When TED.com came to Optimize 3.0, their ask was simple but urgent:
“We need to boost awareness and registrations for our new event, TEDNext.”
Despite TED’s iconic brand, TEDNext was a newer initiative and overall awareness was low. Their internal marketing team had already run traditional campaigns, but performance was underwhelming. Registrations were slow. And many prospects had started but never completed the registration process.
With a goal of just 2 new registrations, TED was looking for a focused, data-driven event registration strategy.
We helped them 5X that goal with 10 net new signups and built a scalable B2B demand generation strategy they could repeat.
The Challenge
- TEDNext was a new event, with low brand recognition
- Many potential attendees had abandoned registration forms
- The team lacked the bandwidth for consistent outbound follow-up
The Optimize 3.0 Demand Generation Strategy
To address these challenges, we built a multi-channel demand generation campaign using:
- LinkedIn outreach for event promotion to past attendees and relevant new contacts
- A cold email sequence for event registrations that re-targeted users who started but never completed the form
- A “Bring a Friend” incentive to help existing registrants refer others
- Integration between LinkedIn automation platform HeyReach and HubSpot to automatically sync positive responses and registration actions
- A HubSpot demand generation workflow to trigger internal follow-ups, update lead statuses, and track success metrics
Why This Strategy Worked
This campaign wasn’t just about new contacts—it was about building momentum for a new brand initiative. By targeting users with relevant messaging on the right channels and reinforcing it with automation, we created a complete top-of-funnel experience that led to real conversions.
We focused on:
- Personalized outreach using LinkedIn’s messaging capabilities
- Behavioral targeting based on prior form submissions and site visits
- Automated workflows to ensure rapid follow-up with high-interest contacts
- Unified reporting in HubSpot to share results with TED's internal teams
Results
- 10 net new registrations from outreach efforts (vs. a goal of 2)
- Re-engagement with existing registrants via LinkedIn messaging, driving pre-event meetups
- Captured heretofore unavailable insights from users who didn’t register, including reasons like price sensitivity or date conflicts
- Created a scalable event registration strategy TED can reuse for future events
“Optimize 3.0 delivered exactly what we needed—fast. Their team helped us build real momentum for TEDNext when awareness was still low. Not only did we exceed our registration goal, but we also uncovered new ways to engage with our audience that we’ll use for future events.” — Sabina Osario, Director of Marketing, TED
FAQ: Demand Gen for Events & HubSpot
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What is a demand generation strategy for B2B events?
A B2B demand generation strategy focuses on building awareness and driving interest from target prospects using channels like email, LinkedIn, and paid media. For events, this includes personalized outreach focused on event features, networking benefits and high profile speakers.
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How do you boost event registrations using cold outreach?
Use a cold email sequence for event registrations that targets form abandoners, past attendees, or list segments who haven’t engaged. Emails are sent outside of HubSpot using different Ted related domains. This protects Ted.com’s primary domain.
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What makes a good event registration strategy in HubSpot?
A strong strategy includes form tracking, automated workflows, lifecycle stage mapping, and reporting dashboards. Use HubSpot’s workflows to re-engage leads and assign follow-ups, improving registration conversion rates.
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How can I integrate LinkedIn outreach with HubSpot?
Use a tool like HeyReach to automate LinkedIn messages and sync positive replies back to HubSpot. This ensures your CRM captures all engagement data and triggers appropriate follow-up sequences.
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Why did this campaign exceed expectations for TEDNext?
It blended targeted outreach, personalized messaging, workflow automation, and clear reporting. With only a goal of 2 new signups, the campaign delivered 10 and created a new channel for registrant engagement ahead of the event.
Final Thoughts
If you’re running an event with low awareness or stalled signups, a modern demand generation strategy can create a pipeline of engaged, high-intent prospects. Optimize 3.0 helps you build campaigns that work across LinkedIn, email, and HubSpot—delivering results without draining your team’s time.
