Event Marketing: Redefined
Event Marketing: Redefined is a podcast that serves as a resource for event marketers, featuring industry leaders discussing trends, strategies, and success stories. The show emphasizes that trade shows and events are essential sales and marketing strategies that can drive brand growth and impact the bottom line. Hosted by Matt Kleinrock, CEO of Rockway Exhibits + Events, the podcast aims to provide guidance and expertise to help marketers overcome challenges like under-resourced staff and budget allocation. Listeners can expect to learn how to get results, grow their brand, and experience a revolution in event marketing.
Episodes
EP 193 | Your Event Isn't the Problem. Leadership Is.
Your event wasn't the problem.Ask any event marketer to be honest, and they'll tell you exactly how they'd build a stronger show if they had the budget, the runway, and the right people in the room saying yes at the right time.But shrinking resources, last minute executive pivots, and stakeholders who show up late with big opinions are quietly wrecking programs that were never broke
EP 192 | Stop Measuring Customer Events Like Lead Gen
Customer events are not prospecting campaigns, so measuring them by leads alone misses their real business impact. The better questions are whether customers become more loyal, engage more deeply, and strengthen their relationship with your brand.Inside this episode:✅ The customer-event metrics that reveal more than attendance and satisfaction scores✅ How attendee-versus-nonattendee comparisons ca
EP 191 | Stop Asking For More Budget. Start Asking For This.
Your VP asks why events deserve more budget next year. You could defend every line item. Or ask for something else entirely. Matt says fighting for more money is usually the wrong fight. Alignment first, results second, budget third. That reframe is what separates event marketers who get taken seriously from the ones stuck justifying their existence every cycle.Part 2 of our summer Q&A series
EP 190 | Your Booth Is Only as Good as Your People
What's the point of a stunning trade show booth if nobody inside it knows why they're there? Casey Smalley, Director of Global Events at Avetta, joins Matt Kleinrock to make the case that the smartest line in your event budget isn't the build. It's the briefing.In this episode:✅ Why treating booth staffing as a "scheduling exercise" quietly costs you pipeline, not jus
EP 189 | Safe Doesn’t Sell: Why Smart Event Marketers Create Demand
Too many events still rely on the same booths, the same activations, and the same “safe” playbook. The result: experiences people walk past, forget, or never meaningfully engage with in the first place. Ashley Nuske, Director of Field & Event Marketing at Goldcast (now Cvent), joins Matt Kleinrock for a candid conversation about what’s broken in event marketing today and why safe strategies r
EP 188 | Are You Summer-Busy or Fall-Ready?
Are you heading into fall events the same way you did last year? Same booth, same playbook, same hope that something sticks?Most event marketers aren't lazy. They're just busy. And busy has a way of turning strategy into autopilot. That gap between teams who show up and teams who show up READY starts forming right now, in summer.As part of The Summer Circuit, we're dropping a specia
EP 187 | Signals vs. Metrics: What Actually Tells You Your Event Is Working
Your booth traffic looked good. Badge scans were high. Leadership wants ROI numbers. But none of that fully explains whether your event actually moved deals forward. In this episode, Matt talks with Cynthia Montalvo (Regional Field Marketing Manager at Steno) about the growing gap between event metrics and actual event influence. Cynthia, an event strategist known for pushing teams beyond surface-
EP 186 | If Your Trade Shows Aren’t Driving Pipeline, What Are They Doing?
Most event teams are still measuring trade shows by booth traffic, badge scans, and “good vibes.” But when budgets tighten and leadership wants answers, those metrics stop meaning much.Bethany Gustafson leads events at ACTIVE Network, where her team manages everything from small pop-up trade shows to large-scale flagship exhibits across multiple markets and products. In this episode, she joins Mat
EP 185 | Most Booths Are Designed for the Wrong View
Most trade show booths are still being designed for the render. Not the person walking a crowded aisle deciding in seconds whether your booth is worth their attention.Recorded live from EXHIBITORLIVE 2026, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams break down what they’re noticing on the show floor right now: bigger structures, tighter aisles, shorter attention spans, and event teams trying to balance nonstop
EP 184 | Everyone Wants Better Event ROI. Few Teams Are Set Up for It.
