How to run outreach before a conference
To run outreach before a conference, build a list of people who fit your ICP and are likely to attend, then reach out three to four weeks before the event. Ask to meet if you know they're going, ask whether they're attending if you don't, and offer a call to anyone who isn't going.
It's tempting to go to a conference planning to bump into relevant prospects and chat with them between sessions. In practice, that rarely works. It's hard to tell who fits your ICP just by attending the event, and most people arrive with a packed schedule already.
That's why it pays to run outreach 3-4 weeks before a conference, so you can set up time to meet your prospects at the event. Attending the same conference is a relevant reason to reach out to someone, so you'll likely get higher response rates.
How do you find out who's going to a conference?
Use the attendee list if you can get it. Otherwise, work from the public list of exhibitors, or search LinkedIn for people posting that they're going. In order of how much you can trust each source:
- The attendee list. Check the event app (many conferences run one with a searchable attendee directory), ask the organizer whether you can pay for a list of attendees, and look at the guest lists for side events like dinners and happy hours.
- Exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers. These are published on the event site. For exhibitors and sponsors, you know the companies that will be there but not which people, so find the people at each company who fit your ICP and treat them as likely rather than confirmed.
- LinkedIn posts. Search LinkedIn for the conference name and its hashtag, then filter to Posts. People may announce that they're attending, speaking, or exhibiting online.
What should you say in pre-conference outreach?
Keep your message short, give one specific reason you want to meet them, and ask for something small. A 15-minute coffee on a specific day is a much stronger ask than an open-ended "let's connect at the event."
If you know they're going
Say how you know, and ask to meet:
Hi [name], saw you're heading to [conference]. I'll be there [days] too. I'm working on [one line on what you do], and I'd love to hear how [their company] is handling [topic]. Any chance you're free for a quick coffee on [day]?
If you don't know whether they're going
Ask whether they are attending. This is relatively straightforward for them to answer, so you may get replies even from people who would ignore a straight meeting request.
Hi [name], are you going to [conference] this year? I'll be there [days] and would love to grab 15 minutes if you are. I'm working on [one line on what you do], and I'm curious how [their company] thinks about [topic].
What if they aren't going to the conference?
Offer a call instead. Someone who writes back "not going this year" has still replied to you. The conference did its job as a reason to start the conversation, and you can continue following up from there.
No worries! Would you be up for a quick call instead? Happy to work around your schedule, or here's my calendar if that's easier: [link]
When should you start outreach before a conference?
Start three to four weeks before the event. Earlier than that and the conference isn't on people's radar yet. Later than that and their schedules at the event are already full. You can run the following sequence:
How to automate pre-conference outreach with an AI agent
Sliq can handle this outreach for you. Tell the agent which conference you're attending and who you want to meet. Then Sliq can help you build the list, ask people whether they're going, and offer a call to anyone who isn't. Every message waits for your approval before it sends.
Delegate this to a Sliq agent ->
Related workflows
- How to find out who's attending a conference for more places to look for attendee names
- How to book meetings with prospects before a conference for tools that run the meeting ask
- Follow up with leads after a conference once the event is over
- Follow up with people who came to your own event if you're hosting rather than attending
- Browse all GTM plays
Frequently asked questions
How do you run outreach before a conference?
Build a list of people who fit your ICP and are likely to attend, then reach out three to four weeks before the event. Ask to meet if you know they're going, ask whether they're attending if you don't, and offer a call to anyone who isn't going. Attending the same conference is a relevant reason to reach out, so you'll likely get higher response rates.
How do you find out who's going to a conference?
Use the attendee list if you can get it: check the event app, ask the organizer whether you can pay for a list of attendees, and look at the guest lists for side events. Otherwise, work from the public list of exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers, or search LinkedIn for the conference name and hashtag and filter to Posts to find people saying they're going.
What should you say if you don't know whether a prospect is going to the conference?
Ask whether they're attending. It's a simple question for them to answer, so you may get replies even from people who would ignore a straight meeting request. For example: "Are you going to [conference] this year? I'll be there [days] and would love to grab 15 minutes if you are."
When should you start outreach before a conference?
Start three to four weeks before the event. Earlier than that and the conference isn't on people's radar yet. Later than that and their schedules at the event are already full. Send a blank connection request, message them when they accept, follow up if they don't respond, and confirm the time and meeting spot a couple of days before.
Last updated: September 2026