider skipping it. No award ribbon for most frequent flier. ⸻ The best conference strategies balance impact, influence, budget, and time. Done right, they accelerate relationships and reputation. Done wrong, they just drain both. 👉 What’s your first filter when deciding whether a conference is worth it? (And yes, if you want to build an internal decision matrix or stakeholder map before 2026 conference season, hit me up. Happy Saturday, now time for a workout.

I showed up late to a Pavilion dinner and they made me sing ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ on the spot—awkward, but it drove $327K in pipeline. Our team is heading to SaaStr & Gartner CSO. Here’s our No-Booth Pipeline Playbook: 1. List First, Luck Later Don’t come in blind. Research every attendee, speaker, and sponsor name. Enrich against your ICP. Run list in ChatGPT: “Give me 1-3 convo points I can build my value around”. Now you’re armed with a list and thoughtful ice‑breakers tied to their business. 2. Lock Slots Pre‑Flight Two weeks out, DM prospects, clients, and people you want to meet—now you have an easy start to warm you up with pre-booked meetings during the event. 3. Just Have Fun Convos People overthink it: “How will I start a chat?”, “Am I bothering them at lunch?”. Get out of your head! Everyone there is looking to connect. Just go and talk to them, compliment their red Nikes, ask for guidance, or just say hi. What’s next? They come ‘inbound’ and ask “so what do you do?”—that’s it. Easy. 4. Go Where the Crowd Goes Don’t lurk at empty barista lines or charging spots. Go where people go. At sessions, talk with the folks sitting next to you—the talks offer great topics to discuss. During breaks, lunch/coffee lines will allow more casual talks. 5. The Real Event = Afterhours VIP dinners, breakfasts, parties, cocktail hours—this is where the magic happens. It’s where people have real connections, are less stressed, and build real trust. My karaoke moment at dinner turned into a long night of networking with our ICP, which continued to late-night parties and post-event follow-ups. People buy from people who share Uber rides, not booth swag. 6. Nail Your Talk Track Don’t wait until day 2 to feel comfortable with your conversations. Write down your qualifying questions, short, casual pitch, and booking process. 7. Book Follow-Ups on the Spot This is where ROI often gets flushed down the toilet. People try to play the volume game, but if you’re just collecting emails—prepare to get ghosted. Have meaningful conversations, make them memorable, and book on the spot! The best event follow-up is no follow-up; We pull our Chili Piper + Take notes over a screenshot of their LI profile + DM on the spot, “Great chat!” + Send Aligned room to stay top of mind, prevent no shows, and capture buying signals. 8. Mind the Little Things - Don’t look at badges (it’s like “are you a DM?”) - Don’t disqualify titles (title ≠ influence) - Don’t wear what won’t last the day (i.e. full wool suit) - Don’t skip breakfast, or sleep (or drink too much) - Don’t forget water (and Tic Tac :) —— A neon booth: $100K. Uber to dinner: $18. There’s more than one way to attend events. What’s your wildest zero-booth win or best tip? Best story earns a karaoke duet at SaaStr 🎤 See you in San Mateo & Vegas.

Here’s a mistake I see a lot of companies make before a trade show.  They try to be everything to everyone. They walk into a show with a generic elevator pitch.  They hope people will just “get” what they do.  They use broad language to sound more flexible.  And then they wonder why no one remembers them. Let me tell you what works instead.  Pick one clear ICP for that show.  One message.  One problem you solve that matters most to that audience. If your ideal client at this event is operations leaders at mid-market manufacturers,  everything you say should speak directly to what keeps them up at night.  If your target is packaging decision-makers, your talk track should make them feel like you’ve been sitting in on their team meetings. The goal is not to prove you can help anyone.  It’s to become unforgettable to the right ones. You want someone to leave your booth and say,  “That’s the team that gets us. That’s who we need to talk to.” Not,  “What did they do again?” This is how you move from being seen… to being remembered.  From talking… to converting. Start with your ICP.  Then shape your message.  Then train your team to deliver it with clarity and confidence. That’s how you make a trade show worth it. If your team is prepping for a fall show and the messaging still feels fuzzy, this is something I help sales leaders tighten.    Getting crystal clear on who you’re speaking to and what you’re saying can change everything. 