Everyone wants better event ROI, but most event marketers are navigating a frustrating reality: they are expected to think strategically while being buried in execution.In this episode, Matt and Coty break down their EXHIBITORLIVE experience as a live case study in what it looks like when an event is planned more intentionally from end to end.From pre-show planning and alignment to on-site engagem
EP 183 | Bespoke Events: How to Build VIP Experiences That Actually Move Deals Forward
A great dinner or VIP experience means nothing if it doesn’t lead to a meaningful conversation. In this episode, Stephanie Hunicke (Director of Global Marketing Events at Aderant) breaks down how to design bespoke events that prioritize relationships and real business outcomes from the start.You’ll learn:✅ Why depth beats scale when it comes to executive events✅ How to align purpose, people, and e
EP 182 | Why Your Trade Show Booth Isn’t Working — And How to Fix It (Guest Appearance on Behind the Experience Podcast)
Most trade show booths fail for one simple reason: they’re built to be seen, not experienced. In this conversation, Matt breaks down why the old playbook no longer works and what actually drives pipeline today.Learn:✅ Why “show up and pitch” is killing engagement and what to replace it with✅ How pre-show and post-show strategy often matter more than the booth itself✅ What it really takes to turn e
EP 181 | RFPs for Event Agencies: How to Ask Better Questions and Choose Better Partners
How do you know if the event agency you hired is actually a strategic partner? Or just a middleman? Choosing the right agency partner can shape the success of an entire event program, yet many teams still rely on RFP processes that miss what truly matters.In this episode, Matt Kleinrock sits down with event strategist and fractional Head of Events Gianna Gaudini to unpack how organizations should
EP 180 | Micro-Events as Closers: The Playbook Behind 15,000% ROI
Most event programs are built around visibility: booths, sponsorships, brand presenceFor years, that approach was considered the safest way to drive pipeline. But what if the deals you care about aren’t won on crowded show floors? And your highest-value buyers respond to something far more intentional?In this episode, Matt sits down with Bronwen Gregg, who leads event strategy from inside sales en
EP 179 | Why Most Event Strategies Never Make It to Revenue
Most event teams are doing everything they’re supposed to do: booking the booth, training staff, showing up with the right materials.And yet, the results rarely match the effort.The issue usually isn’t poor execution. It’s that the event was never designed to drive revenue in the first place.In this episode, Matt and Coty break down the thinking behind the session they’ll be bringing to EXHIBITORL
EP 178 | How a 10×10 Booth Booked 116 Meetings (And Why Pre-Show Is Everything)
The event didn’t start on the show floor.By the time Accelevents showed up with a 10×10 booth, much of the pre-show groundwork was already in motion—accounts targeted, meetings scheduled, and conversations planned. The result? 116 meetings driven by intentional strategy, not booth size or blind hope for foot traffic.In this live conversation, Matt is joined by Jonathan Kazarian, CEO of Accelevents
EP 177 | Inside Lenovo’s Event Strategy: Partnerships, Scale, and Standing Out
Have you ever looked at a big brand’s event partnerships and wondered what actually makes them work... beyond the logos and budgets?In this episode, Matt is joined again by Jon Wolff and Mandy Glenwright to take you inside how Lenovo thinks about event strategy through the lenses of partnerships, scale, and standing out in crowded environments.Hear them unpack:✅ Why most partnerships default to lo
EP 176 | Integrating Events Into Sales & Marketing Without Treating Them as One-Offs
Events are one of the few channels where sales and marketing can show up together, face-to-face, and create real trust.And yet, many event programs are still planned and measured like isolated moments. So it’s no surprise they struggle to earn long-term credibility.In our first live episode of 2026, Matt sits down with MacKenzie Grant (Senior Director of Marketing, Experiences at Enverus) to unpac
EP 175 | How to Turn Complex Products into Tangible Event Experiences
Some products are easy to show on a show floor. AI isn’t one of them.When your product is abstract, powerful, and sometimes intimidating, the challenge isn’t just explaining what it does—it’s helping people feel why it matters. That’s where this conversation goes.In this episode, Matt sits down with Chelsea Sparrow, Go-To-Market Manager at Microsoft, to unpack how her team brings AI tools like Cop
EP 174 | What 2025 Taught Event Marketers (And How to Win 2026)
