The Event Connection

What makes a Gen Z attendee click? How can you deliver an authentic experience for Millennials? What does it take to truly impress a Gen X-er?
In this special episode, our cross-generational panel: Ethan (Gen Z), Meaghan (Millennial), and Kindra (Gen X) explore how different age groups experience and engage with events. Brooke (Millennial) leads the chat in an honest, goofy, and surprising conversation about what they love (and what they can’t stand) when it comes to event experiences.
 
TIMESTAMPS
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0:00 - Let's get started!
02:45 - Ideal Event Destination
05:11 - Registering in Advance?
07:22 - Getting Caffeinated
09:17 - Frustrating Wait Times
12:15 - Perfect Event Size
15:00 - Favorite Networking Style
17:30 - Event Communication Preference
19:42 - Educational Session Lengths
23:02 - Off to Lunch!
26:32 - Connecting with Peers
30:19 - Late Night Entertainment
34:40 - Dream Keynote Speaker
37:49 - Last Remarks
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😍 GET A SHOUT-OUT: Send a message to EventConnection@pcnametag.com to tell us which generation you are, plus some of your event-related preferences or hot takes. Your idea could be featured in an upcoming episode!
Give us a rating and subscribe for more event planning ideas! 

Don’t get left behind with same-old agendas. Events in 2026 are all about “EYES LIGHT UP” moments! Brooke and Meaghan share activities, tactics, and strategies they’re obsessed with to help you make every event a must-attend experience, no matter your budget. 🔥🔥🔥
Hear what’s worked for key players in the industry, including Dragon Con, INBOUND, NACE Experience, and more!
 
TIMESTAMPS 
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00:00 – Let's get started!
02:17 – “Eyes Light Up” moments
04:09 – Meetup Spaces
07:24 – Surprise Moments
12:16 – Philanthropic Activities
12:47 – Prospectus Alternatives
15:34 – City Exploration
24:30 – Engage Away the Venue
28:59 – Unique Activations
36:23 – Encouraging Connections
43:50 – Custom Room Keys
48:46 – Interactive Stations
50:00 – Event Themes
53:39 – Relaxation Lounges
54:23 – Networking Bingo
56:00 – Last Remarks, Good Vibes 💕
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😍 GET A SHOUT-OUT: Send a message to EventConnection@pcnametag.com to tell us a cool, weird, or fun event activity you’ve experienced. Your idea could be featured in an upcoming episode!

Ethan West, Marketing Communication Intern at pc/nametag, sits down with Kyler Donovan, General Manager of Forward Madison FC, to chat about all things soccer, community, and behind‑the‑scenes magic of sports fan engagement! ⚽🥅
Kyler shares:
How the club keeps sports fans engaged beyond the pitch
How to seamlessly integrate event sponsors without disruption
How intricate operations that make gamedays run smoothly.
Plus, we tackle some fun questions about what makes Breese Stevens Field such a special place for both players and fans! 🥇 Whether you’re a sports events enthusiast, a supporter of Forward Madison, or just curious about how the matchday experience comes together, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and laughs.
 
TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 - Introduction
01:25 - What’s special about Breese Stevens Field?
03:08 - Gameday operations
07:02 - Engaging fans before, during, and after the game
08:37 - Seamless sponsorship engagement
10:30 - Pivoting to accommodate variability
13:42 - Tying merchandising into event engagement
17:00 - Engaging college students in Madison
18:04 - Insight from a successful example
22:23 - Breaking into sports event management
24:55 - Emerging trends in the sports event industry
27:59 - Habits for planning a sports event
29:54 - Go-to snack and drink for Breese Stevens Field
31:21 - Kyler’s dream headliner at Breese Stevens Field
32:38 - Connect with Kyler!
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🎤 CONNECT WITH KYLER DONOVAN: kyler@forwardmadisonfc.com

Transform your event's audience from "quiet" to captivated! This week, Meaghan chats with Roger Wolkoff, "The Guy with the Voice," and a professional emcee with 20+ years of experience. Roger shares his top secrets for creating an engaging atmosphere, from effectively warming up a crowd to expertly handling unexpected "uh oh" moments. Tune in for valuable insights on audience interaction, crisis management, and all the insider tips you need to make your next event a blast!
 
TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 - Let's Get Started
01:02 - Welcome, Roger Wolkoff!
04:04 - Find Your Strengths with Personality Assessments
06:59 - Roger's Involvement with National Speakers Association
09:00 - Gaining Experience as an Emcee
11:14 - What is an emcee?
15:05 - Top qualities of great emcees
19:10 - How to "read" the audience
21:08 - Excite and engage your audience
25:03 - Pre- and post-meetings with planners
28:54 - Roger's favorite event he's emceed
30:30 - Pre-show rituals to get amped up!
31:34 - Handling "UH OH" event moments
34:20 - A hilarious event story
35:59 - Favorite part of emceeing
37:02 - Difficult parts of being an emcee 3
8:22 - Surprising parts of being an emcee
39:42 - Tips for bringing excitement to events
40:42 - Connect with and hire Roger!
41:28 - Join your local National Speakers Association chapter
 
📖 FREE FOR LISTENERS: "Leveraging an Emcee for Event Success: A Guide for Event Planners." Get yours by sending an email to eventconnection@pcnametag.com and asking for your copy!

What can all event planners learn from fan conventions? More than you might think! In this episode, we're talking to the Convention Chairperson for Anime Milwaukee to get the inside scoop on the chaos and fun behind planning a 3-day event for 18,000 attendees.
 
TIMESTAMPS
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00:00 - Meet Kris Lugo - Convention Chairperson for Anime Milwaukee (AMKE)
03:27 - Kris's personal history with convention and event planning
06:18 - All about AMKE: the history and financial impact
10:11 - The secret to facilitating activities for all personality types
14:35 - How AMKE manages 24-hour programming for attendees
16:52 - Annual themes and how they can excite attendees and vendors
20:38 - Ideas for staying in front of your audience year round
25:56 - How corporate events can use con-like strategies to excite attendees
28:02 - Long live the Polkalator!
32:53 - How badge ribbons can engage attendees and vendors
37:14 - Creating and managing strong relationships with sponsors
39:56 - The pressure of creating a "bigger and better" event each year
42:29 - Words of advice for anyone interested in planning conventions
47:07 - Wrap-up and what's next for AMKE?
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Subscribe, and connect with pc/nametag! 🎉 Get in touch by emailing us at eventconnection@pcnametag.com! 

What happens when an event goes sideways? 🤔 Join Brooke and Meaghan as they dissect a real-life event that went viral because of many "oops" moments. You'll come away with seriously valuable event planning lessons you won't want to miss. From website woes to venue missteps, we'll cover how to avoid your own event mishaps and turn chaos into a win. Tune in for expert event organization tips and real-life event disaster recovery strategies.
 
TIMESTAMPS
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0:00 - Let's get started!
02:51 - Festival Background
05:49 - The Website
11:35 - Ticket Tiers
15:45 - The Venue
18:08 - Registration Desk
23:40 - Sponsor Communication
31:04 - Attendee Activities and Engagement
37:18 - The Romance Ball
43:25 - Lessons Learned (Event PR)
44:03 - Ultimate Fallout
46:58 - Attendee Losses
47:28 - Positive Outcomes and Reflections
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Subscribe, and connect with pc/nametag! 🎉 Get in touch by emailing us at eventconnection@pcnametag.com! 

Event promotion strategies don't have to be expensive or complicated! This episode explores easy tactics you can use to get the word out about your events, even on a tight budget. You'll come away with practical tips for using social media, email, content, partnerships, and more to quickly boost registrations!
 
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Get to know The Event Connection Podcast!
01:14 - The Economy, Budgets, Tariffs, etc.
02:00 - Our experience with tight marketing budgets
03:39 - The pressure to "Do more with less"
04:41 - How to research your target audience
09:49 - Promote your event with social media
17:18 - Promote your event with email marketing
27:20 - Promote your event with content marketing
32:04 - Promote your event with sponsors, partnerships
39:58 - Tip: Create urgency and FOMO
44:28 - How to track event promotion data
47:33 - Unconventional (but effective) tactics to try
50:30 - Easy tactics to start doing today!
52:50 - Like, comment, subscribe, and email us!
 
FREEBIES: Get two cheat sheets ("25+ Free Ways to Promote Your Event" and "Early Bird Event Promotions Cheat Sheet") when you email us at EventConnection@pcnametag.com and mention our "Event Promotion" episode!

Forget your actual horoscope: Brooke, Megan, and Meaghan are once again predicting how the "stars will align" for conferences and events in 2025! 
The Event Connection Podcast is back for episode two, and this week, we're talking about what's "in" and "out" for attendee welcome sessions, event badge design, ticketing strategies, and whether or not it's still cool to have conferences in first tier cities (spoiler: maybe?). 
Join us for another chat about popular event insights, served with a side of humor from the Tag Team.
----TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Get to know The Event Connection Podcast!00:28 - Part II: What's IN and OUT with planners in 202501:28 - Trend 1: Presentations/sessions created with AI04:51 - Trend 2: Branded tchotchkes, gifts, and event swag07:56 - Trend 3: Reverse trade shows10:31 - Trend 4: QR codes on event badges12:50 - Trend 5: Welcome sessions for 1st time attendees16:05 - Trend 6: Events in first tier cities19:57 - Trend 7: Structured conference schedules23:31 - Trend 8: Convention centers vs. non-traditional venues27:03 - Trend 9: Tiered attendee groups (VIPs, general, etc.)32:03 - One thing we're excited about for 2025!32:29 - Meaghan reveals her answer35:34 - Megan reveals her answer38:05 - Like, comment, subscribe, and connect with pc/nametag! 

Join us for some wild speculation on event trends in 2025! In the debut episode of "The Event Connection" podcast, we're dishing the deets on the hottest (and weirdest) event topics we could find, including sustainable events, audience engagement, attendee networking, and sponsored restrooms (...HUH?)
 
Brooke, Megan, and Meaghan spill the tea on what's "hot" and what's "not" in a lighthearted (and slightly unhinged) discussion on which event engagement tactics to keep your eye on this year.
 
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Welcome to the podcast!
00:29 - Meet Brooke, Megan, and Meaghan
02:42 - Event trend speculation...let's go!
03:05 - Trend 1: 40+ Minute Sessions
05:52 - Trend 2: Gamifying, networking, and engagement
08:12 - Trend 3: Panel-style Conference Sessions
10:24 - Trend 4: Unique badge delivery methods
13:25 - Trend 5: Hosting virtual events
17:10 - Trend 6: Sponsored restrooms (yes, seriously)!
20:54 - Trend 7: Business vs. smart casual attire
23:03 - Trend 8: Lunchtime networking activities
26:54 - Trend 9: Badge ribbons for networking
30:31 - Trend 10: Pickleball, healthy activities
33:29 - Trend 11: After-hours entertainment
40:19 - Trend 12: Closing Advice for 2025
44:38 - Like, comment, subscribe, and connect with pc/nametag!