DSW 2023 Case Study
Challenge accepted
In an exciting third-year collaboration, Denver Startup Week (DSW) once again entrusted Strat Labs as their dedicated marketing team. Following the success of our inaugural partnership in 2021, where we navigated the challenges posed by the pandemic, DSW sought our expertise to build upon the momentum and elevate their 12th annual conference in 2023. The mission was clear: not only to restore registration and engagement to pre-pandemic levels but to surpass them and solidify DSW’s position as the premier entrepreneurial event in Denver.
Solution proposed
Strat Labs delved into comprehensive research on prior attendee engagement and identified the Denver Startup Week community to continually be vibrant and active. Recognizing this theme of an engaged community, our team understood the need for a multifaceted approach and devised a strategy that seamlessly integrated social media, email marketing, paid media, and advertising. Social media initiatives took center stage, leveraging short-form video content to ride on current trends and highlight the event’s 8-track program structure. Speaker announcements, social media kits for attendees and speakers, and the strategic resharing of user-generated content were pivotal in fostering engagement.
The overarching strategy aimed to make DSW a thought leader and a focal point in Denver’s conversations and connections. The inclusivity mantra was embraced through a campaign focused on the theme of “startup” to encourage attendees to “startup their career,” “startup their passion,” and more. This helped position DSW as an event that is not just for entrepreneurs, but for professionals at any stage of their career.
Visual appeal was enhanced with graphics that represented their updated branding, resulting in cohesive and eye-catching promotional materials for social media and emails. Engagement was further amplified by involving sponsors and speakers in community-building efforts before, during, and after the event. To boost event awareness, compelling print and digital ads were designed for placement in the Denver Business Journal and on the Colorado Sun website.
Despite having only one quarter to execute the marketing campaign, the results were remarkable:
- A 10% increase in event registration, attracting over 11,000 attendees.
- Significant growth in social media followers: 21.3% increase in LinkedIn followers and 11.69% increase in Instagram followers.
- Facebook’s reach experienced a remarkable increase of 151.72%, and Instagram’s reach surged by 67.9%.
- Organic social media efforts yielded over 8,500 clicks.
- Paid advertising on LinkedIn and Facebook generated 6,000+ clicks and 450,000 impressions.
- Ads on the Colorado Sun’s website garnered 845,000+ impressions and 1,000+ banner clicks.
- Denver Business Journal print ads secured 281.6K impressions.
- Email marketing campaigns achieved a substantial impact with 14,000+ unique clicks across all 30 emails.
- The graphics and branding received widespread praise from sponsors, staff, attendees, and speakers.
In summary, Strat Labs’ comprehensive marketing strategy exceeded expectations, positioning Denver Startup Week as a thriving and influential event within the Denver community.
