Every budget line is under scrutiny right now. With targets growing and resources tightening, it’s tempting to question whether in-person events deserve their usual slice of the marketing pie. 

The travel expenses, the time, the resource, the swag, the sponsorship fees - do they still deliver and can they be justified? Short answer: Yes.  But not in isolation and not if you're expecting them to be the saviour of the pipeline.

Whether they're built into the beginning, middle or end of pipeline progression, they’re not silver bullets, any more than any other single activity.  They don't guarantee orders just because a great conversation has been had, or you took them to a swanky venue.  They are just part of a longer process that has to happen around them to make their value in the final cost of sale, known.

So they're not a short cut to sales and are just part of a far more complex engagement cycle (determined at the very least by your sales cycle).  However, when done as part of a broader engagement strategy, they’re still an essential part of the process when relationships need to go beyond the digital to start meaningful, face-to-face relationships with the people who matter.
 

You attend, then what?

It may seem obvious, but we've come across many a business that has a packed events programme that's unsupported by anything else to keep contacts engaged in between times.  A sales person is going to follow up a handful of the badge scans if they can see something reasonably in it for them in the short term, but what of the hundreds of others you made whilst handing out the swag?  

Cold. And they will stay cold if you don't do anything with them, langrishing in your CRM because everyone is too busy to pay them any attention because they're not 'hot'.

Clearly, this is a marketing job if they are cold - to bring them to the point of being sales ready using other means.  But in an overstretched team, already having to focus on delivering the next event, this gets overlooked or put into some generic outreach masquerading as nurture.
 

If you're already thinking about events in 2026, here's 5 essential 'do's and don't's'

✔ Don’t rely on events to do all the work.
✔ Do use them to strengthen ongoing conversations.
✔ Don’t treat them like one-off campaigns.
✔ Do integrate them into a broader engagement plan where marketing and sales are responsible.
✔ Don’t bury your head in the sand when it comes to calculating cost per lead and ROI.

Think about your visitor experience

IT, Security or Telecoms buyers aren’t wandering around hoping to be sold to. They want and expect more;  just because they aren't buying now, they may be in the future.  They’re looking for people they can trust, who offer value beyond the here and now. That trust isn’t built in a single conversation on a trade show stand or networking dinner, it’s earned through consistent, relevant follow-up before and after the event.
 

So, should events still be in your 2026 budget?

Absolutely. But not as standalone hero tactics. They’re powerful when aligned with a wider demand and relationship strategy. The real ROI comes when events are treated as catalysts, not conclusions.

Don’t let good conversations die after the drinks bill is paid. Budget for the follow-up, the pre-event intel, the content that keeps the conversation going. That’s where the actual pipeline lives.

Because the real win? It’s not just who you met, it’s who still wants to talk to you six months later.

How we can be a MaaSive help:

If this is one of those activities that needs a sharpened edge, we'll be happy to chat whether you want to move forward or not.  

Please feel free to get in touch.