Sifted summit
Sifted summit
How The Agency Cleo built an inaugural flagship event from the ground up – and delivered it at 23% under budget.
The business
Leading media brand for the European start-up community
Respected publication with dedicated team of journalists across the continent
Backed by the Financial Times
The objectives
Launch first edition of Sifted Summit as an annual flagship event
Deliver event within target budget
The solution
From venue and suppliers, curated entire event from scratch
Built operational strategy from ground up
Advised on event tech stack
Devised marketing strategy and outbound delivery
Created delegate sales and sponsorship sales strategy
Strategy
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Consultancy
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Operations
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Marketing
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Strategy • Consultancy • Operations • Marketing •
Sifted was already running a series of small in-house events but had ambitions to go bigger. The company needed help with ideation, strategy, operations, logistics and the marketing of a new event they wanted to launch: Sifted Summit.
That’s when Sifted called on The Agency Cleo. We took charge of all operational aspects of Sifted Summit from conception to completion. Our team created a go-to-market strategy that leveraged the Sifted’s existing publication and provided full consultancy that spanned venue selection, supplier selection, contract negotiation, feature design, catering, furniture, signage, graphics, health and safety management, staffing and creative look and feel.
With an eye on revenue, we consulted on Sifted’s event tech stack. The aim was to enable effective marketing to drive registrations, sponsorship sales and brand awareness. We also unleashed a bespoke delegate and sponsorship strategy, advising on the paid social campaign setup and managing the social media agency relationship.
At the venue, we handled onsite logistics, including an ambitious one-day build and full customer service management of exhibitors. The event featured a live podcast recording stage, space for roundtables and workshops, an outdoor food festival, indoor barista set-ups and a networking reception with a live band.
Most launch events make a loss or break even, but the inaugural instalment of Sifted Summit came in at 23% under the original proposed budget and made a profit. In the event’s second year, The Agency Cleo helped the brand achieve a 46% year-on-year uplift in attendee and sponsorship revenue, as well as a Net Promoter Score of 29. As for year three? The Agency Cleo has been retained again and Sifted Summit is on track for another round of record-breaking results.
“We worked with The Agency Cleo on the launch of our new flagship event Sifted Summit. They were an absolutely invaluable resource and a true partner in the success of the event as we went from idea to execution. Everyone at Sifted was super impressed with their team. They had tons of invaluable experience, insight, contacts and existing supplier relationships that saved us so much time and money. We’re excited to again be working with The Agency Cleo as we scale the event this year and beyond.”
Fiona Craib, Event Director, Sifted