The biggest seasonal campaign mistake I see brands make (and it’s not the one you think)… 👀 Every year, from mid-November onwards,  Hospitality and event brands go all-in on Christmas campaigns. ↳ Festive menus. ↳ Christmas party bookings. ↳ Seasonal events. ↳ Winter offers. All great. All necessary. But here’s the problem… They forget what happens after Christmas. And that’s where the real damage shows up. Because while everyone is busy squeezing out every last bit of December revenue… January gets ignored. And it’s wild because: 👉🏽 January spending does happen 👉🏽 Valentine's Day is only 6-7 weeks away 👉🏽 People still go out - they’re just more selective 👉🏽 Competitors who planned ahead scoop the bookings Most brands launch their January incentives way too late. By the time they push out their mid-week offers or winter discounts, customers have already chosen where they’re going. If you want seasonal campaigns that actually convert: 🔥 Plan your January push alongside your Christmas campaigns 🔥 Launch incentives early (20% off midweek, limited specials, early V-Day teasers) 🔥 Capture the people who are already browsing during that quiet Christmas-to-New-Year lull 🔥 Segment your audience and re-target those that visited over Christmas and invite them back in Jan’ Seasonal marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest in December. It’s about staying visible when everyone else vanishes. 🙌🏼

We spend ~$1M/year on trade shows and conferences. At first it was a giant waste of money, but now it’s a massive revenue driver for our business. Learn from the 8 mistakes we made early on to increase ROI at these events👇 1 - Engage Current Customers Logo retention & upsells lead to NRR & that’s as good as new revenue. Don’t shy away from opportunities to meet/engage customers. All current customers of ours sign the “do the work” board committing to another year working together to do the work. 2 - Have a Plan and Track All Metrics I mean it, track all metrics and know ahead of time what success looks like. It’s easy to come back from a show feeling energized, but your goal is ROI not energy. Track all customer/prospect interactions for post show attribution modeling 3 - Have a Meeting Space Biz dev deals get done after hours. It usually starts w/ someone passing by your booth, then ends meeting w/ someone after hours. At many of these shows there are no private meeting rooms. Having an extra empty suite to meet is key for biz dev. 4 - Have a Theme As cliche as it sounds, you need a hook to bring people to your booth. We’ve done everything from Elvis to a Beat The Box stores campaign. Regardless of the theme, we found that having a theme always beats not having anything to remember. 5 - Write Notes on Business Cards You’re going to be trading a lot of business cards, many times in quick convos. Carry a pen with you everywhere you go and write quick notes on the back of business cards you get to save in your CRM later. I promise you’ll thank me later 6 - Build Culture We are 100% remote, and conferences are the only time our team meets in person. Leverage this. Go a day early to strategize for the quarter. Go to a team dinner. And talk to someone you don’t see on Zoom. Take advantage of the in person time with the team 7 - Do a Retro After each show do a retro with the team that went and the team that helped execute everything. You can always do some things better / differently and some of the best ideas are from those that participated at the show for the first time. 8 - Host Your Own The single biggest revenue driver for us, is when we host our own show FloorCon. I’ll save the details for another another thread BUT I would recommend having the show near where most your employees live. Employees = show staff which saves tons of expenses

Organizing festivity arrangements in modern trade (MT) formats like Reliance Retail, Lulu, Smart Point, D-Mart, etc., requires a detailed and well-coordinated approach to drive sales, enhance brand visibility, and offer a festive shopping experience to consumers. Here's a structured guide to festivity arrangement in modern trade: 🎯 Objectives of Festive Arrangements * Drive seasonal sales growth * Improve category visibility (especially puja samagri, dry fruits, sweets, lighting, etc.) * Enhance shopper engagement and footfall * Strengthen brand recall during festivals 🛒 Key Elements of Festive Execution in Modern Trade 1. Seasonal Product Planning Ensure availability of high-demand festive SKUs: Puja Samagri (agarbatti, diya, kalash, haldi-kumkum, ghee, etc.) Gifting Options (dry fruits, chocolates, sweets, hampers) Décor & Lighting (LEDs, rangoli, lanterns) Ethnic Food Items (ready-to-cook snacks, traditional mithai, etc.) 2. Festive Display Zones Create thematic end caps, FSU (Free Standing Units), and dump bins. Decorate with: Torans, flowers, festive danglers Posters & digital screens promoting festive offers Set up a dedicated Puja Corner or Seasonal Bay near the entrance for visibility. 3. Promotions & Offers Bundle offers (e.g., buy 1 get 1, gift packs) Festival combo packs Loyalty program points booster Festive coupons and scratch cards 4. Retailer Coordination Discuss with category buyers for space allocation & visibility. Share festive activation calendar. Arrange for temporary promoters/merchandisers to manage stock & display. 5. In-store Activities Live sampling (snacks, sweets, ready mixes) Cultural activities (lamp lighting, music, live diya-making for Diwali) DIY zones (Rangoli corners, mehendi stalls) 📆 Suggested Timeline (Example: Diwali) Week Action Plan Week 1 Finalize product mix and packs Week 2 Confirm space with MT category head Week 3 Dispatch festive POSM, decor & stock Week 4 Install displays, execute promotions, start in-store activities 📋 Checklist for Execution Product assortment MT approvals POSM (point of sale materials) Stock dispatch to stores Promoters hired & trained Photos of setup for visibility 📸 Reporting & Visibility Share before/after photos of festive setup Maintain a festivity beat plan with weekly checks Track sales lift per store per festive week

