10 post-event marketing strategies to boost your engagement

So, you planned, hosted, and pulled off a great business event. Nice work! But it’s not over yet. Now’s your chance to extend the impact of your event long after the last guests have left.

No matter what industry you’re in, clients, customers, and colleagues showed up for your event because they were interested in learning about your business, wanted to gain insider knowledge, or were interested in some element of your presentation. And chances are, many of them would still like to know more.

Read on for 10 marketing strategies and ideas for stronger engagement after a business event. Whichever you choose to follow, don’t forget to strike while the iron’s hot: the sooner you reach your guests after your event, the more likely they are to remain involved and engaged.

(By the way—if you’re looking for ways to increase attendance at your business events, we’ve got tips for that, too.)

1. Send a post-event survey

As far as you can tell, your event went just as well—or better!—than planned. But what did your guests really think? Reach out to your guests in the following days and ask them to take a brief survey about your event. You’ll be able to collect feedback to learn about what they felt worked, what didn’t, and what attendees would like more of at future events. While you’re writing your survey, keep the questions as specific as possible so that you aren’t left questioning the responses. Instead of asking whether the event was good or bad, ask about which aspects were most memorable; whether guests found it to be engaging (and why), and what changes they’d like to see next time. Keep your survey limited to no more than 10 questions so that guests don’t feel overwhelmed or irritated by your request. 

2. Host a social media contest

Little gets people excited and engaged like a contest, and right after an event is a great time to keep the energy up and the momentum going. One idea that’s a proven winner is encouraging participants to share event-related content on their social media accounts. (This is especially effective for photo and media-heavy events that produce highly shareable content.) Provide guests with an event-related hashtag for a chance to win a prize, and set a clear cut-off date for entries. You can either choose a winner at random or based on the guidelines you give for the contest. For a prize, offer VIP passes to your next event or special swag or merchandise. 

3. Follow up via email or card

When it comes to keeping your guests engaged, the day after your event is a pivotal time to get in touch with them. Whether it’s via email or online card, send a thank you message to let guests know that their attendance and interest in your event meant the world to you and your brand. When you follow up with guests using Paperless Post, you can customize your thank you card to include your business logo and follow your branding guidelines, then track deliveries and opens. Make each card extra impactful by customizing them with the attendee’s first name (e.g., Dear [Name]).  

While your thank you shouldn’t be a drawn-out message, you can make it more engaging by sharing event highlights and recaps and including a call to action—like asking guests to connect with you or your brand on LinkedIn and other social media channels. 

4. Share an event recap video or blog post

Want to re-share the most exciting parts of your event with the guests who experienced it live? Share a highlights reel, behind-the-scenes footage, or a blog post summarizing key takeaways. One creative way to share an event recap is to repurpose your original event page into a post-event page. Instead of simply introducing your speakers with their bio blurbs, you can pull quotes from their presentations. Add a photo gallery with images from your event, and include a video compilation if you have one. Add links to important presentations and a music playlist if that was a memorable part of your event. And of course, don’t forget to thank your guests for coming and sharing the experience with you and your brand.

5. Tag and thank attendees and speakers on social media

Social media is a terrific way to connect with customers and clients—and to let them know how much their attendance at your event means to you. Keep the momentum going by posting images, videos, and excerpts from memorable speeches or presentations. Be sure to to tag the people who participated in making your event a success to boost your (and their) visibility and foster goodwill. Best case scenario, those people will re-share your posts, expanding your audience in an organic way with very little effort on your part. If someone you are tagging—like a well-known speaker—has a large social media following, you can request a collaborative post where the same content is featured on both accounts.

6. Offer exclusive content

Make the people who attended your event feel like VIPs by giving them special treatment, even after the event has wrapped. You can provide them with things like access to recorded sessions, bonus materials, or downloadable resources available only to attendees. To really reward them, send an exclusive discount code or gift card for your business or a product that was launched at your event. You can also extend offers for attendees only, like a sale’s end date or introductory discount. If your event was charity or fundraiser-related, tell your guests how close you are to your goal and let them know that you are still collecting donations with a link if they’re so obliged to give.

7. Invite to join a private community

Enhance your guests’ networking experience by inviting them to join a private community of fellow attendees. We recommend creating a LinkedIn or Facebook group to continue networking and discussion after the event. Just like at an actual in-person networking event, you can provide prompts and thought-starters for people to respond to and connect over. If your guests live all over the country (or globally), you can help facilitate in-person meetups by creating smaller, local networking events where people can meet to discuss business, common interests, and issues that were raised at your event. 

8. Publish attendee spotlights or testimonials

Another way to build a sense of community following your business event? Feature attendees or speakers in social media posts or newsletters. Reach out directly to guests to ask for their written testimonials, or organize an exclusive followup event with a professional videographer to take testimonial videos. Then post the testimonials on social media (with the guests’ consent, of course), publish them on a blog, or include them in a branded email. If your guests have impressive accomplishments under their belts, you can simply spotlight their achievements in a similar manner. Again, it’s best to get attendees’ permission before you share anything about them on a public social media account or business email.

9. Schedule a follow-up webinar or Q&A session

The length of a professional event may be limited by time, but it’s easy to keep the conversation going with a focused, interactive follow-up session tied to topics that were covered. Schedule a webinar or in-person Q&A session where people who didn’t ask questions during the event—or who have since come up with some new ones—can have the opportunity to speak. Allow people to sign up to ask their questions or make comments ahead of time so that you can create a schedule and ensure that everyone has enough time to have their thoughts heard (and questions answered).

10. Send a “next steps” resource kit

Attendees often leave business events feeling inspired—but that doesn’t necessarily mean they know how to apply what they’ve learned to their work. Sending a “next steps” resource kit can help bridge that gap by providing actionable materials they can use immediately. This kit may include tools, templates, checklists, or curated links that align with the event’s theme or sessions. For example, if the event focused on marketing strategy, you might include a content calendar template, campaign planning guide, or a list of recommended tools. Not only does this add value, but it also reinforces key takeaways and helps attendees implement ideas while your event is still top of mind. A well-organized resource kit shows thoughtfulness and professionalism, and it can position your brand as a trusted guide beyond the event itself. Deliver the kit to guests via email or through a follow-up landing page to ensure easy access and continued engagement.

Host more engaging business events with Paperless Post

Make your business events more engaging from the very start with Paperless Post. Choose from 1,000s of beautiful, professional event invitations, each one fully customizable to highlight your branding with convenient RSVP tracking included. Easily invite and manage guests with our intuitive address book feature, then keep track of and organize attendees with custom Guest Tags. Communicate with them both before and after the event all in one place via broadcast messaging. 

Of course, when you’re ready to share information about engaging follow-up events, you can return to Paperless Post—and use the same address book—to make and send new invitations.

Host multiple business events a year? You can save time and money with a Paperless Pro subscription. Learn more about the advantages of subscribing here.

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