A private equity firm that transforms roofing businesses took over an established user conference.
But with the takeover came a unique challenge.
They needed to create an event that felt both familiar to past attendees yet distinctly their own.
Partnering with GoGather, they successfully hosted over 750 attendees at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort for three days of networking, education, and breathtaking views.
Their vision: blending legacy with new energy.
This was the client’s first time hosting the user conference after acquiring it from another company.
Their vision was clear: preserve the conference’s core while injecting fresh energy.
They wanted the attendees to leave inspired, educated, and ready to grow their companies.
Sponsors also wanted high-impact networking opportunities that translated into leads and future partnerships.
Event goals: creating an immersive, talked-about experience.
The GoGather project management team set out to create an event that people would rave about while ensuring a smooth transition under new ownership.
The client wanted to prioritize exceptional hospitality, reflecting the same high standards they encourage in their clients’ customer service practices.
Challenges and solutions.
Challenge #1: generating revenue from a newly acquired event.
When our client took over an established event, they inherited its legacy but faced the challenge of making it profitable under new ownership.
Their revenue goal was to break even or achieve profitability, ensuring the event's sustainability moving forward.
Solution #1.
The team implemented a tiered ticketing system offering General Admission, VIP, and Elite VIP packages with varying access levels and exclusive perks.
This created a strong revenue base while offering attendees flexibility in their chosen ticket.
Sponsorship packages also played a critical role.
The GoGather team helped craft creative sponsorship opportunities like branded water stations, charging stations, and keynote sponsorships. Some sponsors even participated in fireside chats on stage.
This approach not only ensured sponsors gained valuable leads, encouraging them to return next year, but also highlighted a significant revenue shift.
Sponsorship revenue outpaced ticket sales as we leveraged diverse sponsorship levels and opportunities, creating a balanced revenue stream where high-value sponsorships compensated for slower ticket sales.
Challenge #2: how do we top this next year?
After a successful event in 2024, the client started to worry about how they were going to make the next conference in 2025 even more memorable while keeping its core elements intact.
Solution #2.
After considering various venues, the team realized they couldn’t replicate the luxury, service, and destination appeal of the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.
They decided to return to the same venue next year in 2025—but with new twists.
Next year’s plans include transforming the formal indoor dinner into a tropical luau on the beach and embracing the resort’s outdoor spaces.
They’re also exploring unique branding activations like a custom sand sculpture and complimentary shuttle services for attendees.
Staying at the same venue allows the GoGather project management team to innovate within a familiar structure while keeping what worked intact for the client.
Challenge #3: hotel negotiations for next year.
With the event’s success still fresh, the GoGather project management team needed to secure favorable terms for future conferences at the same high-end venue.
Solution #3.
At the 2024 conference’s closing session, the client’s owner informally polled attendees about returning to the same venue—and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Rebooking so soon after a successful event strengthened our team’s negotiating power.
We secured additional suites, upgraded meeting spaces, and more perks for both the client and the planning team.
With the venue locked in and relationships strengthened, planning started earlier, streamlining the entire process.
Key partnership with A/V production.
GoGather teamed up with Clarity Experiences, a leader in audio-visual (AV) production for live events, to create an unforgettable production experience.
The production experience was extremely important to the client, so Clarity created an immersive audio-visual setup that kept the audience engaged while still feeling familiar and polished.
With over 700 attendees to captivate, Clarity knew they had to bring in more to keep things visually exciting from start to finish.
The A/V team incorporated a variety of dynamic scenic elements on stage such as layered backdrops, textured panels, and dynamic set pieces, to create depth and visual interest.
To further enhance these elements, Clarity implemented uplighting, casting rich hues and subtle gradients to match the new energy of this event.
These cost-effective yet high-impact techniques added warmth, mood, and dimension, transforming the stage into a visually stunning focal point.
By balancing creative scenic design with precise lighting execution, we ensured the audience was not just watching an event but experiencing it on a deeper level.
Ready to plan your next user conference?
Ready to plan your next event? Let's talk about how GoGather can make your next user conference one you'll never forget.
