How to create a successful LinkedIn event that gets dozens of qualified leads to show up? · AI for LinkedIn

Joe Apfelbaum

May 23 • LinkedIn Tips

How to create a successful LinkedIn event that gets dozens of qualified leads to show up?

The Complete Guide to LinkedIn Event Marketing: How to Host Events That Actually Fill Up and Drive Business

Based on a masterclass by Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of evyAI, with insights from

@Murray Beaulieu

and

@Rick Kloete

Why LinkedIn Events Actually Work (When Done Right)

Most people think webinars are dead.

Joe Apfelbaum used to think the same thing. But then he discovered the secret: it's not about webinars - it's about bringing the right people together for the right reasons.

Here's proof it works: Murray hosted an event and got 240 people to register. Rick did his first event and called it a "smashing success." Joe once had only ONE person show up to an event, and that person became a $5,000/month client.

The lesson? Even if just one person shows up, it's worth it. You get content, practice, and potential business.

The 3-Step Framework for LinkedIn Event Success

Step 1: The PPP Method (Plan, People, Promise)

Plan: Know exactly who you're targeting

Don't try to serve everyone (event planners AND CEOs AND job seekers)
Focus on one specific group with one specific problem
Examples: Marketing directors, software founders, LinkedIn beginners

People: Identify your ideal attendees

What problem keeps them up at night?
What would make them excited to give up 30-60 minutes?
Where do they hang out online?

Promise: What transformation will they get?

Not just information - what will they be able to DO after?
Make it specific and actionable
Example: "Turn your LinkedIn connections into a dashboard to track opportunities"

Step 2: Test Before You Invest

The Curiosity Test (Do this BEFORE setting a date!)

Send this message to 100 connections daily for 10 days:

"I'm thinking of hosting an event about [topic] in the next couple weeks. Would you be interested in attending? Just trying to gauge interest."

What to look for:

20% response rate = good topic
50+ people saying "yes, keep me in mind" = great topic
Mostly "no thanks" = find a different topic

Why this works:

You're creating curiosity without pressure
No specific date means they can't immediately say no
You're testing demand before supply

Step 3: The Event Name That Sells Itself

Bad names: "Webinar," "Sales Training," "Lead Generation Workshop" Good names: "Roundtable,"

"Strategy Session," "Bootcamp," "Accelerator"

Joe's proven formulas:

"[Target Audience] Roundtable" (Marketing Directors Roundtable)
"[Outcome] Strategy Session" (Connection Dashboard Strategy Session)
"[Topic] Bootcamp" (Sales Navigator Bootcamp)
"[Result] Accelerator" (LinkedIn Growth Accelerator)

Other winning names:

Mastermind, Forum, Clinic, Deep Dive, Hackathon, Power Hour, Lightning Round

How to Get People to Actually Show Up

The LinkedIn Event Creation Process

Go to LinkedIn → "Start a post" → Click "+" → "Create an event"
Choose "External" (not LinkedIn Live) so you can use your own Zoom
Add compelling cover photo (use Canva if needed)
Write description using this template:

"Come hang with [Your Name] and learn [specific outcome]. We'll cover [3 specific topics]. Perfect for [target audience] who want to [achieve specific result]."

The Mass Invitation Strategy

Phase 1: Location-Based Invites

Click "Share" → "Invite" on your event
Select location (Vancouver, Austin, etc.)
Invite ALL connections in that city
Repeat for 5-10 cities

Phase 2: Company-Based Invites

Search by current company (Google, Microsoft, etc.)
Invite all connections from target companies
Focus on companies where your ideal clients work

Phase 3: School-Based Invites

Search by alma mater (Harvard, Stanford, etc.)
Great for targeting educated professionals
Alumni networks are typically responsive

Result: You can invite 1,000+ people per week using this method

The Secret Calendar Hack That Guarantees Attendance

The Problem: People say they'll come but don't show up The Solution: Add the event to THEIR calendar

Go to Google Calendar
Create new event
Add ALL attendee emails (get these using Apollo or ContactOut)
CRITICAL: Uncheck "Guests can see guest list" (privacy!)
Add Zoom link in location AND description
Set reminder for 1 hour before
Hit send

Why this works: It blocks their calendar and sends automatic reminders

The Promotion Strategy That Fills Events

The Two-Post System

Post 1: The Event Announcement

Use same photo as event
Don't just share the event link (it won't get seen)
Write engaging post about the topic
Include event link in COMMENTS, not the post

Post 2: Personal Story Post

Share why you're passionate about the topic
Mention the event casually
Ask engaging question to drive comments
Add event link in comments

The Template Stacking Method

Create these templates in your system:

Template 1: Initial Interest

"Hi [Name], I'm hosting an event about [topic] next week. Would you be interested in joining me? It's on Zoom."

