Featuring Saul Sutton, Founder & President of Letsscale, preparing for Transform 2025
Conferences can be game-changers for your business. I’ve seen it happen time and time again—for myself, for my clients, and for peers I’ve met at events. But the reality is, that 90% of business leaders fail at conferences because they don’t have a clear plan to generate leads and build brand awareness. They walk in unprepared and walk out with a pocket full of business cards and no real opportunities.
This guide will show you exactly how to prepare for a conference as a business leader to generate leads and build brand awareness—so you’re not part of the 90% who miss out. In this quick-read (or listen), I’ll walk you through a simple, repeatable process you can use to maximize your time at any conference.
And I’m practicing what I preach. Right now, I’m using this exact approach to prep for Transform 2025, one of the biggest HR conferences of the year. As the Founder & President of Letsscale, I’ll be there to generate new leads and build brand awareness around our fractional executive staffing and People Change Management solutions.
Here’s how I’m doing it—and how you can too.
Step 1: Clarify Your Goals
Most Business Leaders Fail at Conferences Because They Don’t Know Why They’re There
You can’t hit a target you haven’t defined. This is one of the top reasons why 90% of business leaders fail at conferences—they show up without clear goals for generating leads or building brand awareness. Before you even book your flight or hotel, get crystal clear on what you want to achieve at the conference.
When I was early in my career, I’d go to events just to “see what would happen.” Spoiler alert: not much happened. But once I started defining specific, measurable goals, everything changed.
At Transform 2025, Letsscale’s goals are simple:
✅ Generate high-quality leads for our fractional leadership services
✅ Build brand awareness around our People Change Management solutions
For you, it might be:
- Securing five meetings with potential clients
- Meeting three investors interested in your next round
- Learning about new tech trends that could give you a competitive edge
Pro Tip: Turn your goals into KPIs. For example, “Collect 10 qualified leads and schedule 3 follow-up calls before leaving the conference.” This mindset shift will ensure you’re in the top 10% of leaders who prepare to generate leads and build brand awareness.
Step 2: Research & Target Key Attendees
Preparation Separates the Leaders Who Generate Leads from the 90% Who Don’t
One of the biggest mistakes I see leaders make—and why 90% fail at conferences—is waiting until they arrive to think about who they want to connect with. You’re setting yourself up for missed opportunities.
Here’s how I do it:
- Review the attendee and speaker lists. Many conferences post these online. If they don’t, dig into the agenda and LinkedIn.
- Create a Top 10 (or 20) list of people you must connect with. These could be potential clients, partners, investors, or collaborators.
- Reach out ahead of time. Send a short, personalized message on LinkedIn. Something like: “Hi [Name], I see you’re attending Transform 2025! I’d love to connect and hear more about your HR initiatives—especially as they relate to fractional leadership solutions. Let me know if you’re open to a quick coffee!”
For Transform 2025, I’m focusing on:
- HR and People Ops executives who are building agile leadership teams
- Founders of HR tech startups who might benefit from our People Change Management expertise
- Investors interested in future-of-work trends and solutions
Reaching out early opens the door for casual conversations over coffee, lunch, or even a walk between sessions. And it puts you ahead of the 90% of business leaders who fail to prepare for conferences to generate leads and build brand awareness.
Step 3: Prepare Your Value Proposition & Materials
If You Don’t Nail Your Pitch, You’ll Miss Out on Leads and Brand Exposure
At a conference, time is limited. You’re often working with 30 seconds to a few minutes to make a lasting impression. This is where 90% of business leaders fail—they fumble their pitch and miss their chance to generate leads or build brand awareness.
Here’s what works for me: 👉 Have a clear, concise elevator pitch that focuses on their problems and how you can help.
👉 Make it conversational. No jargon, no buzzwords. Speak like a human.
Here’s the pitch I’m using at Transform 2025:
“At Letsscale, we help organizations scale smarter and faster by connecting them with fractional executives and change management professionals—so they get senior leadership without the full-time cost.”
Short, sweet, and instantly clear.
And don’t forget your materials:
- Business cards (still relevant!)
- A one-pager or digital handout that sums up your services and includes a QR code for easy sharing
- Useful swag (we’re bringing resource guides instead of pens—something they’ll keep and reference)
Quick story: at a conference last year, I handed someone our fractional leadership roadmap (one of our leave-behinds). Six months later, they called me when they were ready to scale their team. Having great materials helps you stand out, generate leads, and build brand awareness—things the 90% who fail at conferences overlook.
Step 4: Show Up & Be Present
Be the Leader Who Adds Value—Not Just Another Sales Pitch
Once you’re at the conference, your presence matters more than your pitch. Most business leaders fail at conferences because they focus on selling, not connecting.
Here’s my personal rule: “Add value first, pitch later.”
At Transform 2025, I’m planning to:
- Sit in on sessions where HR leaders share their biggest challenges
- Ask thoughtful questions during panels
- Join after-hours events, like the evening concert, and have casual, non-work conversations
- Offer introductions to people in my network—no strings attached
People remember generosity. They remember curiosity. And they remember who listened, not who pitched relentlessly.
Quick anecdote: At a conference last year, I met a founder during a group dinner. We didn’t talk business at all that night. But two days later, he introduced me to his COO, and we kicked off a project within a month. Relationships always come before revenue. That’s why this step separates the 10% who succeed from the 90% who fail at conferences.
Step 5: Follow Up & Convert Connections
This Is Where 90% of Business Leaders Drop the Ball After Conferences
The conference ends. The real work begins. And this is exactly where 90% of business leaders fail—they don’t follow up to convert conference connections into real leads or opportunities to build brand awareness.
Here’s my follow-up system:
- Within 48 hours, send a personalized message referencing your conversation. “Hi [Name], it was great chatting about your upcoming expansion plans at Transform 2025! Would love to explore how fractional leadership could support your growth. Are you open to a call next week?”
- Offer something valuable, like a complimentary consultation or an invite to an exclusive resource.
- Track it all. I use our CRM to log the conversation, follow-up date, and next steps.
At Letsscale, we always offer a complimentary strategy call to discuss how fractional leaders can help tackle specific business challenges. It’s a simple next step that helps us generate leads and build our brand—while others forget to follow up.
Final Thought: Take Action Today
Don’t Be Part of the 90% Who Fail at Conferences—Prepare to Generate Leads & Build Brand Awareness
If you want to walk away with real leads and serious brand momentum, intentional preparation makes all the difference. Here’s the recap:
✅ Clarify your goals
✅ Target the right people
✅ Refine your pitch and bring great materials
✅ Show up, be present, and lead with value
✅ Follow up quickly and personally
As I head into Transform 2025, these are the exact steps I’m following. They work—and they’ll keep you out of the 90% of business leaders who fail at conferences because they didn’t prepare to generate leads and build brand awareness.
Saul Sutton’s Parting Thought:
“Success at conferences isn’t about collecting business cards. It’s about building real connections that solve real problems. That’s what we do every day at Letsscale.”
Want to Steal My Checklist?
If you’d like a customized version of the Letsscale Conference Prep Checklist, drop me a message! We’re happy to share the exact system we use to avoid being in the 90% of business leaders who fail at conferences—so you can generate leads and build brand awareness instead.
