Event Marketing Insights Part One: Lessons from Blue Yonder and Perceptyx
We’re excited to share key takeaways from our final Purple Cork community event of the year, where marketing experts from Blue Yonder, Perceptyx, and others gathered to discuss the latest trends in event marketing. These insights, shared during the general session, offer a roadmap for anyone looking to elevate their event strategy—from audience targeting to building FOMO and creating high-impact networking experiences. In Part Two, we will share insights from the breakout rooms.
Purple Cork’s October Community Event
1. Audience Targeting: Get the Right People in the Room
The foundation of any successful event is selecting the right audience. Leslie Fay from Blue Yonder emphasized the importance of setting clear goals: “Is it to engage new pipeline? Accelerate deals? Connect with existing customers?” By aligning audience selection with event objectives, you ensure that attendees find value and your business objectives are met.
At BlueYonder, tools like 6Sense and Demandbase help identify in-market accounts and build targeted invite lists. They combine this data-driven approach with direct insights from sales teams, ensuring the right mix of automation and personalization. Sarah Shepard from BlueYonder echoed this, noting how crucial it is to include customers and prospects who can network and share success stories with each other.
Key Takeaway: Leverage marketing tools for targeting but don’t overlook the human element—sales teams know which accounts will truly benefit from being in the room.
2. Engage Through Community and Connection
For Chelsey Neal at Perceptyx, the strategy leans heavily into fostering community among attendees. She discussed how their events, whether in-person or virtual, are built around current customers, often Fortune 100 companies in HR, to create value through shared experiences and networking. By creating a closed, exclusive environment, Perceptyx has cultivated a space where advocates share their stories and engage more frequently, reinforcing both customer relationships and brand loyalty.
Key Takeaway: Design events that build community. Giving customers the space to connect, share, and collaborate creates a unique bond with your brand that goes beyond the transactional.
3. Promotional Strategy: Personalization Matters
When it comes to promotion, BlueYonder and Perceptyx take a multifaceted approach, combining marketing-driven invites with highly personalized outreach. Leslie Fay shared that BlueYonder starts with a broad marketing invite, but the most impact comes from personalized messages from account managers and business developers. These invitations feel more genuine and increase the likelihood of attendance. Leslie noted, “Encourage BD or the account manager to customize the invite...we see a huge difference in attendees when we know BD has been hitting it that day.”
Chelsey from Perceptyx also underscored the value of personal invites, sharing how their team sometimes sends messages directly from their CEO or CPO for a high-impact touch. When the stakes are high, such as for engaging CHROs, this extra layer of connection makes a noticeable difference.
Key Takeaway: Personalize your outreach wherever possible. Customers are far more likely to engage when they feel personally invited, especially when the message comes from a known account representative or senior executive.
4. Create FOMO with Social Proof
A simple but effective tactic discussed was building FOMO by sharing who’s going to be in the room. “We all like to feel special,” said Sarah Shepard, noting that phrases like “exclusive event” and “invite-only” are powerful ways to catch attention. Chelsey explained that sharing titles and company names of expected attendees in reminder emails can increase attendance. As Chelsey put it, “Why am I hiding this? We have a great group who you have the opportunity to network with.”
This form of social proof builds anticipation and provides a subtle but effective nudge for those still considering their RSVP.
Key Takeaway: Let potential attendees know who else will be there. Highlighting a high-caliber attendee list can increase attendance and engagement.
5. Quality over Quantity: The Sweet Spot for Attendee Numbers
When it comes to attendee numbers, both BlueYonder and Perceptyx see value in keeping events smaller for a more curated experience. For Blue Yonder, the ideal number falls between 20 to 30 attendees, which allows for rich conversations without overwhelming participants. Sarah stressed the importance of framing events as networking opportunities rather than sales presentations, where attendees can discuss shared challenges and learn from each other.
Key Takeaway: Focus on creating intimate, high-quality experiences rather than striving for maximum attendance. Smaller groups can foster deeper connections, which drive higher engagement and ROI in the long run.
Conclusion: Event Marketing in 2025 and Beyond
As we begin planning for 2025, these insights remind us that successful events hinge on more than logistics; they’re about meaningful connections. BlueYonder, Perceptyx, and others have shown that combining the right tools with a personal touch, building a sense of exclusivity, and focusing on genuine networking opportunities create events that resonate and drive business impact.
Whether you’re planning a massive customer appreciation event or a niche ABM gathering, these best practices from industry leaders will help you design experiences that your attendees and sales team will love. Looking for an events partner? Reach out to Purple Cork. We would love to help!
