Case Study: How an Event Management Company Built a Predictable Outbound Engine & Filled Their Trade Show Booth in 10 Days

Executive Summary

An event management software company struggling with insufficient inbound leads partnered with Profitbl to build a predictable outbound revenue engine from scratch. Through systematic cold calling and targeted email campaigns, we delivered 31 qualified sales meetings across multiple channels, including 20 demos booked in under 10 days for their IMEX trade show booth. Exceeding initial expectations by 5x.

The Challenge

Client Profile:

• Industry: Event Management Software (B2B SaaS)
• Target Market: Event organizers and venue managers across North America and Europe
• Sales Cycle: 30-90 days
• Average Deal Size: €15,000 - €50,000 annually

The Problem

They had relied exclusively on inbound marketing to generate pipeline. While they received some leads organically, the volume was inconsistent and insufficient to hit their growth targets.

Additionally, they had invested in an expensive booth at IMEX (a major trade show for event professionals) but had no systematic way to ensure their booth would be busy with qualified prospects.

Initial Expectations: 2-3 meetings booked per week
Reality: Unpredictable inbound flow creating revenue uncertainty

What They Needed

• Predictable, scalable lead generation system
• Qualified meetings with decision-makers at active event organizations
• Multi-channel outbound strategy combining calls and emails
• Rapid booth-filling campaign for their IMEX trade show appearance
• No prior outbound infrastructure or experience

The Solution

Strategic Approach

We built a comprehensive outbound program from the ground up, focusing on systematic execution across two primary channels and two distinct campaign objectives:

1. Ongoing Cold Calling Campaign

• Targeted former users of competing platforms (Boomset database)
• Focus on active event organizers with demonstrated need
• Conversational scripting emphasizing pain points around legacy systems
• Persistent follow-up cadence across 10+ weeks
• Goal: Build predictable weekly pipeline

2. Sprint Email Campaign for IMEX Trade Show

• Urgent 10-day campaign to fill Eventpack's trade show booth
• Highly targeted list of event professionals attending IMEX
• Personalized email messaging offering exclusive demos at the booth
• Strategic timing aligned with attendee registration and pre-show planning

Execution Timeline

Ongoing Outbound Program:

• Weeks 1: List building, research, and messaging development
• Weeks 2-10: Full-scale outbound execution (400+ calls/week)
• Weeks 11-14: Optimization and doubled-down on proven channels

IMEX Trade Show Campaign:

• Days 1-2: Rapid list building of confirmed/likely IMEX attendees
• Days 3-10: High-velocity email outreach with booth meeting scheduling

The Results

Ongoing Cold Calling Campaign

• 3,797 calls made across 10 weeks
• 94 meaningful conversations with decision-makers
• 13 qualified meetings booked (13.8% conversation-to-meeting rate)

Performance Trajectory: The campaign showed steady improvement, with Week 13 delivering the strongest results (3 meetings from 10 conversations) as messaging and targeting were refined.

IMEX Trade Show Sprint Campaign (10 Days)

• 20 qualified demos booked for IMEX booth
• 3 additional meetings through retargeting
• 23 total meetings from email-only outreach in under 10 days
• Booth utilization: Transformed an expensive trade show investment into guaranteed face-to-face time with qualified prospects

Combined Campaign Results

• 36 total qualified meetings delivered
• Exceeded initial weekly expectations (2-3 meetings/week → consistent 3+ meetings/week)
• Multi-channel validation: Both cold calling and targeted sprint email campaigns proven effective
• Zero outbound experience to predictable pipeline in under 4 months
• Trade show ROI maximized through proactive booth-filling strategy

Key Success Factors

1. Data Quality Matters

Starting with a database of former users of competing platforms gave us a warm foundation for the ongoing campaign. These prospects already understood the category and had demonstrated event management needs.

2. Persistent, Professional Follow-Up

With conversation rates around 2.5%, success required volume and persistence. Maintaining 350-450 calls per week created enough conversations to generate consistent meetings.

3. Multi-Channel Strategy

Different objectives required different channels. Cold calling worked for building steady weekly pipeline, while high-velocity email campaigns excelled for the time-sensitive trade show sprint.

4. Trade Show Amplification

Rather than relying on foot traffic alone, we proactively filled IMEX booth with pre-qualified prospects. This transformed a passive trade show presence into guaranteed meetings with ideal customers.

5. Continuous Optimization

Weeks 13-14 showed improved results as we refined messaging based on real prospect feedback. The conversation-to-meeting rate improved from early weeks as we learned which pain points resonated.

6. Sprint Campaign Urgency

The 10-day IMEX campaign leveraged event-specific urgency ("Meet us at our booth") to drive faster response rates than typical cold email campaigns.

Client Impact

Before Profitbl

• Relying solely on unpredictable inbound leads
• No systematic outbound process
• Missing growth targets due to insufficient pipeline
• Limited visibility into future revenue
• Trade show ROI dependent on foot traffic luck

After Profitbl

• Predictable meeting generation: 3+ qualified meetings per week
• Proven outbound playbook for both calling and sprint email campaigns
• Scalable foundation for continued growth
• Maximum trade show ROI through proactive booth-filling
• Diversified lead sources beyond inbound

‍

Why This Worked

The event management software space is competitive, but three factors made this campaign successful:

1. Precise Targeting: We focused on organizations actively running events, not just anyone with an event title. This meant speaking with people who had immediate, relevant pain points.
2. Channel Flexibility: By deploying both cold calling for steady pipeline and sprint email for the trade show, we matched the channel to the objective. Ongoing relationship-building used calls; time-sensitive booth booking used high-velocity email.
3. Systematic Execution: Consistency matters in outbound. Maintaining 350-450 touches per week created the volume needed to overcome low contact rates and generate qualified conversations.
4. Trade Show Leverage: Rather than treating IMEX as a standalone event, we treated it as a forcing function for concentrated outreach. The booth became a powerful call-to-action that drove faster response rates than generic "let's chat" cold emails.

Takeaways for B2B SaaS Companies

If you're in a similar position—solid product, some inbound traction, but inconsistent pipeline—this case study demonstrates that:

• Outbound works even in niche B2B markets when executed systematically
• You don't need massive scale to generate meaningful results (30+ meetings can significantly impact a growing SaaS business)
• Multi-channel flexibility unlocks opportunities (steady cold calling for pipeline, sprint emails for events)
• Trade shows become profit centers when you proactively fill your booth instead of relying on foot traffic
• Sprint campaigns deliver fast results (20 demos in 10 days proves outbound doesn't always take months)
• Patience during ramp-up is essential for ongoing campaigns (weeks 1-8 were learning; weeks 9-14 showed the payoff)

The path from 0 to predictable outbound pipeline takes 8-12 weeks for ongoing programs, but sprint campaigns for specific events can deliver results in days when urgency and targeting align.

Ready to Build Your Outbound Engine?

Profitbl specializes in building SDR-as-a-service programs for B2B SaaS companies in European and North American markets. We handle everything from list building to qualified meeting delivery. Whether you need ongoing pipeline or a sprint campaign to fill your next trade show booth.

Let's talk if you're:

• Generating some inbound leads but need more predictable pipeline
• Selling to mid-market or enterprise buyers with 30-90 day sales cycles
• Ready to invest 3+ months building a systematic outbound program
• Looking for 15-30 qualified meetings per month
• Exhibiting at a trade show and want guaranteed booth traffic with qualified prospects

‍