How We Successfully Managed Two Major Events at Once: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

Attending industry events is a huge part of how we connect, learn, and grow. Recently, we took on the exciting (and slightly crazy) challenge of managing two major events simultaneously—running a booth at HubSpot’s INBOUND while working the floor at Salesforce’s Dreamforce.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we pulled it off—and how your company can juggle multiple events without losing your mind!

Planning Starts Early: 4-5 Months in Advance

The first lesson? Start early. A successful event presence starts months before the doors open. Begin by outlining your goals: What do you want to achieve? Who will attend? How much time and resources can you dedicate? These early decisions are crucial for creating a solid plan.

For example, we managed to snag a booth at INBOUND, which completely shifted our strategy. What began as a simple tradeshow networking plan, quickly became more complex with new considerations like booth design, layout, and team roles.

This experience really showed us the importance of planning ahead. By starting months in advance, we were able to stay flexible and stress-free, and still keep everything on track. Without that extra time, we would have been really overwhelmed.

Here are 7 tips that we found crucial when planning our events:

1. A Budget Doesn’t Restrict You; It Empowers You
   Defining your budget early on is essential. Understanding your financial boundaries will shape your whole game plan, even if you’re not running a booth. Be sure to include things like swag, extra hand-outs and business cards, a budget for show discounts, and grabbing coffee with a new contact.
   
2. The Future Belongs to Those Who Prepare
   Even if you don’t have a booth, it’s essential to prepare and not just improvise. What is your main aim for attending the event?  Whether it’s making meaningful connections, learning from speakers, networking with prospects, or strengthening relationships, make sure you have a solid plan to achieve those objectives.
   
3. Brainstorm with Your Team
   Get your team together and start thinking about the necessary steps to achieve your objectives. Having a clear strategy is essential for maximizing your time on the floor. Understand what you aim to achieve and develop a plan to make it happen.
   
4. Plan Your Social Media Strategy
   Create a content plan in advance. Schedule posts for each day, and focus on engaging your audience by posting updates, live videos, and behind-the-scenes content so you can engage with those who couldn’t attend the event.
   
5. Set Clear Goals
   With your game plan in hand, now it’s time to focus on your must-have outcomes, so you can focus your efforts and streamline your planning.
   
6. Research Event Trends
   Stay updated on trends that can boost your visibility and help you make the most of the event. Follow the event on social media, Slack, etc so you can see how others are preparing.
   
7. Gather Your Resources
   Remember back in tip 1, when we told you to budget for all the business cards, marketing materials, and tools to help you network? Now’s the time to get these organized ensuring you’re not scrambling for anything last-minute. 
   
8. Download the Event App beforehand
   Download the event apps (like Salesforce and HubSpot) to discover additional sessions, and networking opportunities, and make navigating easier. Doing it in advance will make planning much smoother.

Plan Keynotes and Events

Review the schedule with your team. Highlight must-attend sessions, but leave flexibility for everyone to adjust based on their goals each day.

Setting up a booth? Here are some extra steps we recommend:

1. Decide on your theme and message.  Think about what you want your brand to be known for. Is there a key message you want to convey? Are you aiming to make a lasting impression with a specific theme? Defining this early sets the tone for everything else, from booth design to team engagement strategies.
   
2. Understand the event’s rules and regulations. Every event has its own guidelines, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard by a last-minute restriction. Make sure your team knows the do’s and don’ts.
   
3. Be flexible. Don’t be afraid to pivot if something isn’t working—whether it’s your theme, strategy, or booth layout. Sometimes, what looks great in theory may not work in practice. Evaluate feedback, observe how people engage, and don’t hesitate to make adjustments on the fly to improve your outcomes.

What might have worked at a previous event doesn’t necessarily mean it will work at this one. Try to adjust your messaging and goals to fit your audience. The key is to remain adaptable and ready to change course if needed.

Booth or no booth, preparation and flexibility are key to making the most out of any event. It’s all about having a clear message, understanding the rules, and being ready to adapt when things don’t go as planned.

Building the Right Team

Once we had our theme and messaging sorted, it was time to assemble the team. Remember, you don’t have to commit to a final lineup right away. What’s more important is defining clear roles and responsibilities. From there, delegation becomes your best friend.

1. Define roles early. Who’s managing social media? Who’s handling lead follow-up? Who’s responsible for capturing photos and videos? Define these roles and make sure everyone understands their responsibilities.
   
2. Set up meetings. Schedule your internal planning meetings, and then start reaching out to prospects, customers, or partners you want to meet at the event. Make sure to set up reminders and make a flashcard for each person you’re meeting. This way, you can familiarize yourself with their background and important topics.
   
3. Create a shared agenda. Keep a copy of the event agenda in multiple places—your calendar, email, notes app, or even a printed sheet. You don’t want to lose track of where you need to be, especially when attending multiple sessions and networking events.

Getting Ready for Show Time: The Logistics

With the team in place and the message dialed in, it was time to lock in the logistics. We know it’s starting to sound repetitive, but preparation is key when managing multiple events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that no details are overlooked.

Meeting Scheduling: How to Sidestep Common Mistakes

• Confirm meeting times and locations. Even with a booth, double-check with attendees. A calendar invite helps avoid confusion and reduces the chances of forgetting or double-booking.
  
• Send a follow-up confirmation. One or two days before the meeting, send a confirmation email with the time, date, and location. Meetings can slip people’s minds, so this extra step helps keep things on track.
  
• Avoid back-to-back meetings.
  Big events like Dreamforce and INBOUND mean lots of talking and walking. Give yourself extra time between meetings so you’re not stressed or rushing from one place to the next.
  
• Plan for delays and detours.
  It’s easy to get lost or sidetracked at large conferences. Build some buffer time into your schedule to keep things running smoothly.
  
• Go with the flow. People run late, keynotes go long, and distances between meeting spots are often seem farther than expected. Don’t sweat it—stay flexible and roll with the unexpected!

With good preparation, clear communication, and flexibility, you’ll set your team up for success and a smooth event experience.

Juggling two major events at once—whether you’re running a booth or just working the floor—can seem overwhelming, but with the right planning and teamwork, it’s absolutely doable. We found that starting early, staying flexible, and keeping the lines of communication open made all the difference.

From managing schedules and planning social media to adjusting on the fly, success is all about staying organized and knowing when to pivot. Whether you have a booth or not, the key is to set clear goals, plan ahead, and trust your team to execute.

With the right prep and a little flexibility, your company can make the most out of any event, no matter how chaotic it seems—and who knows, you might even enjoy the ride!