Your events are being graded in real time by attendees who will never fill out your feedback form, never tag you in a post, and never tell you what they actually thought. They'll just decide whether they're coming back.
Today I brought one of them into the studio.
Christine Martin has attended, spoken at, and worked trade shows and conferences for 30+ years — as a tax professional, a solutions consultant, a road warrior, and now as the woman on the other side of every event decision you've ever made. She's sat through your keynotes, walked your expo floors, stood in your speaker green rooms, and gone home deciding whether it was all worth signing off on again next year.
She's also my mom. And for this Mother's Day special, she's finally on the record.
This episode is for every event professional who says they design for the attendee — but has never actually asked one. Christine audits real event planning decisions in our game segment "Audit the Agenda," tells you exactly what she needs from event teams to succeed as a speaker, vents about the industry habits that have been driving her crazy for decades, and shares a memorable Vegas event story that I can only describe as... educational.
No marketing spin. No industry politeness. Just 30 years of attendee experience, delivered directly.
In this episode:
Why the most valuable attendee feedback you'll ever get is the kind that never shows up in a post-event survey
What experienced attendees and speakers actually want from your event team (and what's making them quietly opt out)
The real reason "same as last year" is costing you attendee retention and event ROI
What a tax pro thinks about your booth activation strategy — and whether it's actually generating pipeline or just foot traffic
The event in Las Vegas that involved a bush, a private party, and a badge check that did not go as planned
If you design events, sponsor them, speak at them, or approve the budget for them — this episode will change how you think about attendee experience.
⏱ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Cold Open: "I've been in events since daycare"
01:04 — Guest Introduction: Meet Christine Martin
02:00 — The Marriott Headquarters Daycare Story (and the cover photo nobody saw coming)
03:45 — Game Segment: "Audit the Agenda" — a 30-year attendee audits your event planning decisions
17:00 — Vent of the Week: Hotel mix-ups, umbrella swag in the desert, and "Sally Events"
21:00 — Event About It: A Vegas party, a bush, and what actually drives people to your booth
24:00 — Episode Close + After Show Tease
🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES
Subscribe to Event About It: https://eventaboutitpodcast.com
Submit a story or moment from the field: https://eventaboutitpodcast.com
Follow Christine Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-martin-9a02961/
Learn more about Avalara: https://www.avalara.com
Follow Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmartincmp
Follow Megan on Instagram: @m2dynamics and @eventaboutit
About Event About It
Event About It is the podcast at the intersection of events, marketing, and business growth — where we prove that live experiences aren't just logistics, they're a growth channel. Hosted by Megan Martin, founder of M Squared Dynamics and one of the leading voices in event-led growth strategy. New episodes every other Friday.
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