42 meetings at Token2049. $0 wasted. Why conferences still print pipeline

Back from Token2049 in Dubai, and finally catching our breath — and by “we,” I mean the whole team, because we’re still working through the leads.

In just two days, I had 42 meetings. From those:

8 turned into qualified leads
12 are already in follow-up
And one led to an expansion with an existing client

The ROI is positive before I even boarded the flight back.

If you're running B2B sales and still questioning whether conferences are worth it — they are. But only if you treat them right.

Why most teams miss the mark

🤝 From what I’ve seen, most teams waste their shot. Not because the event is bad, but because their approach is.

Here’s what usually goes wrong:

No clear objective
No pre-booked meetings
Vague plan to “just walk around and network”

That’s not a strategy — it’s wishful thinking.

Here’s how we approach it:

1. Go where your existing clients are going

We help startups with B2B leadgen. A big chunk of our portfolio is fintech.
For Token2049, three of our fintech clients were attending — and we were helping them prep too.

That is the signal: where your current clients go, your next clients probably are.

Also: it’s a great reason to meet your clients in person. A little facetime goes a long way in long-term partnerships.

2. Show up with your calendar already full

Token had over 5,000 people on-site. Everyone’s rushing from between talks and venues. Catching the right person in that flow? Good luck.

I spoke to a few teams that showed up without a plan — and left with zero results.

We treated Token like a funnel. Our setup:

Pre-booked meetings every morning
Side events and networking after 2PM
Follow-ups locked in before we left the venue

3. You’re not there to sell — you’re there to connect

Nobody’s closing deals on the spot. That’s not what a conference is for.

Your goal: make a sharp impression → stay top of mind → secure the follow-up

You usually get 10–15 minutes with someone. That means your intro better hit fast and clearly.

What worked for us?

“Funny enough, this meeting was booked by our AI outreach system.”

It landed well. People smiled, leaned in, asked, “Okay, how does that work?”

Short, specific, and instantly connected to what we do.

That’s all a pitch needs to be at this stage.

📌 I’ll break down how we built the outreach system — and how we booked 40+ meetings — in the next post.

If this is your space, stay tuned.