The Experiential Strategist with Jenny Howard-Maxwell

What if the metric you have been reporting on for your entire career means absolutely nothing to the business that paid for your event?
If you have ever turned in a post-event report with the word engagement in it and could not define exactly what that meant in measurable terms, this episode is for you.
In this episode I am breaking down why engagement became our industry's go-to metric, why it is costing event professionals their credibility with leadership, and what we should be measuring instead.
What you will learn in this episode: Why engagement is the path of least resistance and why that is a problem What Google Analytics already knows that our industry has been ignoring The difference between engagement and behavior and why it changes everything Real examples of what behavioral outcomes actually look like across different event types The one question to ask before you plan your next event that changes your entire approach
Go back to your last post-event report. Find every place you used the word engagement. This episode will show you exactly what to do with it.
Ready to go deeper? The CPES Certification teaches you how to design events that produce measurable behavioral outcomes from the ground up.
Learn more at jennyhm.com.

What happens when you hand someone $50,000, tell them to go spend it, and then let them come back and decide whether they did a good job?
That is exactly what most event professionals are doing right now. And it is costing us our credibility, our budgets, and our seat at the strategic table.
In this episode I am sharing the story that changed everything about how I approach my work. A $50,000 holiday party that had a live band, a fourteen foot Christmas tree with custom logo ornaments, signature cocktails, and arcade games. It was gorgeous. And it was almost completely derailed by sweet potatoes and a tip jar.
Here is what that experience taught me about power, proof, and what it actually means to define success.
What you will learn in this episode: Why most event professionals are handing clients the power to define success after the fact What the Discovery Meeting is and why it has to happen before anything else How Strategic Experience Design changes your entire client relationship The three dimensions every post-event report should measure: KPI outcomes, behavioral outcomes, and emotional outcomes How to produce an outcome report that makes you undeniable
This is how you stop defending your events and start leading with results.
Ready to learn the full methodology? The CPES Certification teaches you Strategic Experience Design from the ground up.
Learn more at jennyhm.com.

If you have been in the eve.nts industry for a few years and feel like your income has hit a wall, you are not imagining it. There is a very real salary ceiling that most event planners hit between $65,000 and $75,000 and it has nothing to do with how hard you are working.
In this episode I am breaking down exactly why it happens, what the data actually says about event planner compensation, and the specific thing that separates the planners who break through from the ones who stay stuck.
Ready to break through the plateau? The CPES Certification teaches you the full Strategic Experience Design methodology so you can stop competing on logistics and start leading with strategy.
Learn more at jennyhm.com

If you have been planning events for any amount of time and you have ever walked out of a post-event debrief feeling invisible, this show was made for you. The Experiential Strategist is hosted by Jenny Howard-Maxwell, founder of The Edgucation Institute and creator of Strategic Experience Design. This show covers how to break through the Planner Plateau, how to design for behavioral outcomes, and how to prove that the events you love are worth every dollar spent. This is the strategy conversation the events industry has been avoiding. New episodes coming soon. Follow the show so you do not miss the first one.