The Well Newsletter #38

Hello and welcome to The Well, Planwell’s weekly newsletter, read by event marketing professionals around the world. Planwell is an event marketing agency trusted by dozens of small-team marketers from the best B2B brands. Learn more at Planwellco.com.

How to kick off your event marketing year right.

Welcome to 2025, event marketers! It’s time to dust off your planning docs, align your teams, and map out a year of impactful events. Whether you’re hosting trade show activations, intimate field dinners, or immersive conferences, success starts with thoughtful strategy, clear goals, and a focus on quality over quantity.

Here’s your quick-start playbook for a strong event marketing kickoff:

1. Align early with sales teams

• Ensure event goals support revenue objectives and sales priorities from day one.
• Avoid calendar conflicts with key sales milestones like quarter-end, SKOs, or product launches.

2. Budget strategically

• Focus your budget on high-impact opportunities rather than spreading it too thin across every event.
• Regularly track your budget vs. actuals and adjust as needed.?

3. Establish clear goals & KPIs

• Align event objectives with broader company goals (e.g., lead generation, customer loyalty, or product launches).
• Define measurable success metrics, such as ROI, cost per lead, or attendee satisfaction (NPS scores).

4. ?Build your event calendar

• Anchor your schedule around major conferences or trade shows, then layer in wraparound events like VIP dinners or networking breakfasts.
• Protect your team’s bandwidth by capping events at 2–3 per month and adding buffers for planning and follow-up.

5. Focus on attendee experience

• Every detail, from check-in flow to seating arrangements, should enhance the attendee experience.
• Create meaningful networking opportunities with thoughtful activations, like curated matchmaking or table rotations.

6. Measure and adjust

• Regularly review KPIs like ROI, cost per lead, and attendee satisfaction (NPS).
• Stay flexible—if something isn’t working, pivot your strategy before the next event.

Here’s to a year of strategic planning, attendee-first experiences, and measurable results. You’ve got this! ??

Venue Recs: Denver ??

Planning a field marketing event in Denver? Check out these venues:

• Puttshack - Located in Union Station, Puttshack offers a high-tech mini-golf experience combined with innovative technology, upscale food, and craft cocktails. It provides a lively and interactive setting, perfect for a fun and unique event.?
• Flight Club - Situated in downtown Denver, Flight Club features modern, interactive dart games in a stylish bar and lounge setting. This venue is ideal for a relaxed yet engaging event with a fun twist.?
• Root Down - Located in the trendy Highlands area, Root Down offers globally influenced dishes in a chic, converted filling station with stunning city views. The venue's unique and vibrant setting makes it perfect for a memorable private dinner.?
• El Five - Situated in the Highlands, El Five provides a stylish, eclectic ambiance with a menu featuring Mediterranean tapas and breathtaking skyline views. This rooftop restaurant's modern decor creates a chic atmosphere ideal for an upscale private dining experience.?
• Spuntino - Nestled in the Highlands, Spuntino provides an intimate, cozy setting with a menu featuring rustic Italian cuisine and handmade pastas. The restaurant's charming decor and warm ambiance make it an excellent choice for an intimate and elegant private dinner.

?? Event activation idea: screen print t-shirts onsite

Onsite screen printing isn’t just swag—it’s an experience. Attendees can pick a design, watch it come to life on a t-shirt in real-time, and walk away with a wearable memory of your event.

Why it works:

• Interactive & engaging: Attendees get hands-on with the experience.
• Instant gratification: They leave with swag they’ll actually use.
• Customizable: Offer different designs or event logos for a personal touch.

Pro tip: Have a photo station nearby to encourage attendees to share their new shirts on social media. It’s swag that markets itself!

Event Marketing Resources:

• Event Marketer Wrapped 2024: Celebrating 30 Leaders Who Made and Impact in Event Marketing This Year
• Event trends that are set to dominate 2025.
• Hear from the best Event Marketers Live.

Leave the planning to Planwell

We know how time-consuming it is to thoughtfully plan and execute corporate events, especially with limited bandwidth, a rigorous calendar, and no new headcount on the horizon.

That’s why Planwell exists. Our team specializes in planning three types of B2B events: Trade Shows, Field Marketing Events, and Conferences & Summits. Learn more here.