Jun 30, 2026
As AI reshapes how companies engage buyers, many B2B
marketers are doubling down on automation, personalization, and
digital channels. But while technology continues to evolve, one
challenge remains the same: building trust and meaningful
connections with customers. For many organizations, that means
rethinking the role of community and in-person experiences in their
growth strategy.
In this episode, Gretchen Eischen, Chief
Marketing Officer at Avetta,
shares how her team transformed a traditional user conference into
a community-driven experience that strengthened customer
relationships, showcased product innovation, and created new
opportunities for revenue growth. Gretchen explains how Avetta
repositioned its brand around a simple, customer-centered message
and then brought that vision to life through an event designed to
serve the needs of both clients and suppliers.
Gretchen breaks down the strategy behind securing
executive buy-in for a significantly larger event investment, why
she removed the traditional parade of executive presentations from
the agenda, and how creating space for customer interaction,
networking, and real-time product feedback led to stronger
engagement. She also shares her perspective on why human connection
and community building are becoming even more valuable as AI
becomes a bigger part of the marketing landscape.
Key Takeaways:
-
How to build a community-first event strategy that drives business growth
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Why customer-led experiences create more value than executive-heavy agendas
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How to position in-person events as revenue and relationship-building investments
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:53) From procurement to B2B marketing
(06:02) How Avetta connects clients and suppliers
(09:05) Building the "Ready to Work" brand
(13:30) Making the case to double budget
(17:01) Replacing executive keynotes with customers
(19:53) The Connection Center networking experience
(24:45) Measuring pipeline, not attendance metrics
(26:40) Why event partners matter more
(27:59) Gretchen's curated CMO circles program
Check out the ebook “ Trust Issues: How SaaS and AI-Native Brands Can Beat AI Credibility Fatigue” by PANBlast: https://www.panblastpr.com/resources/trust-issues-ai-credibility-ebook/