2025 was a loud year for event marketers—big wins, tough lessons, shifting expectations, and an industry that moved faster than anyone planned. So before we step into 2026, we’re slowing down to make sense of what actually mattered this year.In this year-end live show, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams look back at the themes, pressure points, and breakthroughs that kept resurfacing in conversations a
EP 173 | The Core Principles of Strategic Event Marketing: Measurement, Ownership, and Pipeline Impact
Event marketers have spent years being asked to execute flawlessly—booths built, shows staffed, leads scanned.But the conversations Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams keep having tell a different story: execution alone is no longer enough. Strategy exists… it’s just not being consistently applied.This special compilation brings together the most defining moments from Matt and Coty’s conversations this
EP 172 | 5 Event Marketing Shifts For 2025: From Cost Center To Catalyst, Story Over Sameness, And The 41% Problem (Best of Matt & Pablo)
Last year’s “best of” episode became the most downloaded in the history of the show for one reason: it gave event marketers a framework that actually changed how they worked.2025 took that conversation further.This special compilation pulls together the ideas Matt and Pablo hammered on all year—the ones that challenged how events are positioned inside organizations, how experiences are executed on
EP 171 | Best of 2025: Insights That Redefined Event Marketing
Event marketers spent 2025 juggling pressure from every angle—proving impact, planning smarter, and building experiences grounded in what audiences actually want.With time shrinking, expectations rising, and noise everywhere, it became harder to know which strategies genuinely mattered and which ones were just… loud.This special Best-Of 2025 compilation brings together the episode moments that del
EP 170 | Strategy Over Spectacle: How Event Marketers Drive Revenue Now
If you’ve ever been handed a booth brief with zero strategy … or chased down sales to follow up on hundreds of “leads” … or been asked to “do more shows next year” with the same budget, you know the pain.That old model? It’s broken.But the fix isn’t a bigger booth or a cooler activation. It’s a shift — away from chasing attention and toward driving revenue.In this episode, Justin Keys (Sr. Manager
EP 169 | EXHIBITORLIVE 2025: The Shifts That Will Define Event Marketing Next
The future of event marketing feels noisy—AI headlines, shifting attendee behavior, sustainability pressure, and a role that keeps expanding faster than the job description.Most event pros are expected to keep up, even as expectations rise and clarity doesn’t. Is AI a threat or a tool? Are hybrid experiences still relevant? What skills matter now? And how do marketers prepare when the answers keep
EP 168 | EXHIBITORLIVE 2025: Advice Event Marketers Wish They’d Known Sooner
Every event marketer has a moment they’d go back and redo — a decision, a mindset, a chance to think bigger.At EXHIBITORLIVE 2025, Coty Adams and Mollie Stahl hit the floor to ask one powerful question: “What advice would you give your younger event-marketing self?”The answers were raw, funny, and surprisingly universal. From learning to breathe through chaos to embracing bold ideas, every story c
EP 167 | The Coolest, Smartest Event Ideas We’ve Seen (and Why They Worked)
Every brand wants the next big experiential idea. But too often, what gets delivered is safe, predictable, and easy to forget.Audiences are craving creativity. They want experiences that surprise them, move them, make them pause. And behind every “cool idea” that actually worked is a deeper story—why it mattered, how it connected, and what made it resonate long after the lights went down.But what
EP 166 | Beyond the RFP: How Smart Venue Sourcing Drives Better Events
Venue sourcing takes an enormous amount of time and most event marketers have even less of it than ever before.Between skyrocketing pricing, surprise fees, and increased pressure to deliver inclusive and sustainable experiences, venue sourcing is more complex than it’s ever been. Yet event pros are still expected to “just figure it out” on their own.In this episode, Michael Hudson shares 30+ years
EP 165 | On the Brink of Burnout? Build Capacity to Thrive in Event Marketing
Event marketers are some of the most capable professionals out there. They juggle strategy, logistics, leadership expectations, and ROI goals all at once.But the truth is, there’s only so much they can control. Leadership decisions, last-minute changes, and competing metrics often leave them reacting instead of leading. And that constant pressure? It’s what pushes even the best to the edge of burn