I've never seen a serious DTC brand who plans campaigns week-to-week. It's inefficient. We plan in 6-week increments to avoid scrambling every Monday to figure out what email to send. Because scrambling causes brands to end up with: - Inconsistent messaging - Random discount emails - Generic "new product" announcements But when you plan 6 weeks… a few things happen: 1. You stop reacting Week-to-week planning means you're always in reactive mode. "What should we send today?" "I guess... another sale?" 6-week planning means you're thinking strategically: - Product launches get proper hype cycles (not just one announcement) - Seasonal events are mapped out early - Content themes flow naturally - Every email has a purpose ---- 2. You leverage holidays and events properly Most brands remember Black Friday exists... in October. Then they panic. We map out every holiday, niche event, and seasonal moment 6 weeks before it happens. That means: - Everything's ready to deploy - Design is done 2 weeks ahead - Copy is written, reviewed, and polished - Launch sequences are built 4 weeks early ---- 3. You balance value and sales naturally Every email feels urgent when you're planning one week at a time. "We need sales THIS WEEK." So you send discount after discount. But with 6 weeks mapped out, you can see everything: - Week 1-2: Educational content, brand story - Week 3: Product spotlight, customer success story   - Week 4: Soft launch, behind-the-scenes - Week 5: Flash sale, urgency push - Week 6: Follow-up, community content ---- 4. Your team actually has time to do good work Copywriters aren't writing at 2 am the night before. Designers aren't rushing templates in 4 hours. Account managers aren't stressed about "what's going live tomorrow?" Everyone has breathing room to do their best work. And your emails get better as a result. ---- Here's how we do it: Every 6 weeks, we sit down and map out: - All product launches - Seasonal promotions   - Holiday campaigns - Value content themes - Plain-text founder emails Then we batch-create everything: - Week 1-2: Strategy and ideation - Week 3-4: Copywriting and design - Week 5: Implementation in Klaviyo - Week 6: QA, schedule, and deploy By the time week 1 hits, we're already planning the next 6 weeks.

📦 Tradeshow Logistics for the Food & Beverage Industry 🍽️🚚 Attending a food and beverage trade show like Expo West, Fancy Food Show, or SIAL can be a game-changer for brands looking to expand retail distribution, network with buyers, and showcase new products. But successful execution depends on seamless logistics planning—from shipping samples to setting up a standout booth. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your tradeshow logistics go smoothly. ✅ 🔹 1. Pre-Show Planning: Laying the Foundation 📅 Book Early & Plan Ahead ✅ Reserve your booth space early to get prime location near high-traffic areas. ✅ Book shipping & freight services at least 4-6 weeks in advance to avoid rush fees. ✅ Arrange hotel & travel accommodations for your team early (tradeshows fill up fast!). 📌 Pro Tip: Use an event checklist to track key deadlines like booth orders, marketing materials, and shipments. 🔹 2. Shipping & Freight: Getting Your Product to the Show 🚛 Choose the Right Shipping Method ✅ Freight Carrier (LTL/FTL) – Best for large booth materials & bulk samples. ✅ Parcel Delivery (FedEx, UPS, DHL) – Ideal for smaller product shipments. ✅ Refrigerated Freight – Needed for perishable samples, frozen foods, or beverages. 📦 Label & Track Everything ✅ Use pre-printed labels with booth number, company name & event location. ✅ Track shipments and have a backup plan in case of delays. ✅ Confirm with the show’s logistics provider (like Freeman or GES) for warehouse delivery instructions. 📌 Pro Tip: Ship to the advance warehouse (if available) to avoid last-minute delivery delays. 🔹 3. Storing & Handling Perishable Items ❄️ Cold Chain Management ✅ Coordinate with cold storage providers if your product needs refrigeration. ✅ Bring coolers, dry ice, or gel packs for on-site storage. ✅ If sampling, confirm venue refrigeration policies and have backup storage nearby. 📌 Pro Tip: Many shows offer on-site refrigerated storage, but space is limited—reserve early! 🔹 4. Booth Setup & Product Display 🎪 Design an Engaging Booth ✅ Use bold signage that clearly states your brand & product benefits. ✅ Keep the setup clean & inviting, allowing space for product sampling & conversations. ✅ Have QR codes or digital brochures for easy access to product details. 🛠️ Set Up Efficiently ✅ Arrive a day early for setup to test displays, lighting, and samples. ✅ Bring essential tools (scissors, tape, extension cords, chargers, etc.). ✅ Have a backup plan in case of missing or delayed shipments. 📌 Pro Tip: Test your sampling process beforehand to ensure efficiency during peak traffic times. 🔹 5. Post-Show Logistics: Wrapping Up Efficiently 📦 Pack Up & Ship Back Smartly ✅ Use pre-labeled return shipping documents for leftover products and booth materials. ✅ Schedule pickup with your freight carrier before the show ends to avoid rush fees. ✅ Dispose of or donate excess samples to avoid unnecessary shipping costs.