How We Grew Event Attendance by 50%+ in 2 Years
Viewing an Event as Part of a Continuum Amplifies the Impact
Steve Turney speaks at the Mental Health Marketing Conference in Liberty Hall at the Factory in Franklin.
The Mental Health Marketing Conference isn’t just an event on the calendar — it’s the peak moment of a larger continuum.
We see MHM as one high point in an ongoing cycle of communication and connection with our community. The conference is where that energy comes together, but it’s built on the conversations, content, and relationships that carry throughout the year.
Each year adds to that continuum, strengthening both the experience and the connections that make the event more impactful throughout the entire year.
That’s why attendance has grown by more than 50% over the past two years alone — a sign that building year over year creates real momentum.
Attendees at the Mental Health Marketing Conference at Harbor + Union in Franklin, Tennessee.
Too often, events are treated as one-off productions: a big push for speakers, sponsors, and attendees, followed by silence until the next year’s marketing cycle begins. This is where many conferences fall short.
The problem with this approach?
It misses the opportunity to build momentum. Attendees may leave inspired, but without an intentional strategy to carry that energy forward, connections and best intentions can fade.
When the next year rolls around, organizers are forced to start from scratch rather than building on an engaged community.
We’ve solved for this by treating MHM as a living continuum, one that exists through the marketing work we do year round for the conference.
Marketing doesn’t just fill seats at a conference, it multiplies the impact of the event long before and long after it takes place. A thoughtful marketing strategy creates momentum by generating anticipation, telling the story of why the event matters, and amplifying the voices of speakers and partners.
By packaging and sharing content across channels like our email marketing lists The Hype and The Census, our podcast The BOOST, plus social media (we’re especially big on Linkedin given the B2B nature of our work) along with PR, an organization transforms a singular gathering over a few days into a year-long conversation that positions the event as an industry touchpoint.
And this is what we know:
Community is built through a consistent cadence of communication.
A long-term mindset is what sustains momentum. Growth at MHM has been steady and intentional. Attendance continues to rise, sponsors return and expand their support, and attendees consistently describe it as a “must-return” experience.
The lesson for any conference organizer is clear: Don’t think of your event as a single moment, but as part of a story you’re building year after year.
When you approach it this way, your conference stops being just another date on the calendar and becomes a cornerstone for your industry.