EP 164 | EXHIBITORLIVE 2025: The Real Challenges Facing Event Marketers
Every year at EXHIBITORLIVE, the conversations go deeper than booth design and swag trends. This year, the question that stopped people in their tracks was simple: “What’s the biggest challenge event marketers are facing right now?”And the answers said a lot.Event pros from every corner of the industry opened up about the real pressures behind the scenes. From proving ROI and fighting for executiv
EP 163 | Event Cost Breakdown
Most exhibitors spend nearly half their budget just getting to the show floor—booth space, travel, shipping, services. By the time the event starts, there’s almost nothing left for strategy or measurement.That’s how event marketing gets stuck in the “cost of doing business” trap. The result? Overbooked schedules, flat ROI, and event teams that feel more like order takers than growth drivers.In thi
EP 162 | Laws of Events
Events don’t work like they used to.Back then, great speakers and flashy venues were enough. Today? Audiences expect connection, conversation, and clarity of purpose. But most event strategies still haven’t caught up.That’s why in this episode, Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez go rapid-fire through the “new laws of events”—from connection over content, to why five-week registration windows change
EP 161 | Personalization at Events: How the Best Event Marketers Do It
Event marketers talk about personalization a lot. We slap a name on a badge, segment an email list, and call it a day.But attendees want more than that. They want to feel seen: from the first invite, to the way a session is designed, to the follow-up that lands after the show. That’s the kind of personalization that creates loyalty, accelerates deals, and turns an event into something people don’t
EP 160 | How to Rethink Giveaways and Design Experiences That Actually Stick
Most giveaways end up in the hotel trash. Most booths blur together.Brian Burkhardt thinks it’s time to change that.In this conversation, the Co-Founder of Oliver Patch Project shows how to turn event swag and booth design into something people actually remember. He and Matt Kleinrock dig into creating emotional reactions, weaving brand purpose into every touchpoint, and taking creative risks that
EP 159 | Design Smarter Experiences That Actually Move People
You can have the biggest booth, flashiest tech, and sleekest design. But if your audience doesn’t feel something, you’ve missed the mark.And right now, too many brands are still playing it safe, checking boxes, or overdesigning without purpose.That’s why we’re zooming in on experiential creative direction: how it’s evolving, what matters more than ever, and why storytelling, empathy, and smart con
EP 158 | From Event Planning to Event Marketing That Drives Growth
Events aren’t just about logistics anymore. They’re about results. And while event planners know how to deliver flawless execution, companies now need marketers who understand pipeline, customer journeys, and human connection.But too many organizations still treat events as one-off experiences instead of demand engines. That gap costs opportunities, slows deals, and misses the chance to build loya
EP 157 | Plan to Win: How Top Event Marketers Get Ahead for 2026
The season’s almost wrapped. Budgets are in. And for many event marketers, that means it’s time to shift into prep mode for 2026. But where do you start? And how do you plan with intention, not just habit?While every company is approaching things a little differently, seasoned event pros know this moment sets the tone for next year’s success. But too often, planning gets lost in spreadsheets, silo
EP 156 | Your Booth Might Be Killing Your Brand
Sloppy seams. Sagging walls. Zero strategy. If your booth looks like you don’t care, that’s exactly what your audience will believe.Too many companies treat trade shows like a checkbox, not a channel. They work with order takers, cut corners to save costs, and focus on the wrong things… then wonder why the event didn’t deliver.But on the floor, it shows. Dull design. Generic messaging. An experien
EP 155 | Fixing the Sales Handoff: How Event Marketers Can Drive Follow-Through and Results
The post-event handoff to sales is where so many event programs lose steam.Leads get cold. ROI disappears. And all that effort on the show floor doesn’t translate to results.But it doesn’t have to be this way.In this fourth installment of our “Back to the Basics” summer live series, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams (Director of Sales + Marketing at Rockway Exhibits + Events) break down the musts for
