Here's what the playbook looks like for our most successful enterprise customers:

1. Create Value-First Events

Start by designing events that executives actually want to attend:

Small, exclusive dinners (8-12 people max)Roundtable discussions on relevant topicsVIP experiences at conferencesCustom executive briefings

The key is exclusivity and relevance. The event must feel special and directly tied to the prospect's current challenges or interests.

2. Leverage Social Proof

Name-drop other attending companies that the prospect would want to meet. This creates FOMO and validates the event's value.

Example: "We're hosting a private dinner with VPs of Marketing from Salesforce, HubSpot, and Adobe to discuss first-party data strategies. Given your recent focus on this area, I thought you might be interested in joining."

3. Personalize The Invitation

Use the same deep research approach we discussed in previous newsletters, but tailor it specifically to why this event would be valuable to them:

"I saw your recent LinkedIn post about the challenges of building ABM programs at scale. Interestingly, that's the exact topic our guest speaker from [Respected Company] will be addressing at our dinner next month. They've achieved a 40% reduction in CAC using some innovative approaches I think you'd find valuable."

4. Create Scarcity

Be explicit about the limited nature of the invitation:

• "We only have 2 spots remaining"

• "We're finalizing the guest list this week"

• "We've reserved a spot for you until Friday"

This creates urgency without being pushy.

5. Make The Next Step Frictionless

Don't ask for a 30-minute call to discuss the event. Simply offer to send calendar details and an official invitation. Make it as easy as possible for them to say yes.

Real-World Examples That Are Working

Here are some actual event-based outreach templates that have produced outstanding results for our customers:

Executive Dinner Invitation

"Hi [Name], I'm hosting a private dinner for 10 CMOs in New York next month, focusing specifically on [relevant topic]. I saw your recent work on [specific initiative] and thought you'd bring a valuable perspective. [Company X, Y, and Z] have already confirmed. We have 2 spots remaining—would you be interested in joining us?"

Conference Meeting Invitation

"[Name], I noticed you're attending [Conference] next month. My CTO is doing private demos of our unreleased [Product Feature] for select companies. We've already booked sessions with [Company X and Y], and have a 30-minute slot available on [specific date/time]. Would you be interested in seeing this before we announce it publicly?"

Roundtable Discussion

"[Name], based on your recent comments about [specific industry challenge], I wanted to extend an invitation to our exclusive roundtable on [topic] with leaders from [Companies X, Y, Z]. We'll be discussing [specific topics] and sharing unpublished research on [relevant area]. Given your experience with [specific initiative], your insights would be invaluable to the discussion."

These approaches consistently achieve 30-40% positive response rates from director+ prospects—5-10x higher than traditional outbound.

The Ideal Event Types For Different Target Personas

Different executive personas respond to different event formats. Here's what we've seen work best:

For C-Suite

Intimate dinners (8-10 people) with peers at similar companies1:1 executive briefings with your CEO/CTOExclusive research preview sessions

For VPs/Directors

Roundtable discussions focused on tactical challengesPeer networking events with specific agenda topicsExpert panels with Q&A opportunities

For Senior Managers

Hands-on workshops with practical takeawaysCase study sessions with existing customersProduct preview events with direct access to product teams

The key is matching the event format to the value that persona is seeking—whether it's peer connections, strategic insights, or tactical knowledge.