When most businesses think about events, they think about lead generation—a top-of-funnel activity designed to collect emails, generate contacts, and pass leads to sales. But what if events could be so much more?

According to Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps, a marketing leader in the SaaS space, the real power of events isn’t just in the leads they generate—it’s in the community they build. Events should transition from being one-time lead generation machines to serving as pillars of an engaged, thriving ecosystem where customers and prospects naturally interact, learn, and advocate for your brand.

Let’s dive into how companies can shift from an event-led growth model to a community-led growth strategy that fosters deeper relationships, brand loyalty, and long-term success.

The Challenge: Moving Beyond a Lead-Generation Mindset

For years, event marketing has been viewed as a pipeline acceleration tool—get prospects into a room, collect their details, and let sales take it from there. But this transactional approach often leads to a drop-off in engagement post-event.

📌"Events aren’t just a top-of-funnel activity—they’re the foundation for building a high-value prospect pipeline," according to Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

While events remain one of the most powerful marketing channels, companies need to stop treating them as one-time transactions and start using them to foster long-term engagement—just like successful community-driven brands do.

The Shift: Turning Event Attendees into a Thriving Community

The most successful SaaS companies—think HubSpot, Salesforce, and Notion—use events as launchpads to create sustained, engaged communities. Here’s how you can do the same:

1. Events as the First Step, Not the Final Destination

Too often, companies focus on collecting registrations rather than creating ongoing relationships. Instead of seeing events as a one-off effort, they should be part of a larger, connected journey.

"We don’t just collect leads at events; we transition them into a thriving community, making events a pillar of long-term engagement.” – Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

🎯 How to do it:

• Instead of ending an event with “Thanks for coming,” provide a next-step action—invite attendees to a follow-up webinar, an exclusive Slack group, or a members-only newsletter.

• Use onboarding-style event follow-ups, treating attendees like new customers—helping them stay engaged rather than disappearing after the event.

2. Pre-Event Community Building for More Committed Attendees

Events shouldn’t be the starting point of community engagement—they should be a continuation of an already engaged audience.

“The event experience doesn’t start on the day of the event—it begins the moment attendees register.” – Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

🎯 How to do it:

• Create private LinkedIn or Slack groups where attendees can connect before the event.

• Send pre-event gift packs to boost anticipation and encourage attendees to share their excitement online.

• Get already-registered attendees to post about their event plans to attract new registrants.

3. Using Gifting to Drive Loyalty (Beyond the Booth Freebies)

Many companies make the mistake of treating event gifting as a transactional giveaway—placing branded swag at a booth and hoping attendees remember them. But true community-driven gifting creates an experience, not just a freebie.

“Booth giveaways don’t create lasting impact, but thoughtful, well-timed gifting—before or after an event—can drive loyalty and engagement.” – Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

🎯 How to do it:

• Pre-event: Send a curated welcome gift that makes attendees feel part of something special before they even arrive.

• During the event: Offer exclusive, earned gifts—for example, completing a workshop or engaging in discussions.

• Post-event: Surprise attendees with a thank-you gift, keeping them connected beyond the event.

4. Post-Event Community Nurturing for Long-Term Engagement

One of the biggest mistakes companies make after events? Going silent. Attendees should never feel like they were part of a single transaction—they should feel like they’ve joined an ongoing movement.

“Creating loyalty toward your event isn’t about the swag—it’s about crafting an experience attendees genuinely want to be part of.” – Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

🎯 How to do it:

• Host post-event “reunions”—webinars, AMAs, or networking calls—to keep the community alive.

• Recognize and feature top attendees in post-event content (blogs, LinkedIn features, community spotlights).

• Provide continuous engagement opportunities, like early access to future events, private mastermind sessions, or ongoing Slack discussions.

Why Community-Led Growth Is the Future of Events

• 40% of marketing budgets in SaaS companies are spent on events.

• Brands with strong communities see higher retention and stronger customer advocacy.

• Pre-event engagement—such as early gifting or online discussions—boosts attendance and organic reach.

"The event experience doesn’t start on the day of the event—it begins the moment attendees register." – Elise Rostaing, Marketing Director at LumApps

Summary & Final Thoughts

✔ Events should be the start of engagement, not the end.
✔ Build a community before the event for better participation.
✔ Use social sharing and gifting to increase excitement.
✔ Create post-event spaces to keep discussions alive.
✔ A community-driven event strategy leads to long-term brand advocacy.

Companies that prioritize ongoing engagement beyond the event floor are seeing stronger advocacy, better retention, and increased customer lifetime value.

With platforms like Localista, businesses can seamlessly manage pre-event engagement, track attendee interactions, and nurture relationships long after the event ends.