EP 154 | Back to Basics with Partners: How to Lead Shared Events Without Losing Your Strategy
Whether you’re collaborating with external partners, internal teams, or cross-functional stakeholders—shared events come with shared pressure. And if you’re not careful, your strategy can get lost in the noise.Suddenly, you’re managing 20 different opinions, 5 conflicting goals, and a booth space that feels more like a compromise than a campaign. The event might still “run,” but it rarely delivers
EP 153 | Stop Wasting Events: Strategic Takeaways from CEMA Summit 2025
Too many event programs are spread thin, under-resourced, and missing the mark. Budgets get diluted, sales handoffs break down, and strategy never makes it past the slide deck.When that happens, even the best-looking booth or smoothest show can’t deliver meaningful results…. and event teams get stuck in a cycle of “just execute.”At CEMA Summit 2025, Matt Kleinrock, Coty Adams, and Mollie Stahl saw
EP 152 | Career Resets and Real Talk: Navigating Transitions in the Events Industry
Job loss, career pivots, and the quiet in-between—they’re not talked about enough in our industry.But nearly every event marketer has faced them.That’s why for this second episode in our 2025 summer live show series, we’re going there—with honesty, empathy, and some real talk from two pros who’ve lived it.Join Matt Kleinrock as he brings back two familiar voices: Matt Bohn, Field Marketing Manager
EP 151 | The Event Strategy Shift Most Teams Are Missing
You want your event to connect. To be remembered. To make people feel something. And most importantly, you want it to work.But too many event marketers skip the hard part: crafting a story that actually moves people.This episode peels back the curtain on what it really means to build a strategic event narrative—one rooted in customer insight, emotional resonance, and purpose. Matt Kleinrock and Pa
EP 150 | Inside InfoComm 2025: Real Voices, Real Insights From the Show Floor
Trade shows are back in full swing and at InfoComm 2025, the energy was real.The booths were bigger, the tech was smarter, and the stakes felt higher for event marketers trying to drive business and make their brand stand out.But the truth is, success doesn’t come from flashy screens or clever activations alone.It comes from alignment, authenticity, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes strategy th
EP 149 | Old Playbook vs. New Playbook: What Event Marketers Need to Rethink
Events are evolving—and fast. But many marketers are still stuck in rinse-and-repeat mode, defaulting to outdated formats, shallow experiences, and one-size-fits-all ideas.And that’s exactly why Bibi Brown, Senior Vice President Business Development at GES, kicked off our 2025 Summer Live Show Series with a much-needed reality check (and roadmap forward).Because if we want our events to connect, c
EP 148 | How to Come Up with the Big Idea: A Simple Framework for Creative, Strategic Event Concepts
Event marketers want to stand out. They want to tell a story. They want ideas, themes, and creative experiences that resonate.But too often, the “big idea” gets lost in the scramble—buried under stakeholder pressure, budget constraints, and rinse-and-repeat tactics.That’s why in this episode, Matt Kleinrock teams up with Pablo Gonzalez to break down a simple, step-by-step framework to help event m
EP 147 | How to Streamline and Scale Your Event Marketing Program
Your events shouldn’t feel like they’re held together by duct tape.But when processes are unclear or inherited from chaos, it’s hard to know where to start—especially if you’re stepping into a new event marketing role or revamping an existing one.That’s where Matt Bohn comes in. Now Field Marketing Manager at Tines, he’s spent the past 20 years building scalable, structured event programs for bran
EP 146 | The #1 Trend Event Marketers Need To Learn About
You’re running events, but leadership still sees them as a cost center.You know events can drive real business results. But you’re stuck in the weeds: planning details, chasing RSVPs, and reporting on foot traffic.In this conversation, Kimberlee Kee, a Director of Event Marketing, talks about the real shift happening in the industry: event pros must become strategic marketers. She and Matt get int
EP 145 | Narrative-Driven Experiences: What Events Can Learn from Disney
You want your brand to be memorable, but most event experiences blur together. And while many marketers rely on flashy gimmicks, true impact comes from intentional storytelling.In this episode, Matt is joined by Theron Skees—Walt Disney Imagineering alum and founder of The Designer’s Creative Studio—to unpack how Narrative Experience Design can transform your events into immersive, emotionally res
