The Unspoken Rules of Event Marketing (Especially for Startups)
- Laurisha Cotton
- Sep 16
- 3 min read
Event marketing can make or break an early-stage startup’s brand presence. Whether you’re pre-seed, Series A, or scaling fast, events aren’t just about getting people to show up. You need to be thinking about content and experiences that convert into real business outcomes.
I’ve worked in events for 16+ years. I started in college, promoting and organizing Homecoming (aka major donor weekend). Later, I went into public diplomacy, and my first post-college gig came from being an event photographer at SXSW. Since then, I’ve seen what works (and what fails) at every level of event marketing.
Why Event Marketing Matters for Startups
For early-stage startups, every dollar and every connection counts. Events aren’t just a chance to showcase your product—they’re an opportunity to:
Build relationships with investors and partners.
Capture content that extends your brand beyond the event.
Create “FOMO moments” that drive future attendance.
Done right, event marketing gives your brand the kind of credibility and visibility that decks and cold outreach can’t buy.
Hire a Photographer (Not Your COO)
Photographers are worth every penny.
Too many times, someone outside of marketing is told to “grab a few shots" on their phone. The result? Blurry photos, missed moments—and lost opportunities. Worse, that person isn’t networking or closing deals because they’re stuck playing photographer.
In today’s social-driven, FOMO-fueled world, you need 2–4 highlight photos posted within 12 hours. Web3 events especially live and die by real-time buzz. People attend because they see others posting, not because of your carefully crafted agenda.
💡 Pro tip: Build a shot list before the event so you can repurpose content later. Must-haves include:
Close-ups of founders on stage
Candids of employees with executives
KOLs/influencers near brand signage
Team photo
Branded swag shots
Your Content Team Isn’t There to Party
“Must be nice to travel and party on the company dime.”If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I’d be retired.
Content creators and producers are working harder than almost anyone else at the event. While attendees sip cocktails, we’re:
Directing photographers on strategic shots
Live-posting to build buzz for future events
Capturing quotes that fuel months of social content
Building relationships with speakers for future interviews
We’re not documenting a party—we’re crafting the narrative that drives ROI.
💡 Pro tip: Send your content team a day early to grab B-roll and get a feel for the city. Stock footage can’t capture the little details—the street vendor outside the venue, the skyline at sunset—that create emotional resonance.
The Reality Check of Multi-Day Conferences
Here’s the truth about attendee behavior:
Day 1: Everyone’s at the 10 a.m. sessions, notebooks in hand.
Day 3: Half-empty rooms until 9:30 a.m. because people are either catching up on work—or hungover.
If you want strong attendance, don’t schedule anything important until after lunch. And if you must run morning sessions, legit coffee (i.e., espresso) is non-negotiable.
With 50+ competing side events, success isn’t about having the best speakers. It’s about creating shareable moments people can’t replicate later. Sometimes that means bringing in influencers just to post. Talks can be replayed. Experiences can’t.
Why AI Can’t Replace Event Content Strategy
Can AI help with events? Sure. AI can:
Transcribe talks
Pull keyword snippets
Generate quick tweets
But what it can’t do is recognize the emotional moment when a founder shares how tech changed their life. That human connection is what drives engagement.
I use AI daily for efficiency, but strategy? That’s human work. Understanding audience psychology, emotional timing, and brand nuance can’t be automated.
💡 Pro tip: Tools I do recommend:
Riverside → Create clips from talks.
Typefully AI → Draft social posts from transcripts.
The Unwritten Rules of Event Marketing
For organizers: When speakers cancel, ask for referrals—you’ll uncover hidden gems.
For attendees: The best networking happens by accident, not at mixers. Skip “what do you do?” and ask better questions.
For content teams: Bring snacks. Hungry teammates make bad decisions.
For speakers: Don’t say “DM me with questions” unless you actually respond.
Let’s Work Together
Events are exhausting, chaotic, and often thankless—but they’re also one of the most powerful growth levers for startups.
👉 I help early-stage companies turn event presence into content that actually converts.
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