Most companies spend $10K+ on event booths but completely ignore the 72 hours BEFORE the event starts... I learned this the hard way after attending 20+ conferences in 4 years. Our breakthrough came when we started treating events like a 5-day experience, not a 2-day booth rental. 1 Create a pre-event roadshow in the host city Arrive 2-3 days early and schedule coffee meetings with prospects who'll be at the conference. ↳ No sales pitch - just relationship building ↳ Bring thoughtful, culturally relevant gifts ↳ Position it as "getting to know the local market" ↳ Create genuine goodwill before any business conversation 2 Partner with local coffee shops near the venue Sponsor free coffee for conference attendees and include your branding. ↳ Costs less than traditional swag ↳ Creates positive brand association ↳ Generates foot traffic naturally ↳ Shows you understand the local community 3 Host a memorable side event Comedy shows, local cultural experiences, or intimate roundtables work better than generic happy hours. (ex:wine tasting, a small theater piece, comedians) ↳ You control the guest list and agenda ↳ Creates talking points for the main event ↳ Positions you as a connector, not just a vendor ↳ Gives people a reason to remember you Result? We closed $80K in deals BEFORE one conference even started. The prospects were so engaged from our pre-event relationship building, they didn't even need to visit our booth. What's the most creative pre-event strategy you've tried? Share your wins (and failures) in the comments - we all learn from real experiences.