How can you turn your events into strategic growth engines? Most events today struggle to break through the noise, but Aleksandra Panyukhina has found a way to make them do more than just fill a room. As the driving force behind Pixelz’s FLOW event series, Aleksandra focuses on creating spaces where real connections flourish, and communities thrive—moving beyond the typical panel-and-pitch format.
Under her leadership, FLOW has skyrocketed sponsorships by 10x and turned Pixelz’s events into a powerful marketing engine. Before Pixelz, she drove millions in pipeline growth at parcelLab and SEMrush, proving that well-designed events can be a company’s best growth tool.
In this blog, we uncover the tactics Aleksandra uses to turn events into meaningful business drivers—from building community-focused experiences to leveraging micro-events for deeper engagement.
Expert Insights:
Build Community-Driven Events: Focus on People, Not Products
In Aleksandra’s experience, successful events prioritize building community over showcasing products. FLOW events focus on creating an environment where people can genuinely connect and engage. This strategy helps attendees form lasting relationships with the brand without the pressure of constant sales pitches.
"Events are about fostering community, not selling. When people feel comfortable, they connect more freely, which leads to deeper engagement," Aleksandra explains.
Research supports this, with 95% of marketers agreeing that live events provide valuable opportunities to form in-person connections. When events prioritize community, engagement, and retention naturally increase.
Important steps to keep in mind are:
- Design your events to encourage genuine interactions, not product promotion.
- Create inviting spaces—lounges, networking areas—where conversations can flow naturally.
Shift Focus from Content to Connection
While panels and talks provide value, Aleksandra emphasizes that events should give attendees more time to network and build relationships. FLOW events strike a balance by limiting long presentations and creating space for structured and informal networking opportunities.
Data from Marketing Charts shows that 68% of businesses cite events as their top lead-generation channel, with 84% of attendees prioritizing relationship-building. By providing more time for interaction, you amplify the event's value.
Keep in mind these tips:
- Trim lengthy sessions in favor of shorter talks, followed by breakout discussions and networking breaks.
- Use tools like speed networking or topic-based meetups to foster meaningful conversations.
Micro-Events: Small-Scale Events Create Big Impact
Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to events. Aleksandra has seen great success with micro-events—intimate gatherings of 30 to 70 people—that create a more personalized experience. These smaller events allow attendees to make deeper connections, leading to more meaningful interactions and stronger business relationships.
“If a micro-event works, stick with it. Don’t feel pressured to scale up just for the sake of size. A well-run smaller event can have a bigger impact." - Aleksandra Panyukhina
Smaller events often result in higher engagement levels and provide a more intimate setting that makes it easier for attendees to participate and engage, which can lead to higher satisfaction and better networking outcomes.
Action Steps to create a bigger impact with a smaller event:
- Use the intimate nature of micro-events to offer personalized sessions, workshops, or discussions that address the specific interests of your attendees.
- Take advantage of the smaller group size by facilitating in-depth conversations and relationship-building activities.
Align Your Marketing and Sales Teams for Event Success
A key aspect of Aleksandra’s strategy is fostering strong alignment between marketing and sales teams when planning events. Regular communication between the teams ensures that everyone is working toward shared goals and the same business outcomes. Aleksandra highlights the importance of adopting an account-based approach, emphasizing that event success depends on contributions from all teams, not just marketing. By creating this level of collaboration, events become more effective and better aligned with company objectives, leading to stronger results.
In fact, research from DemandGen Report shows that 91% of companies that align their marketing and sales teams see higher performance in their account-based strategy efforts. This unified approach ensures consistent messaging across all touchpoints and ultimately drives better event outcomes.
Some action steps to follow are:
- Set up biweekly meetings with your marketing and sales teams to ensure consistent messaging and shared goals for each event.
- Collaborate with your sales team to identify high-priority accounts and create personalized experiences tailored to their needs. Ensure that marketing and sales are both involved in developing the event’s strategy.
Aleksandra Panyukhina’s insights provide a roadmap for optimizing your event marketing strategy. By prioritizing community-building, networking, micro-events, and team alignment, you can create events that not only engage attendees but also drive meaningful business results.
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