5 Tips to Maximize Executive Events for Advocacy

Executive events can be a goldmine for customer advocacy—but only if executed thoughtfully. Angela Wells, Senior Director of Customer Advocacy and Executive Programs at Splunk, and Amanda Crocker, Senior Customer Advocacy Manager, shared their expertise in a session packed with actionable strategies for creating impactful executive events. From getting the right people in the room to using events as a springboard for long-term engagement, here’s how they maximize executive programs to drive advocacy.

1. Be Selective: Get the Right Executives in the Room

Not all customers are the right fit for executive events. It’s important to emphasize strict title protections to attract the right level of decision-makers.

• Stay Firm on Titles: Insist on including only C-level and equivalent executives to maintain the caliber of conversation and avoid misalignment in interests or priorities.
• Know Your Customers: Research LinkedIn, industry events, and past testimonials to gauge whether prospective attendees are active and engaged thought leaders.
• Account Health Matters: Avoid inviting accounts with unresolved challenges.Instead, address those concerns in one-on-one meetings and re-evaluate for future events..

“It's critical the experience be valuable for both the company and the customer.” Angela quipped, underscoring the importance of screening attendees for fit and positivity.

2. Earn Their Time with Content That Matters

C-level executives are inundated with invitations to events. To stand out, they ensure every event delivers high-value, relevant content. Approach planning events for executives by answering the question: “How can we earn their time?” If customers learn something helpful or make a valuable new connection, they’ll come back to the next event, and stay connected.

• Focus on Thought Leadership: Bring in respected experts and peers to discuss timely, strategic, industry-specific challenges, such as the intersection of mental health and cybersecurity. The days of simply providing a one-time hospitality event at a sporting event are long gone. Programming has to provide value for their careers.
• Maximize Peer-to-Peer Engagement: Executives value learning from their peers, so include opportunities for seasoned roundtable discussions and customer panels. Put customers and their stories in the spotlight, not company executives.
• Optimize Panels: Panels with multiple speakers require more planning but yield richer conversations, allowing attendees to hear diverse perspectives in a single session.

3. Understand Their Business and Interests

To craft meaningful connections, take the time to learn about your customers’ business objectives and personal preferences.

• Look Outside In: Research top business initiatives to create tailored opportunities. For example, when a leading pharmaceutical company faced skepticism about its COVID-19 vaccine data, Amanda helped a customer highlight how their software supported clinical data transparency to build trust.
• Leverage Champions: For established advocates, tailor engagement opportunities to their comfort zones, whether that’s speaking on panels, participating in analyst calls, or sharing case studies.
• Personalize the Approach: Build relationships that demonstrate an understanding of each customer’s unique goals and challenges.

4. Stay in Touch Year-Round

Maintaining relationships beyond the event is key to maximizing advocacy. Angela and Amanda take a strategic approach that includes a mix of virtual and in-person touchpoints:

• Quarterly Virtual Meetings: These sessions keep attendees engaged and connected year-round to their peers and the advocacy team.
• Multiple In-Person Events: High-touch events reinforce those relationships and offer opportunities for deeper engagement. Splunk provides an annual main event in America, and also hosts smaller, regional events around the world (about 28 per quarter) to connect with customer executives in their local cities or at leading industry events.
• Consistent Engagement: Avoid relying on private Slack groups or LinkedIn chats to maintain contact. Instead, create structured opportunities that are easy to attend and provide clear value.

5. Capture and Repurpose Content On-Site

Executive events are ripe with opportunities to create long-tail content that fuels advocacy year-round.

• Bring the Content Team: It’s important to ensure content creators are present to capture approved videos, conduct interviews, and generate blogs or articles directly from the event.
• Strike While the Iron’s Hot: Immediately follow up with executives after panels or key discussions to create case studies or testimonials.
• Maximize Output: Transforming event content into blogs, thought leadership pieces, and other marketing assets keep the conversation going long after the event ends.

“One event can yield content to sustain advocacy efforts throughout the year,” Amanda noted.

A Sample Playbook for Successful Executive Events

Angela and Amanda closed their session by recapping their approach to making executive events more impactful:

1. Get the Right Executives in the Room: Be selective and prioritize decision-makers.
2. Earn Their Time: Design events with thought leadership and valuable peer-to-peer engagement.
3. Know Their Business: Tailor opportunities to their specific goals and interests.
4. Stay in Touch: Maintain consistent contact to build long-term relationships.
5. Leverage Content: Capture insights on-site to create assets for ongoing advocacy.

A Final Thought: Advocacy Beyond the Event

Executive events are more than just a one-off opportunity—they can be the starting point for ongoing relationships that drive customer advocacy. By focusing on value, personalization, and consistent engagement, customer advocacy teams can ensure their events create true customer relationships and provide opportunities for customer executives to highlight their successes across marketing channels.

For companies looking to elevate their executive event strategy, this blueprint offers actionable steps to build relationships, capture content, and drive advocacy success.