In the insights industry, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to conferences and events. But let’s be real: it’s not the number of lanyards you collect that makes the difference, it’s how you show up and what you take away. These gatherings are expensive in time, money, and energy. A little preparation (and a solid plan) makes all the difference.

Here are 10 ways to make your next event count and actually see some ROI – plus, we've included a curated list of some MRX & Industry Conferences for 2026 so you can immediately select the best venue to deploy these strategies. Jump to it directly here.

Before the Event 

  1. Do your homework
    Study the agenda, speaker lineup and exhibitor list. Know where your prospects or peers will be and even check if you can schedule meetings in advance. Doing your research helps you avoid awkward surprises and ensures you show up confident and prepared.
  2. Define your goals
    Are you there to showcase your product, build relationships with buyers, scout new methodologies, or benchmark against competitors? Be specific. For instance: “We want to conduct 10 demos per day”. Clear goals help you measure ROI and keep your team focused.
  3. Pick your role wisely
    Attending, speaking, and exhibiting all have different levels of visibility. If you’re speaking, focus on case studies and helpful content – audiences want real stories, not sales pitches. If you’re exhibiting, make your booth a conversation starter, not just a pretty backdrop. And if you’re attending, prioritize working the floor at networking sessions, and learning at workshops, roundtables, and sessions.
  4. Be intentional with networking
    Instead of just “being present”, identify the people you want to meet ahead of time. Many MRX events publish attendee, speaker, or sponsor lists in advance, or even have networking apps. You can even use LinkedIn to reach out before the event: a simple “Looking forward to connecting at [event name]” can warm up conversations before you’re in the room.
  5. Prep your team
    If you’re attending as a group, alignment is key. Hold a pre-event briefing to set expectations. Who’s covering which sessions? Who’s on booth duty and when? Who’s dedicated to which role? Assign roles and targets, for example, “Each person should have 5 meaningful conversations per day”. This ensures that no one stands around awkwardly and nothing slips through the cracks.

During the Event 

  1. Staff smartly
    If you’re exhibiting, it’s important to never leave your booth unattended, but also not to crowd it with your entire team. Rotate shifts. Have your most engaging people up front, while others walk the floor, attend sessions, and bring traffic back. It is important to highlight internally that insights events are built on conversations, not transactions, so train your staff to listen first and pitch later, if applicable/relevant
  2. Stay active and visible
    In sessions, ask questions. At roundtables, contribute a perspective, not a sales plug. On social media, post highlights and tag speakers, organizers, or brands to continue the conversations online. For example, share a quick takeaway from a panel and link it back to your area of expertise. This positions you as a contributor, not just a vendor in the room.

After the Event
 

  1. Organize your contacts
    Don’t wait until the stack of business cards goes cold. Within 24 hours, log contacts into your CRM. Note key details next to each of them: what you talked about, their challenges, and which session you met them at. This level of context is gold later when you follow up.
  2. Follow up (fast)
    Skip the generic “great to meet you” emails. Reference your conversation and provide value, for example, “You mentioned struggling with [insert topic], here’s a resource we put together that might interest you”. Personalization is what turns contacts into leads. And move fast, the sooner you follow up, the more likely they are to remember you.
  3. Talk about it
    Keep the momentum going after the event wraps up and squeeze every drop of value from it by turning your experience into content. Write a blog or LinkedIn post with your key takeaways (e.g.: “5 trends I noticed at Quirk’s London”), share a team photo at your booth (extra points if everyone shares it with their own perspective), or highlight a favorite session. Don’t forget to tag the event, speakers, and use the official hashtags – but don’t overdo it (LinkedIn isn’t a fan of hashtag overload). 

Events are investments. With the right prep, active participation, and smart follow-up, they become powerful opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. Without that, they’re just another calendar entry and a marketing expense.

2026 is packed with events— so we put together a 2026 calendar of MRX, consumer, and healthcare conferences to help you see what’s coming up and decide which deserve a spot on your calendar.

This calendar is a curated selection of industry events and is by no means an exhaustive list. Event details are based on third-party information and may be subject to change by the different event organizers - please always double-check for any potential changes. 

Download the full calendar