A business forum is a large event that brings together entrepreneurs, partners and vendors from one industry. For a B2B company it is a way to take the brand to a new level and open the way to big contracts.
On January 20th, 2026, we held a Business Forum with the international Odoo company and DeepVision. With $380 in ads, ~500 people registered, and ~400 entrepreneurs came instead of the expected 250. Preparation took 3 months. Here is that plan.
In short:
- Month 1: goal, partners and proof content.
- Month 2: nurturing the warm audience.
- Month 3: registration, calls and sales preparation.
Month 1: goal and proof
Write down the forum's goal. For DeepVision the goal was clear: to move from deals of up to $100,000 to million-dollar contracts. Three tasks were set for this: explain why Odoo is needed, show that they are the first and only Gold Partner, and publish the results of their projects.
Proof content starts this month. We traveled to the regions and shot Customer Success Story documentaries at businesses that had implemented Odoo.
Month 2: warming up the audience
Forum ads don't work in a vacuum. Before that, the audience has to know you: YouTube tutorials, podcasts, Reels, participants of the earlier seminar and hackathon.
Only $380 went to forum ads. The reason is the warm base built over 9 months. Reaching a cold audience with a forum announcement is much more expensive.
Month 3: registration, calls and sales
Targeted ads go to the warm base. An operator calls every registrant, confirms attendance and reserves the seat. This is the main reason 60% more people came than expected.
The sales team must be ready before the forum: who meets whom and when, and what offer is made. After the forum our client told us:
"I have projects that will last me 6 months. For 6 months I don't need targeting or ads; I won't have time for more."
What does working with an international vendor give you?
For an entrepreneur, an event attended by the software maker itself carries much more weight than an ordinary seminar. We worked directly with the Odoo team on marketing: the content and the quality of the event had to meet an international brand's standards.
The full case: Odoo Business Forum case.
Conclusion
In short, a forum is the one-day result of 3 months of work.
- Write the goal as a number.
- Prepare proof content in advance.
- Warm up the audience for at least 2–3 months.
- Call every registrant.
- Plan the sales that follow the forum.
We'll plan your forum together — book a consultation.
About the author. Safarmurod Abduroziqov is the founder and CEO of AURA Digital: 6 years in marketing, 50+ IT projects, ~$1M in managed ad budget. Telegram · LinkedIn
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should you prepare for a business forum?
At least 3 months for a big forum: proof content, audience warm-up, registration and calls.
How much ad budget does a forum need?
Little, if the audience is warm. At the Odoo Business Forum, $380 in ads brought ~500 registrations.
How do you get more people than expected?
With a pre-warmed audience and a confirmation call to every registrant. At the forum the plan was 250, and ~400 came.
What results should you expect from a forum?
Brand reputation, meetings with large clients and contracts in the following months. After the forum, DeepVision had enough projects to last 6 months.