EP 144 | What’s Really Working in Events: A Candid Look at Trade Shows vs Small-Scale Experiences
Trade shows still dominate the event calendar and budgets, but are they delivering the same value they once did? Small-scale experiences are rising in popularity but many teams miss the mark when trying to replicate them.In this honest and tactical episode, Matt Kleinrock sits down with Aleksandra Panyukhina, Experience Marketing Director at Pixelz, to unpack what’s actually working right now—and
EP 143 | Stop Guessing Who’s at the Show: How Audience Clarity Drives Strategy (and Results)
You planned for your ICP. You shipped the booth. But the results? Flat.Because what no one tells you is that even the best events fall short when you don’t account for who’s actually at the show and what they’re there for.In this episode, Matt and Pablo break down the disconnect between static ICPs and dynamic show audiences—and how to bridge the gap with real strategy. Expect to learn:✅ Why “idea
EP 142 | The Current State of Events: Data, Strategy & Smarter Spend
Event costs are climbing. Expectations are higher. And marketers are being asked to do more—with less.In this episode, Rockway Exhibits + Events' CEO Matt Kleinrock and Director of Marketing Coty Adams break down what’s really going on in the events industry right now—using fresh data and trends Matt’s been tracking across the field.They’ll talk about:✅ What today’s rising costs mean for your
EP 141 | EXHIBITORLIVE 2025: Real Voices, Trends & Takeaways from the Show Floor
EXHIBITORLIVE 2025 brought together some of the smartest minds in event marketing—and we captured their thoughts straight from the show floor.Matt wasn’t there, but Coty Adams (Director of Marketing) and Mollie Stahl (Senior Account Executive) at Rockway Exhibits + Events were. And in this special compilation, you’ll hear direct insights from event pros on what’s shaping the industry now: AI, sust
EP 140 | Booth Ideation in 2025: Where AI, Storytelling, and Strategy Collide
Everyone wants a booth that turns heads, but pulling it off takes more than just flashy lights and bold graphics.Matt teams up with Stuart Fingerhut, Creative Director – Events & Experiences at Production Club, an award-winning creative with two decades of experience designing immersive brand experiences for companies like Google, AWS, and Hyundai.They’ll break down what it really takes to des
EP 139 | How Events Impact GTM Strategy: What a CMO Really Thinks
Event marketers rarely get to hear directly from the person whose opinion matters most when it comes to budget, strategy, and impact: the CMO.But without that insight, it's hard to know where your event program really stands—or how to level it up.Matt Kleinrock sits down with John Seeds, CMO at TTEC Digital, for a rare and candid look at how a top executive actually views events inside a go-t
EP 138 | Proving Event Impact: Strategies for Executive Buy-In and Measurable Results
You’re great at planning events, but you want to make a bigger impact. Maybe even move up. And that means proving you’re more than logistics.In this episode, Sarah Gannon, Director of Corporate Events at MathWorks, shares the mindset and strategies that helped her grow from tactical planner to trusted business partner. With 25+ years in tech events and multiple industry accolades, Sarah breaks dow
EP 137 | From Goals to Game Plan: Real Event Strategy in Action
Event marketing is expected to deliver real business outcomes—and you want to lead with strategy, not just execution.But translating high-level goals into a measurable, aligned plan? That’s where most teams get stuck.In this live strategy session, Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez bring the Event Success Framework to life—showing how to bridge the gap between ambition and action, one stage at a ti
EP 136 | AI & Events Part 2: The Playbook for Post-Show Follow-Up That Converts
Part 1 had people talking—and asking for more.You leave a trade show with a stack of business cards, a lead list, and big opportunities. But if your follow-up strategy isn’t airtight, those opportunities vanish.Most post-show outreach is slow, generic, and ineffective. Leads get cold. Follow-ups sound the same. And before you know it, you’re starting from scratch at the next event.In this highly r
EP 135 | Event Marketing On Short Term Notice
Sometimes you get 6 months to plan an event.Sometimes your VP drops a booth on your desk and says, “We need to be there in 30 days.”In this conversation, Matt and Pablo walk through how to make smart, fast decisions that still move the needle. It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things, fast.Expect to learn:✅ How to avoid overspending (or underdelivering) when timelines are
EP 134 | Is Event Marketing A Dead End Job?
