Advice From the Floor: Pipedrive Sales Expert Gabriel Fugli on How Small Businesses Can Win Big at Industry Events

This year, Pipedrive is stepping into the lively atmosphere of the OMR Festival in Hamburg, Germany – a place where digital marketers, tech innovators and business leaders collide in the best possible way. Events like OMR aren’t just a place to showcase what different companies are doing; they’re an opportunity to learn, test ideas, meet brilliant people and get a pulse on where the industry is heading. Gabriel Fugli, Sr Channel Sales Manager DACH at Pipedrive, a CRM for small businesses, shares advice on how small businesses can win big at industry events like OMR.

For small businesses, attending a major event like this can feel like entering a world built for the big players. But based on Pipedrive’s years of working with thousands of SMBs globally, industry events are exactly the kind of place smaller teams should be showing up. Not just to be seen but to grow.

These gatherings offer concentrated access to trends, tools and expertise that would otherwise be tricky to find. Walking the event, you quickly notice what topics are hot, what solutions are gaining traction and which companies are making waves. It stands as an opportunity to hear directly from experts who’ve solved challenges you may just be starting to face. And the energy, while sometimes also hectic, is the kind that fuels ideas and sharpens strategy.

Most importantly, events are full of people. The kind you want to partner with, learn from or maybe even hire one day. For all the noise and neon, industry events still run on good conversations and those are just as open to small businesses as anyone else.

Five tips to help you make the most of major industry events

1. Be clear on what success looks like for you. Before arriving, think about what would make the event valuable for your business. Are you looking for a new CRM or marketing tool? Hoping to find agency partners, resellers or collaborators? Want inspiration for your next campaign, product launch or growth strategy? Defining this in advance will help you filter the chaos and stay focused. Treat these goals as your event-specific OKRs and KPIs - clear benchmarks that guide your efforts and let you measure success.

2. Plan your must-sees, but stay open to surprises. Scan the agenda and expo list in advance. Flag speakers or booths you don’t want to miss but leave space for detours. Some of the most valuable moments come from accidental discoveries or unplanned conversations.

3. Polish your elevator pitch. Whether you're talking to a speaker, a booth rep or someone you meet in the lunch queue, have a short and engaging way to explain who you are and what your business does. The simpler and more relatable, the better.

4. Make real connections, not just LinkedIn ones. Don't just collect business cards or QR codes. Take time for short but meaningful conversations. Ask questions that go beyond the usual pitch. It’s better to make three strong connections than 30 forgettable ones. After all, you’re far more memorable if you’ve swapped dog stories or bonded over your latest baking experiment than if you’ve only recited your elevator pitch.

5. Follow up while it’s still fresh. Reach out to people you connected with within a few days of the event. A quick message referencing your chat will go a long way and it’s an easy way to keep the momentum going.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, events like OMR can offer outsized returns – if you walk in with curiosity, clarity and a willingness to engage. At Pipedrive, we’ve seen first-hand how much these gatherings can spark when approached with purpose.

About OMR Festival

The OMR Festival is one of Europe’s premier gatherings for online marketing and digital innovation, bringing together around 70,000 participants each year. Held May 6-7, 2025 in Hamburg, Germany, the event spans conferences, masterclasses, side events and exhibitions. Attendees range from global experts and designers to rising “hidden champions” across the digital economy, pop culture, banking, sport and politics - all convening on multiple stages to explore the latest trends and challenges. In 2025, the festival’s agenda will encompass artificial intelligence, e-commerce, customer relationship management, finance, human resources, sport, sustainability and diversity, offering a comprehensive look at the forces shaping tomorrow’s digital landscape.

About Pipedrive

Founded in 2010, Pipedrive is the easy and effective sales CRM that drives small business growth. Today, Pipedrive is used by revenue teams at more than 100,000 companies worldwide. Pipedrive is headquartered in New York and has offices across Europe and the US. The company is backed by majority holder Vista Equity Partners, and Bessemer Venture Partners, Insight Partners, Atomico and DTCP. Learn more at www.pipedrive.com.

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