Event Marketing: Redefined

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...

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 do...

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...

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 highl...

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...

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...

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 t...

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 e...

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 f...

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....

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,...

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 ex...

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...

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 s...

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 lea...

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...

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 wo...

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 ✅ Kod...

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,...

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 confe...

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 intention...

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 H...

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...

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 c...

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: Na...