Event marketers create incredible experiences, but too often, their role feels undervalued and stagnant. Promotions are unclear, budgets get cut first, and without a clear path to leadership, event marketing can feel like a dead end. If you’re not seen as a strategic player—driving revenue, influencing pipeline, and aligning with marketing and sales—you risk being sidelined.In this episode, Matt K
EP 133 | Booth Design Ideas That Win On The Trade Show Floor
Most booths blend in, not stand out. Companies spend months preparing for trade shows but still end up with booths that fail to engage, generate leads, or create memorable experiences.You don’t need a bigger budget—you need a better strategy. The difference between a forgettable booth and one that attracts the right people, holds attention, and drives ROI? Smart design choices. And the best way to
EP 132 | Hiring An Event Manager? How To Find One, Hire Them, And Set Them Up to Succeed
Companies rely on events to drive pipeline and brand visibility, but too many hire event managers without a clear strategy.Without the right hire (or the right structure), events become a logistical nightmare instead of a pipeline-generating, relationship-building machine. And when budgets get tight, event teams are the first to get cut.In this episode, Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez unpack eve
EP 131 | AI & Events: The Playbook for Pre-Show Tactics & Better Engagement
Most event marketing strategies stop at logistics. Booth design? Check. Speaker lineup? Done. But what about actually driving engagement before, during, and after the event? Without a structured approach, you’re leaving valuable connections—and revenue—on the table.Sales and marketing teams scramble to fill schedules last-minute. Booths are filled with unqualified traffic. Leads go cold because fo
EP 130 | Where Do Events Fit In Go To Market
For too long, events have been seen as logistical line items rather than strategic revenue drivers. And when budgets tighten, they’re the first to get cut.The reality? Events amplify sales, marketing, and customer success but only if they’re aligned with company goals and measured effectively. Without clear data, leadership won’t see their value, and event marketers will struggle to prove impact.I
EP 129 | Booth Design That Drives Results Part 2: Engagement + Lead Conversion
Your trade show booth might be attracting visitors, but is it converting them into real business?Most companies rely on giveaways, flashy displays, and generic engagement tactics—but those aren’t enough. Your booth needs to do more than just look good—it must pull people in, create meaningful interactions, and drive real business results.In Part 2 of our Booth Design That Drives Results series, we
EP 128 | Using Data For Big Decisions & ROI: Beyond the Booth
Event marketing success goes far beyond what happens at your booth. It’s about using data to drive smarter decisions, align stakeholders, and maximize ROI—but how do you get there, especially with limited resources or time?In this episode, Matt Kleinrock leads a discussion with industry experts Jon Wolff (Sr. Global Events Manager at Lenovo) and Joe Federbush (President at EVOLIO Marketing) to exp
EP 127 | Master Your Event Budget: Expert Advice for Strategic Spending in 2025
Planning successful events in 2025 isn’t getting any easier. With tighter budgets, rising costs, and supplier negotiations that can feel like a minefield, even seasoned event pros face major hurdles. So, how do you deliver impactful events without breaking the bank?In another special compilation episode, we’re bringing together the best advice from past guests who’ve tackled these challenges head-
EP 126 | Bridging the Gap Between Marketing and Events for Brand Success
Crafting a brand story that connects and converts at events can feel overwhelming. From defining your core message to ensuring every team member communicates it consistently, where do you even begin?Without a clear story and unified strategy, your brand risks getting lost in the noise of the event floor—or worse, missing valuable opportunities to build trust and stand out.In this episode, Matt sit
EP 125 | Booth Design That Drives Results: A Blueprint For Success
Planning a standout tradeshow booth can feel overwhelming. Between aligning stakeholders, designing a booth that’s functional and eye-catching, and managing marketing before, during, and after the event, where do you even begin?Without a clear, tactical plan, your booth risks blending into the crowd—or worse, falling short of your goals. And let’s face it, tradeshow investments are too big to leav
EP 124 | 10 Powerful Insights for Young Event Professionals: Advice from Industry Leaders
2025 is here, and you’ve got big goals. January is the perfect time to reflect, reset, and start fresh—and what better way to kick off the year than with advice from those who’ve walked in your shoes?This special episode is a compilation of some of the most thoughtful answers we’ve received to the question: “What advice would you give your younger self or a young event marketer?”Here’s a glimpse o
