Listen Here

| |

Conversation
Highlights

 

In this episode of The Marketing Front Lines, SVP of Market Caitlin Allen and Growth Marketing Manager Lexie Sirak from Simbe Robotics reveal how they’ve built a powerhouse event marketing strategy that drove 70% of the company’s net new pipeline in 2024 – more than all previous years combined. They share their three-tiered approach to market development through events, creative booth strategies (including turning half their booth into a podcast studio), and practical frameworks for maximizing ROI without massive budgets.

Topics Discussed:

  • Building a three-tiered event strategy mapped to market development stages
  • Using a “crawl, walk, run” approach for resource-efficient event participation
  • Creating differentiated experiences that transcend traditional booth presence
  • Maximizing ROI through strategic pre- and post-event activation
  • Implementing a 10x ROI measurement model for event investments
  • Generating 70% of net new pipeline from event-driven strategies
  • Executing effective event follow-up that converts prospects into customers

 

Actionable
Takeaways

Think Beyond The Booth as "Anchor, Not Focal Point":

While many companies over-invest in elaborate booths, Simbe treats their booth as an anchor point, not the centerpiece of their event strategy. They think creatively about how to show up larger than their physical footprint, strategically partnering with others to secure multiple placements, and focusing event resources on creating connections rather than just aesthetics.

Approach Events Through Three Strategic Lenses:

Simbe filters all event decisions through three strategic priorities: establishing market leadership in core verticals (grocery/supermarket), expanding into adjacent segments (home improvement, farm supply), and elevating their existing customer relationships. This framework prevents reactive event participation and ensures all investments align with company objectives.

Leverage Creative Partnerships to Multiply Your Presence:

At major industry events like NRF, Simbe secured presence in three different booths - only one being their own - by strategically partnering with complementary companies. This allowed them to appear on the main floor without paying the premium typically required, significantly amplifying their visibility while managing costs.

Create Event-Adjacent Experiences That Match Audience Mindset:

Instead of forcing traditional sales conversations in environments where executives aren't in buying mode, Simbe creates adjacent experiences matched to attendee priorities. Examples include hosting a spa day for retail executive award winners and converting half their booth into a podcast studio featuring industry thought leaders - attracting exactly the right audience without interrupting their primary reason for attending.

Transform Events into Multi-Channel Campaigns:

Simbe's most successful events are treated as omnichannel campaigns spanning weeks, not days. For their NRF announcement, they created an "echo chamber" effect through podcast placements, earned media, partner amplification, and targeted outreach before the event, followed by at-event amplification and structured follow-up campaigns. This integrated approach ensures maximum impact from each event investment.

Implement "Blitz" Philosophy for Maximum Visibility:

For marquee industry events, Simbe deploys a comprehensive "blitz" strategy - combining strategic pre-event announcements, VIP preview events, omnichannel activation, and coordinated on-site presence. This approach creates an impression of omnipresence that helps them compete with much larger companies who have significantly larger budgets.

Certify Every Team Member as an Event Ambassador:

Simbe requires every event attendee across departments to complete an "elevator pitch certification" before representing the company at events. This ensures everyone can effectively communicate the company's value proposition, maximizing every interaction opportunity regardless of the team member's primary role.

Recommended Founder
Interviews

Raj De Datta

CEO & Co-founder of Bloomreach

Raj De Datta, CEO & Co-founder of Bloomreach: $450 Million to Build the World’s Leading Commerce Experience Cloud

Oscar Rundqvist

CEO & Co-Founder of eComID

Oscar Rundqvist, CEO & Co-Founder of eComID: $3 Million Raised to Build the Future of Return Reductions

Maggie Adhami-Boynton

CEO & Founder of ShopThing

Maggie Adhami-Boynton, CEO & Founder of ShopThing: $10 Million Raised to Power the Future of Live Video Commerce

Rishabh Jain

CEO and Co-Founder of Fermàt

Rishabh Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Fermat: Over $12 Million Raised to Power the Future of Commerce Experiences

Jordan Gal

CEO of Rally

Jordan Gal, CEO of Rally: $6 Million Raised to Build the Future of eCommerce Checkout

Brandon Schulz

CEO and Co-Founder of Violet

Brandon Schulz, CEO and Co-Founder of Violet: $14 Million Raised to Power the Future of E-commerce

Hans Elstner

CEO & Founder of Rooom

Hans Elstner, CEO & Founder of Rooom: $25 Million Raised to Power the Future of Enterprise Metaverse

Pujun Bhatnagar

CEO & Co-Founder of Kintsugi

Pujun Bhatnagar, CEO & Co-Founder of Kintsugi: $8.2 Million Raised to Build the Future of Sales Tax Automation

Cassandra Gholston

CEO & Founder of PartnerTap

Cassandra Gholston, CEO & Founder of PartnerTap: $9 Million Raised to Revolutionize Partner Orchestration

Melodie van der Baan

Co-Founder and CEO of Max Retail

Melodie van der Baan, Co-Founder and CEO at Max Retail: $10 Million Raised to Help Retailers Sell Unsold Inventory

Kacper Nowicki

Co-founder, CEO of Nomagic

Kacper Nowicki, CEO of Nomagic: $30 Million Raised to build the Future of ​​Robotics Fulfillment

Rohit Bhadange

CEO & Founder of Zamp

Rohit Bhadange, CEO & Founder of Zamp: $14 Million Raised to Solve the Sales Tax Problem Killing eCommerce Companies

Shariq Siddiqui

Co-founder and CEO of Veeve

Shariq Siddiqui, Co-founder and CEO of Veeve: Over $10 Million Raised to Power the Future of Shopper Engagement

Beck Besecker

Founder and CEO of 3D Cloud

Beck Besecker, Founder and CEO of 3D Cloud: Over $44 Million Raised to Power the Future of 3D Product Experiences

John Golinvaux

CEO & Founder of Fulcrum

John Golinvaux, CEO & Founder of Fulcrum: $6 Million Raised to Power the Future of Conversion Optimization

Bryan Mahoney

CEO and Co-Founder of Chord Commerce

Bryan Mahoney, CEO and Co-Founder of Chord Commerce: $40 Million Raised to Power the Future of E-commerce Data

Dane Baker

CEO and Co-Founder of EcoCart

Dane Baker, CEO and Co-Founder of EcoCart: $17.5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Sustainable Commerce

Meredith Blechman

Head of Marketing of Archive

The First Marketing Hire’s Playbook: Archive’s Brand-First Approach