Rethinking Your Event Strategy

How flipping the traditional event playbook may be the key to new opportunities.

DEAR STAGE 2: We’ve been attending conferences but haven’t seen much success in turning them into opportunities. How can a small team like ours build an effective playbook for in-person events? ~New to Event Marketing

DEAR NEW TO EVENT MARKETING: Conferences can feel like a black hole of time and resources, especially for startups with small teams and tight budgets. BUT…events can be a goldmine for connecting with high-value prospects. To tackle your question, I called on the team at Stage 2 portfolio company, MedScout, where what started as a scrappy startup tactic has evolved into their primary growth engine, now driving over 70% of their qualified opportunities. Read on to hear what’s working for Brian Aoyama, Head of Marketing and Mark Mescher, VP of Sales:

Shift Your Mindset: Time to Skip the Booth?

Most teams think “event success” starts with a branded booth and splashy sponsorship. MedScout took the opposite approach—opting out of traditional event investments altogether. Instead, they identified their prospects' key conferences and hit the floor as attendees.

Why? Their prospects (medical device sales leaders) heavily invest in conferences because they rely on in-person interactions to build relationships and close deals. By visiting exhibitors, MedScout sidesteps the noise and meets prospects where they are, one-on-one.

Create a Target List Before the Event

Your goal should be to focus on quality over quantity. Before each conference, MedScout’s team pulls an exhibitor list (often available online ahead of time) and cross-references it with their ideal customer profiles.

• Use tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to identify key decision-makers—think VPs of Sales, Marketing, or Commercial Officers—and build a prioritized list.

• A virtual assistant or sales operations resource can help enrich this data, including booth numbers, to make outreach more actionable.

Plan and Execute Pre-Event Outreach

Conferences are not the time to “wing it.” MedScout sends personalized messages to their top targets before the event to set up quick meet-and-greets on the expo floor.

• Tailor outreach to reflect your research: "Hi [Name], I saw your company is exhibiting at [Event]! I’d love to connect about [specific value proposition]."

• Brian recommends keeping any asks short and offering a 10-minute intro chat at their booth - make it easy and go to them!

Optimize Onsite Time: Walk the Floor with a Plan

Once on the expo floor, MedScout reps follow a simple, efficient process:

• Use Booth Numbers: Know exactly where your top targets are located and walk the floor systematically.

• Drop Names: Ask for key decision-makers directly (e.g., “Is Kim, your VP of Sales, available?”). This signals you’ve done your homework and aren’t just cold-dropping by.

Don’t Waste Momentum Post-Event

The magic doesn’t end when the conference wraps. The follow-up process is critical. MedScout keeps the conversation warm with quick post-event outreach: thanking them for their time, reiterating value, and scheduling next steps. A well-documented playbook ensures reps don’t lose leads to disorganization.

Even with a small team, you can punch above your weight at conferences. The key is intentionality.

Until next week!