EP 123 | RFPs Are Dead. RFRs Are Next (Request For Results)
The RFP process—love it or hate it, it’s a staple in the events industry. But what if it’s fundamentally broken? Matt Kleinrock, CEO of Rockway Exhibits + Events, and Pablo Gonzalez dive deep into the challenges of traditional Request for Proposals (RFPs) and why it’s time to shift toward a Request for Results (RFR) mindset.In this episode, Matt and Pablo share why Rockway turned down two RFPs wor
EP 122 | Best of 2024: 3 Event Strategies to Win in 2025
The stakes for event marketers have never been higher: rising costs, tighter budgets, sustainability pressures, and the constant demand to prove ROI. So how do you measure success, stand out, and drive real impact?To kick off 2025, we’ve pulled together the top insights from 2024’s most powerful episodes featuring:✅ Gerilynn Marburger, Global Events Director at Hewlett Packard Enterprise✅ Kodi Mor
Ep 121 | 2024 Unpacked: Essential Takeaways for Your 2025 Event Strategy
The world of event marketing saw some big wins and even bigger lessons in 2024, and as we head into 2025, the stakes (and opportunities) are higher than ever. But without reflecting on what worked and didn’t, it’s easy to fall into old habits that hold us back.Outdated playbooks and scattered strategies won’t cut it. That’s why, in this special year-end live show, Matt Kleinrock joins Coty Adams,
EP 120 | Owning The Event Strategy As An Event Managers (Updated Thinking)
In Episode 117, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams discussed how AI is shaking up event execution and exposed a deeper issue: misalignment in event programs. Now, in this follow-up, Matt is back with Pablo Gonzalez to dig deeper into the question at the heart of it all:Who actually owns the strategy for your events?Here’s the reality: companies invest millions in trade shows, hosted events, and confere
EP 119 | Wasted Money On Swag - How To Change That And Be More Green
Swag—love it or hate it, it’s everywhere in event marketing. But let’s face it: too much of it ends up as waste. What if we flipped the script on traditional giveaways and turned them into something truly meaningful?In this episode, Matt Kleinrock, CEO of Rockway Exhibits + Events, and Pablo Gonzalez tackle the swag conundrum. From ditching cheap, mass-distributed tchotchkes to creating intentiona
EP 118 | Leaving Events: How She’s Training Her Protege & Lessons From Her Career With Christine Sionne
You’ve spent years perfecting your craft and leading the charge, but what happens when it’s time to step back and help others rise?The pressure to keep control while ensuring everything runs smoothly can leave you feeling torn. How do you prepare someone to take the reins without compromising the success you’ve worked so hard to achieve?Christine Sionne, Senior Marketing Manager, Trade Show at Hun
Ep 117 | A.I.'s Latest Impacts On Event Execution & Misalignment In Event Programs + Weekly Insights
Events can be powerful tools for engagement, but too often, misaligned goals and a lack of support hold back event teams from delivering their best. On top of that, AI is opening up new possibilities—if you know how to use it.From leadership’s high expectations to real-world resource challenges, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a tug-of-war between what’s possible and what’s expected. And with AI
Ep 116 | If Your Company Doesn't "Get" Events, Do This
Life’s too short to work for leaders who don’t understand event marketing. In this episode, Matt Kleinrock, CEO of Rockway Exhibits + Events, is joined by Pablo Gonzalez to unpack the frustrating reality that many companies fail to align their event marketing with strategic goals.Matt and Pablo break down the red flags that signal your company doesn’t “get” events and share what event marketers ca
Ep 115 | Getting Past Company Politics: From Executive Engagement To Orchestrating The Whole Org Chart
As an event marketer, you have a lot of responsibility on your plate and a whole company counting on you, but you can only do so much!That's why everything from working across complicated company matrixes to getting executives to engage in your event program are crucial to your success.So we’ve gathered a panel of past superstars from the show who have years of success under their belts: Nanc
Ep 114 | From Event Leads to Sales: Getting In The Right Rhythm With Your Sales Team
Event marketers often invest significant time and money into conferences and trade shows, only to see leads go cold because of delayed follow-up. How can you avoid losing these valuable opportunities?With the average time to follow up on leads being over 11 days, many companies miss out on potential sales because the leads have already moved on. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to conver
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