At the EN Sales Leaders’ Summit 2026, Flume hosted a session offering something rare: a clear, unfiltered view into how a modern Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) evaluates events, not as a marketing channel in isolation, but as a commercial investment tied directly to pipeline, revenue and strategic growth.
Featuring Charles Kaplan, CMO at Stats Perform, the discussion unpacked how senior marketing leaders think about event spend today, and what that means for organisers, media partners and sales leaders trying to win and retain budget.
Events are still critical, but no longer standalone
Despite the rise of digital channels and increasingly complex go-to-market motions, Kaplan was unequivocal. Events remain a significant and enduring line item.
However, their role has fundamentally shifted.
Events are no longer treated as discrete marketing activities. Instead, they sit within a broader, orchestrated strategy that spans campaigns, product launches, sales activation and ongoing pipeline development.
At Stats Perform, major announcements are deliberately aligned with key events. Pre-event planning can begin months in advance, while post-event follow-up is tracked rigorously at executive level. Pipeline, conversion and ROI are reviewed continuously, not retrospectively.
The takeaway is clear. If an event is not embedded in a wider commercial narrative, it is already at a disadvantage.
ROI is not a conversation, it is the gatekeeper
For CMOs operating under increasing scrutiny from CEOs and CFOs, event investment is judged on the same basis as any other commercial decision: expected return.
Kaplan described a disciplined approach where every event is assigned a target ROI upfront, based on spend, expected lead volume and pipeline impact. Strong performance unlocks further investment. Weak or unproven returns quickly lead to reallocation.
Importantly, this is not about superficial metrics.
Cost per lead matters, but so does velocity. If an event accelerates deal cycles or moves opportunities forward faster, that value is significant. Conversely, long sales cycles and vague outcomes dilute the case for repeat investment.
For sales leaders and organisers, this reinforces a shift already underway. Success is not about activity or visibility, it is about measurable commercial impact.
Quality has overtaken volume, decisively
One of the most striking shifts in Kaplan’s perspective is the de-prioritisation of volume.
The era of scanning as many badges as possible is over. Instead, the focus is on engaging the right buyers, those aligned to the organisation’s Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and, crucially, those in an active buying motion.
This has major implications.
Events that cannot clearly articulate who attends, and why they are there, struggle to justify investment. Demographics alone are insufficient. Psychographics, intent and buying stage matter far more.
In Kaplan’s words, it is not just about who shows up, but their “frame of mind.”
For organisers, this means audience curation, transparency and alignment to buyer intent are now central to the commercial proposition.
Decision-making is multi-threaded, and fragile
Internally, event decisions rarely sit with one stakeholder. While the CMO may own the budget, sales leadership, regional teams and finance all play a role.
This creates both opportunity and risk.
Building internal consensus is essential, but poorly executed external multi-threading can backfire. Vendors who engage multiple stakeholders without alignment often create confusion rather than momentum, ultimately stalling decisions.
This helps explain a broader trend Kaplan acknowledged. Deals frequently drift into indecision.
Not necessarily due to lack of interest, but because of competing priorities, budget timing, internal alignment challenges and simple organisational bandwidth.
For sellers, the implication is nuanced. Engage broadly, but coherently. Help buyers build consensus, do not fragment it.
What makes it easier, or harder, to buy?
Kaplan was candid about what distinguishes effective partners from the rest.
What works:
- Starting with outcomes, not inventory
- Forcing clarity on what success looks like
- Maintaining a consistent cadence before, during and after the event
- Acting as a strategic partner, not a transactional vendor
What does not:
- Asking the right questions, but ignoring the answers
- Presenting generic proposals that do not reflect stated ICP or goals
- Failing to explain why attendees are at an event
- Over-reliance on incentivised or low-intent audiences
Perhaps most tellingly, the best partners do not disappear after the contract is signed. They stay close, continuously recalibrating to ensure the event delivers against evolving priorities.
Retention is engineered, not assumed
One of the strongest examples Kaplan shared was a structured approach to retention used by leading organisations.
Rather than relying on post-event feedback, they implement:
- Quarterly check-ins tied to defined objectives
- Clear usage and value tracking
- Proactive recommendations to drive outcomes
- Direct, ongoing conversations about rebooking likelihood
Critically, they ask a simple but powerful question throughout: “If you had to rebook today, would you?”
That question, and the actions that follow, turn retention into an active process rather than a passive outcome.
The strategic opportunity for event leaders
The overarching message from Kaplan is both reassuring and challenging.
Events are not declining in importance, far from it. The demand for face-to-face engagement remains high, particularly for complex, high-value sales.
But expectations have evolved.
CMOs are looking for partners who:
- Understand their commercial strategy
- Align to their ICP and buying cycles
- Deliver measurable, defensible ROI
- Help them navigate internal complexity
For CROs and senior sales leaders, this presents a clear opportunity.
Those who can position events not as products, but as strategic growth levers, deeply integrated into the revenue engine, will win not just budget, but long-term partnership.
Because in today’s environment, being “part of the marketing mix” is not enough.
You have to prove you move the business forward.