Recently, I hosted an X Space called Event ROI Reality Check where my guest Ipshita Kumar and I broke down how to build an effective event strategy and actually measure results.

TL;DR: Most events fail to deliver ROI because teams skip the strategy upfront, underinvest in the experience, and never do the debrief. This post is a continuation of that conversation — outlining a 3-part framework I've used across Salesforce, SoFi, and three startups to run events that actually move the needle.

Part 1: Start With a Brief

The number one mistake I see event teams make is jumping straight into logistics. Venue, catering, invites — and somewhere along the way, the "why" gets lost entirely.

Before you do anything else, write a strategic brief. It doesn't need to be long, but it needs to answer three things:

That last question is where most teams go vague. "Brand awareness" is not a goal. A goal is 200 registrations, a 75+ NPS score, 10 qualified pipeline conversations, or 20 social mentions. Something you can actually measure.

Your brief should also define your target audience — not just who they are, but what they care about and what would make this event worth their time. And it should answer the "why now" question. What's the moment you're tapping into? A product launch, an industry shift, a cultural conversation? Events that are timely drive interest.

Once your brief is locked, everything else — the venue, the programming, the speakers — has a filter to run through. Does this serve the strategy or not? That question will save you a lot of time and a lot of wasted budget.

The rule: if you can't measure it, it's not a goal.

Part 2: Make It an Experience, Not Just an Event

The best events don't feel like events. They feel like experiences.

I was part of the planning team for three Dreamforce conferences at Salesforce. Even though it was a product-focused corporate conference, the main keynote sessions always had a line out the door and were standing room only. Not just because of the products we were launching, but because of the experience we created in the room.

Salesforce understood that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you have as a marketer. They didn't just run through a presentation. They drove cars in with special guests. They had live product demos that were interactive. They brought in musical guests to get the audience hyped. Actors performing skits to make a point land. Every one of those moments made the content feel so electric and entertaining that you'd forget you were watching a keynote.

And that kind of investment in experience does something else: it drives advocacy. When a brand approaches things differently, people notice. They feel it, they remember it, and they share that experience with others.

You don't need Dreamforce's budget to apply this. Even at a smaller scale, what matters is creating an environment where people feel like you thought about them — and in return they will care more about you.

A welcoming room. A clear through-line. Moments that surprise or delight. Even if the story you're telling is just your brand's core values and how you want people to feel, that's enough.

The rule: people forget what you said, but they never forget how you made them feel.

Part 3: Do the Post-Event Debrief (Yes, Every Time)

This is the step most teams skip. You're exhausted, you're already thinking about the next event, and a post-event debrief feels like homework nobody assigned. But skipping it means leaving your best learnings on the table.

The debrief is how you get better. Full stop.

Here's what actually works: within one week of the event, schedule a 30-minute meeting with all stakeholders. Create a short shared document everyone contributes to beforehand or during. It only has two sections.

The first section reports back on the goals from your strategic brief. Did you hit them? If not, why? A line of context next to each goal is enough.

The second section asks three questions:

Everyone adds their notes with their initials. Then you discuss.

That's it. This data-driven exercise helps you make better decisions on the next event and also reflect, iterate, and never just repeat what you did before.

The rule: the debrief is not the end of the event. It's the beginning of the next one.

Events are one of the few marketing channels where you get someone's full attention. Use this 3-part framework to make sure you don't waste the opportunity: start with strategy, create an experience, do the debrief.