Events as GTM Strategy: How Product Marketing Builds Trust at Eye Level

Product marketing isn’t just about messaging or campaigns—it’s about your customer. Dare I say, it’s about your relationship with them.

When I was the solo PMM for a vertical SaaS product with just 250 total targets, we weren’t casting a wide net. The go-to-market motion was relationship-selling, plain and simple. That meant showing up where our buyers were—and being part of the tribe.

The Strategy? Events.

The Plan? Be Intentional. Be Present. Be Fast.

As Dave Gerhardt recently put it:

“Post-COVID events are back... but like anything in marketing, running events just because everyone else is doing them is a great way to set money on fire.”

Couldn’t agree more.

When I owned event strategy, I treated the booth like a stage for our positioning, and a proving ground for customer resonance.

Here’s how I made it work:

• Chose industry shows over tech expos—because that’s where our buyers actually were
• Brought happy customers into the booth—they were better than any pitch deck
• Scoped competitors and collaborated with partners to get more value out of the event
• Submitted speaking sessions fast—featuring clients or SMEs to lead with value

This wasn’t just about visibility. It was about listening, learning, and validating our story live, in real conversations.

The Results?

• Real conversations, not just badge scans
• Warm intros with context and trust
• Follow-up content that actually resonated
• Better market intel than I ever got behind a screen