The Event Marketer's Toolbox copertina

The Event Marketer's Toolbox

The Event Marketer's Toolbox

Di: Chris Dunn
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Each episode, host Chris Dunn teams up with a leading event professional to explore the tools, tactics, and trends that drive real results.

The Event Marketer’s Toolbox is the definitive playbook for corporate event professionals and trade show marketers.

From first-time marketers to seasoned planners, this show delivers practical solutions to make your events memorable and impactful.

Engage. Excel. Execute.

© 2026 The Event Marketer's Toolbox Economia Marketing Marketing e vendite
Episodi
  • EMT #67 with Marc Ghafoori - Why Event Marketing Needs a Better Seat at the Table

    EMT #67 with Marc Ghafoori - Why Event Marketing Needs a Better Seat at the Table
    Sep 7 2026

    What does it really take to turn an empty convention hall into a functioning trade show—and why do some of those seemingly simple services cost what they do?

    In this episode of The Event Marketer’s Toolbox, Chris Dunn and Brendon Hamlin sit down with Marc Ghafoori, SVP of Client Experience at Heritage, for an “Ask Me Anything” conversation about the role of the General Service Contractor (GSC) and what event marketers should know about the work happening behind the scenes.

    Marc breaks down why strong project management can help control costs, how last-minute decisions affect labor and logistics, and why even the most complicated exhibits can run smoothly when everyone communicates early.

    The conversation also explores the relationship between GSCs, exhibit houses, show organizers, and other event partners—and why bringing those teams into strategic conversations earlier can create a better experience for exhibitors and attendees.

    Chris, Brendon, and Marc also look at how organizers are rethinking the traditional trade show floor by integrating education, networking, content, and experiences into the exhibit environment.

    Marc’s final advice is simple: pursue a partner, not just a vendor. The right partners understand what you’re trying to accomplish, help anticipate problems, and work alongside you to make the entire program stronger.

    🎧 Listen to the full episode for a practical look behind the curtain at what really makes a trade show happen.


    👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

    This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive

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    1 ora e 1 min
  • EMT #66 with Robert Laarhoven - What 40 Years in the Exhibit Industry Can Teach Us About What’s Next

    EMT #66 with Robert Laarhoven - What 40 Years in the Exhibit Industry Can Teach Us About What’s Next
    Aug 20 2026
    The trade show floor Robert Laarhoven entered in 1984 looks very different from the one event marketers know today.Exhibits were largely divided between traditional custom builds and portable displays. Graphics were produced through processes that now feel almost unimaginable. Modular systems had yet to reshape the industry, and the role of an exhibit house was far more focused on building the physical booth than on the broader marketing strategy surrounding it.In Episode 66 of The Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Robert for a conversation that spans more than four decades of exhibit industry history.Robert shares how he entered the business with almost no trade show experience, helped introduce modular exhibit solutions to the U.S. market, witnessed the growth of the rental model, became the first systems-focused president of EDPA, and watched exhibit companies evolve into partners expected to understand marketing strategy, audiences, ROI, sustainability, and the entire attendee experience.But this episode isn’t only a walk down memory lane. It’s a conversation about what the industry’s past can teach us about its future—and why the ability to adapt, build relationships, and keep learning remains just as important today.1. There’s No Such Thing as an Overnight 40-Year CareerRobert’s entry into the trade show business wasn’t carefully mapped out.After college, he initially planned to work in his father’s business. A trip to the Netherlands to see what his uncle was doing eventually introduced him to the exhibit industry, and in 1984 he started selling a portable display system in the United States with little more than an industry directory and a willingness to knock on doors.Many exhibit houses turned him away. Some gave him a chance.From there came expansion, successes, financial challenges, new businesses, new products, and plenty of lessons.2. Modular Systems Changed More Than How Booths Were BuiltOne of the central conversations in the episode is the evolution from portable displays and traditional custom fabrication toward modular systems.Robert remembers a time when portable and custom exhibit companies occupied very different parts of the industry. Early modular products started bridging that divide, but scaling those systems to larger exhibits could still mean managing an enormous number of panels, extrusions, and individual components.That changed as products such as Delta Matrix entered the market.After seeing the system used successfully in Europe, Robert and his business partner traveled to Belgium and secured North American distribution rights around 2000. Then the industry faced another major disruption: 9/11.3. The Best Exhibit Isn’t Necessarily All Custom or All ModularThe discussion also challenges the idea that designers need to choose between creativity and efficiency.Robert describes older custom exhibits that featured beautiful architectural forms and craftsmanship, while acknowledging the efficiency and flexibility modern systems provide.His point isn’t that one approach should replace the other.The opportunity is to use each where it makes sense.A designer might use modular systems for meeting rooms or structural elements that need to be efficiently installed and reused, while incorporating custom fabrication, LED, graphics, and other elements where they create greater impact.Ultimately, the objective isn’t to prove whether something is “custom” or “system.” It’s to create an engaging environment that helps the exhibitor achieve its goals while being smart about how the experience is produced.4. Exhibit Houses Aren’t Just Building Booths AnymorePerhaps one of the most important changes discussed in the episode has nothing to do with physical exhibit construction.The expectations placed on exhibit partners have changed.Chris points out that when he entered the business, building an impressive booth could largely be the goal. Today, conversations start much earlier: Who is the target audience? What personas are attending? How does the experience connect to the company's broader marketing program? And ultimately, what business result should the investment produce?Robert traces this thinking back to early conversations about integrated marketing and explains why it has become even more important today.Trade shows compete with every other marketing channel for budget. If companies can't demonstrate a return, those dollars can move somewhere else.That means an exhibit partner's responsibility increasingly includes helping clients get more business value from their trade show investment—not simply delivering the physical environment.5. Industry Relationships Can Shape an Entire CareerAnother recurring theme throughout the episode is mentorship.Robert initially joined EDPA because he saw it as an opportunity to access potential customers. But once he began attending conferences, his perspective changed.He ...
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    1 ora e 2 min
  • EMT #65 with Dax Callner and Chris Kappes - Building the Future of Event Measurement