Template 2: Follow-up with Link

"Since this looks right up your alley, would it make sense for me to send you the link to the event?"

Template 3: Post Sharing

"Just wrote a post about [topic]. Thought you might find it interesting!" [Include post link]

Finding Event-Goers (Your Secret Weapon)

Go to linkedin.com/events
Find events your target audience attends
Click "See all attendees"
These people are proven event-goers!
Connect with them: "Noticed you're going to [event name]. Let's connect!"
Once connected, invite them to YOUR event

What to Do During and After the Event

Event Day Checklist

Before the event:

[ ] Test Zoom settings with someone
[ ] Prepare 3-5 engagement questions
[ ] Have prizes ready ($10 Starbucks cards work great)
[ ] Take screenshot of participant list when people join

During the event:

[ ] Ask attendees to put LinkedIn URL in chat
[ ] Create interactive moments (polls, Q&A, prizes)
[ ] Record everything for later content
[ ] End with clear next step or call-to-action

After the event:

[ ] Take final screenshot of attendees
[ ] Send thank you message to all attendees
[ ] Get email addresses using your research tools
[ ] Add everyone to your CRM with "Event Attendee" tag
[ ] Create content from the recording (YouTube, LinkedIn posts, etc.)

The Complete Event Marketing Checklist

3 Weeks Before Event:

[ ] Test your event idea with 100+ connections
[ ] Choose compelling event name
[ ] Create LinkedIn event with great photo and description
[ ] Set up Zoom with proper settings
[ ] Create invitation templates

2 Weeks Before Event:

[ ] Start mass invitations (1,000+ people)
[ ] Create promotional posts
[ ] Research other similar events for attendee lists
[ ] Connect with potential attendees from other events
[ ] Set up Google Calendar invites

1 Week Before Event:

[ ] Send calendar invites to confirmed attendees
[ ] Create reminder posts and templates
[ ] Prepare event content and slides
[ ] Set up prizes and engagement activities
[ ] Test all technology

Day of Event:

[ ] Send final reminder emails
[ ] Go live on LinkedIn about the event
[ ] Host amazing event with engagement
[ ] Take screenshots for follow-up
[ ] End with clear next steps

After Event:

[ ] Send thank you messages
[ ] Add attendees to CRM
[ ] Create content from recording
[ ] Plan next event based on feedback
[ ] Follow up with potential clients

Advanced Strategies for Maximum Impact

The Partner Power-Up

Find complementary business owners
Co-host events together
Each person invites their 1,000 connections
Result: 2,000+ invitations for one event

The Community Leverage

Post about events in relevant groups
Use School communities, Slack groups, etc.
Cross-promote with other event hosts
Trade audience access with partners

The Content Multiplication

Turn one event into 10+ pieces of content
Create YouTube videos from recording
Make LinkedIn posts with key quotes
Design infographics with main points
Write blog articles with insights

Common Mistakes That Kill Events

❌ Calling it a "webinar" → Call it roundtable, bootcamp, strategy session ❌ Giving exact date/time upfront → Create curiosity first ❌ Only posting the event link → Create separate promotional posts ❌ Not adding to attendees' calendars → Use Google Calendar hack ❌ Inviting random people → Target proven event-goers ❌ No engagement during event → Ask questions, give prizes, create interaction ❌ No follow-up after event → This is where the real business happens

Your First Event Action Plan

Week 1: Test your event idea

Send curiosity messages to 100 connections daily
Track responses and refine your topic
Choose your event name using the formulas above

Week 2: Create and promote

Set up LinkedIn event with compelling description
Start mass invitations using location/company filters
Create promotional posts and templates

Week 3: Fill and prepare

Send Google Calendar invites to confirmed attendees
Prepare your content and engagement activities
Do final promotional push

Week 4: Execute and follow up

Host your amazing event
Take screenshots and collect contact info
Follow up with attendees for business opportunities

The Bottom Line

LinkedIn events work because they bring together the right people at the right time with the right message. But success isn't automatic - it requires testing your idea, creating curiosity, using proven promotion strategies, and following up properly.

Start with one simple event. Test a topic your network cares about. Use the templates and strategies above. Even if only 10 people show up, you'll have practice, content, and potential business opportunities.

Remember: Murray got 240 people to his first major event using these exact strategies. Rick called his first event a "smashing success." Your event can be successful too.

The question isn't whether LinkedIn events work - it's whether you'll take action and make them work for you.

Want to see these strategies in action? Look for LinkedIn events hosted by successful professionals in your industry. Notice how they name their events, promote them, and engage their audiences. Then adapt these strategies for your own events.

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