CHICAGO — Paola Payano, Marketing Manager at Informa Markets, is known for her ability to craft and implement innovative marketing strategies, solve challenges and deliver outstanding results.
Payano’s work helped Build Show LIVE launch strong and grow successfully in its second year, with an Attendee Net Promoter Score of 74, and earned her recognition as a 2026 Trade Show Executive (TSE) Trailblazer.
Payano meticulously tracks and analyzes every registration to fully understand attendee demographics and behavior, and leverages this data to create targeted campaigns that amplify what works best and ensure that every marketing dollar is spent effectively.
We spoke with Payano about her impactful work.
ANDREW: What brought you to the trade show industry?
PAOLA: I started in the trade show industry as a telemarketer, but the moment I attended my first event, I was fascinated by everything: the energy, the people [and] the experience.
I immediately wanted to be more involved, so I asked for additional responsibilities. That led to roles as an Exhibitor Marketing Specialist and then an Attendee Marketing Specialist, and from there, I continued to grow within the industry, taking on bigger challenges and learning something new at every step.
ANDREW: What do you enjoy the most about your work?
PAOLA: What I enjoy most about my work is bringing ideas to life, from building campaigns and planning marketing strategies to seeing events come together onsite.
There’s nothing better than seeing attendees engaged and happy, knowing that something our team created had a real impact.
Hearing feedback from both attendees and exhibitors about how much they gained from the event is incredibly fulfilling and makes all the hard work worth it.
ANDREW: Could you describe how you crafted and implemented dynamic marketing strategies for Build Show LIVE?
PAOLA: For Build Show LIVE, education is the heart of what we do. The professionals teaching are real industry experts in the field every day, who can share practical solutions to real job-site challenges.
My role is to bring that value to life through marketing: emails, social media, pay-per-click and our website, that all tell the story of what attendees will learn and take back to their jobs.
I focus on making it clear that this isn’t theory, it’s real skills from real experts.
By highlighting that through storytelling, we create excitement and FOMO, and show attendees why this is an event they truly can’t miss.
ANDREW: What is an instance in which you thought outside the box, using bold marketing tactics?
PAOLA: Leading up to the show, there’s always urgency to drive last-minute registrations.
I analyze marketing emails I’ve received to see what subject lines or preview text made me open them. Then, I apply those insights to my campaigns and think about what we can do differently.
I focus on crafting engaging subject lines, offering discounts or highlighting new features that haven’t been promoted earlier in the cycle. This year we introduced a scavenger hunt at JLC LIVE to promote more traffic across the show floor.
Attendees could win a gift card by visiting specific locations around the expo halls. I promoted this via email, including it in the subject line to boost open rates.
Another example was a campaign for Saturday pass attendees, where we offered a 50% discount on registration. Including the discount directly in the subject line worked well, and we saw strong registrations for the Saturday pass.
ANDREW: Could you talk about how you leverage data to make sure marketing spend is successful?
PAOLA: Data is what drives a successful marketing campaign. For me, reviewing campaign performance weekly helps me see what’s working, what’s not and where we should reallocate spend.
It allows me to try new approaches, stop what’s underperforming and make sure every dollar is driving results.
Related. Meet the 2026 TSE Trailblazers: Andrew Olson
ANDREW: What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
PAOLA: My proudest moments come from bringing an event to life with my team and finally seeing it all unfold onsite.
It’s especially rewarding when we’re launching a new experience and there’s that element of the unknown, you don’t fully know how attendees and exhibitors will respond.
Seeing them walk through the doors, engage with it and genuinely enjoy the experience is an incredible feeling. It makes all the hard work, long hours and uncertainty completely worth it.
ANDREW: What are your keys to success?
PAOLA: Collaboration is essential. Working closely with my team and ensuring everyone is aligned is key.
Success isn’t about one person; it’s about everyone coming together to make the event happen.
Additionally, persistence and never giving up are crucial. Pushing forward, even when things get tough, is what leads to success.
ANDREW: What challenges have you encountered in your career, and how have you overcome them?
PAOLA: Challenges are inevitable in event marketing, especially in fast-paced, live environments where many moving parts must come together seamlessly. I’ve learned that the key is staying calm, and solution-oriented when things don’t go as planned.
Rather than focusing on the issue itself, I focus on what can be controlled and how quickly we can come up with a solution.
That often means collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, communicating clearly and thinking creatively to find alternative solutions that still deliver value.
ANDREW: How do you stay motivated and avoid burnout?
PAOLA: I stay motivated by continuously challenging myself. I set goals and then push beyond them.
Marketing is always evolving, so I genuinely enjoy learning new tools and platforms that help me improve and stay ahead. I have a can-do mindset [and] I embrace new opportunities, even when they push me outside my comfort zone, because that’s where growth happens.
To avoid burnout, I’m intentional about protecting my time. I prioritize family and take breaks when needed.
Stepping away allows me to reset and come back with a fresh perspective, which ultimately makes me more effective in my work.
ANDREW: What advice would you give to an events industry up-and-comer?
PAOLA: The trade show industry has many facets, so it’s important to learn about all of them — operations, marketing, sales and more. Even if you start in one area, be open to exploring others.
There’s a lot of room for growth and working in different areas helps you understand what it takes to put an event together. Also, customer service is key.
No matter your role, you need to provide excellent service onsite because you only have a few days to make a lasting impression. Stay open-minded [and] ready to learn, and enjoy the process of bringing people together.
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