    EMT #65 with Dax Callner and Chris Kappes - Building the Future of Event Measurement
    Aug 7 2026
    Event marketers have believed in the power of face-to-face experiences for decades. But as budgets grow and leadership asks tougher questions about marketing spend, belief alone is no longer enough.In Episode 65 of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Dax Callner, Founder and President of the Event Marketing Measurement Association (EMMA), and Christopher Kappes, EMMA Board Member and longtime event industry leader, to tackle a challenge the industry has struggled with for decades: how do we consistently and credibly prove the business value of events?The conversation goes beyond simply calculating ROI. Dax and Christopher discuss why event measurement needs shared standards, how marketers can measure the potential they create rather than taking responsibility for sales that happen months or years later, what the industry can learn from unsuccessful events, and how EMMA is working to make measurement knowledge accessible to everyone. 1. Believing in Events Is No Longer EnoughEvents are an expensive marketing channel, and the people controlling budgets are increasingly asking marketers to demonstrate why that investment is worthwhile.Dax explains that measurement serves two purposes. First, it provides credible evidence that helps defend event investment. Second, it gives marketers the information they need to continuously improve their programs. Knowing what worked—and what didn't—allows teams to make changes and show stakeholders how those changes affected performance. 2. The Industry Needs a Common Measurement LanguageOne of the reasons event measurement remains difficult is that organizations, agencies, and suppliers often use their own methodologies. EMMA wants to establish a shared foundation.What began around 2017 as a group of experienced practitioners working through the measurement problem has evolved into a nonprofit organization focused on three areas: standards, advocacy, and education.EMMA's goal isn't to prevent agencies or brands from developing their own approaches. It's to establish fundamentals that the entire industry can understand and use, making credible measurement knowledge more accessible instead of keeping it behind agency walls. 3. Measure the Potential Your Event CreatesOne of the most practical distinctions in the episode is between event-generated potential and eventual closed revenue.Dax shares an example from his work measuring automotive events. By examining buying signals, lead qualification, and other indicators, the team could project millions of dollars in potential revenue generated by an event.That distinction matters because the event team doesn't necessarily control what happens six months or a year later. Sales teams, dealerships, and other parts of the organization are responsible for converting those opportunities.For event marketers, the job is to understand and demonstrate the quality and value of the potential being handed back to the business. 4. Bad Results Are Still Valuable DataMeasurement isn't only useful when an event performs well.The conversation includes an example where an event didn't deliver the expected results. Instead of hiding the problem, the team used the data to identify what went wrong and explain how they would fix it. That transparency ultimately strengthened the client relationship and led to additional work.As Dana points out during the discussion, failures provide information that can make future events better. Measurement gives teams the evidence to understand those failures instead of relying on assumptions. 5. Better Measurement Requires Better Industry TransparencyMeasurement also raises a larger question about the relationship between exhibitors and show organizers.Christopher discusses the difficulty exhibitors sometimes face getting clear information about who is attending an event. Without accurate audience information, brands have a harder time evaluating whether they're reaching the right people and whether an event deserves continued investment.The group argues that better measurement can create healthier conversations between organizers and exhibitors. If an event consistently fails to deliver the audience exhibitors need, continuing to invest without addressing the problem isn't sustainable. 6. EMMA Is Building Education, Benchmarks, and Standards for What's NextA major part of EMMA's next chapter is education.The organization is developing a comprehensive event measurement certification program with 13 modules, designed to give event professionals hands-on measurement training. EMMA is also working toward a benchmark database that would aggregate anonymized industry data, allowing marketers to better understand what "good" performance actually looks like. Another planned research initiative will examine the long-tail impact of events by reconnecting with attendees six and twelve months later to understand what they actually did after an experience: whether ...
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    59 min
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