One of the Worst ERG Events I’ve Ever Witnessed...

I once worked with a Women’s ERG that pulled off what they thought was going to be their biggest and best event. It was Women’s History Month, and they decided to spend 80% of their annual budget on a big-name speaker.

And in one sense, they were right—it was the most attended event they’d ever had. But when we looked at the data afterward, the truth about the event became painfully clear:

What the Numbers Actually Showed

1️⃣ Most attendees weren’t even ERG members. In fact, a very small percentage of actual ERG members showed up. The event didn’t bring the community together—it just attracted outsiders who had no real connection to the ERG.

2️⃣ Attendees didn’t stay. The average watch time? 50%. That means most people dropped off before they even hit the halfway mark. So, not only were they not ERG members, but they also weren’t engaged enough to stick around.

3️⃣ The content didn’t actually serve the ERG. The speaker’s message? It was about supporting women in the workplace, but framed entirely for allies. Meaning, this wasn’t an event for women—it was an allyship training with a celebrity attached. 80% of the ERG’s budget was spent on an event that didn’t provide actual value to its members.

4️⃣ It didn’t drive ERG membership. With all those people in the room, you’d think at least some would have joined the ERG, right? Nope. Membership numbers stayed the same.

The Hard Truth: Big-Name Speakers Don’t Equal Engagement

As someone who has hosted many ERG events, I have seen the full range of good and bad speakers. And I know that ERG leaders often default to booking a speaker because it feels like an easy win—an event that doesn’t require much planning beyond sending an invite. But here’s the problem: a big-name speaker doesn’t guarantee engagement.

Time and time again, I see ERGs invite the entire company just to boost attendance numbers. They assume that if a well-known speaker is on stage and a lot of people show up, the event is a success. But attendance alone is not the goal—member impact is.

A truly successful event moves the needle for ERG members. It builds connection, provides real value, and achieves a clear goal. And as someone who speaks at ERG events, even I will tell you: speakers are not the end-all be-all. In fact, they shouldn’t even be your first choice when it comes to engagement.

The ERG Recipe Tour Book: A Better Approach to Programming

This is exactly why I’m so excited about the ERG Recipe Tour Book—pre-orders will be opening soon! 🎉 This book is packed with a ton of unique ERG programming ideas that go beyond the surface-level events we see over and over. If your ERG is stuck in the cycle of defaulting to speakers, this is going to give you the fresh, impactful event ideas you need to actually engage your members.

Women’s History Month Is Coming—Learn from This Mistake

Women’s History Month is around the corner, and a lot of ERGs are already planning their marquee events. Learn from this ERG’s mistake instead of making your own.

We just put out two resources that elaborate on this: