This playbook turns events into a repeatable content engine that drives:
Proof (trust + social credibility)
Clarity (what you do + what’s changing)
Conversion (pipeline + follow-up that gets replies)
What’s the biggest mistake teams make with event content?
They treat content like an extra task (“film some stuff if you have time”) instead of a tool inside the event that helps them hit the goals they already have (lead gen, meetings, partner engagement, product education).
How should I measure event ROI if badge scans are low intent?
Badge scans are the lowest level of intent because they can happen without a meaningful conversation.
Use this Trade Show Intent Ladder (lowest → highest):
Walk-by / glance
Booth chat
Badge scan
Meeting booked
Follow-up email reply
Content contribution (they filmed with you)
Deal motion / closed
Why this matters: someone who contributes to a 30–60s clip is showing massive engagement—often more valuable than 20 random scans.
What should I do before the show so content is easy on-site?
Step 1: What is my ONE primary content outcome?
Pick one primary outcome (you can have secondary goals, but don’t plan like you have 7 teams):
Pipeline acceleration
Partner activation
Customer proof
Thought leadership POV
Recruiting/culture
Step 2: Who are my “human resources” at this show?
Map your contributors like a producer:
Internal: SMEs, sales, marketing, execs (10 minutes counts)
External: customers, partners/resellers, targeted prospects
Rule: content is not “Sally the marketer’s job.” If one person is assigned the whole show, you’ll get booth pics and burnout.
Step 3: What’s my contribution mechanism?
If you don’t make intake dead simple, you’ll get: “just email it to me” chaos.
Do this:
Create 1–2 Studio Requests as “intake funnels” (ex: B-roll Upload + Thought Leadership Clips)
Turn each Request link into a QR code
Put the QR everywhere: booth signage, handouts, sales lanyard card, partner email, meeting follow-ups
Expectation reset: if you get 3–5 submissions, that’s a win. Don’t expect 100 overnight.
Step 4: What are my “minimum viable deliverables”?
Avoid option overload. Ben’s stance: 5 pieces of content from a trade show is a massive win.
Plan your “5 deliverables” upfront:
1 pre-show teaser/invite
1 show-floor POV (“what we’re seeing”)
1 customer or partner proof clip
1 post-show recap (“what we learned”)
1 sales follow-up clip sent 1:1 to leads
How do I make my booth a content hub during the show?
Move 1: Set up a “selfie station” (remove the barrier)
You don’t need a film crew. You need a legit-looking capture corner:
$15 tripod + phone mount
Ring light
Small mic (highly recommended)
Simple branded backdrop / booth wall
Why it works: the “lights/camera/action” feel makes people more willing to participate.
Move 2: Use content as a tool inside sales conversations
Instead of: “scan your badge, we’ll follow up.”
Use this: “Before you go—can I grab 60 seconds of your thoughts? We’re doing a quick ‘Voices from the Industry’ series. We’ll tag you and send you a version you can use too.”
This turns a cold lead into:
a co-created asset
a warmer follow-up
a reason to re-engage post-show
Advanced (killer) move: “make them a free asset”
If you’re using Studio, you can even brand a version for the prospect/partner and hand it back as value.
Move 3: Give your team a scavenger hunt (not a vague request)
Don’t say: “everyone film content when you can.”
Say: “Pick 6 of these 10. If you hit 6, you win.”
Event Content Scavenger Hunt (6-of-10):
Biggest question you got today + your answer
Myth you heard today + the correction
“If you’re at this show, you’re probably dealing with ___”
Partner shoutout: why you work together
Customer proof: before/after in one sentence
“One thing that surprised me today”
POV: what’s changing in the industry
Quick demo: explain X in plain English
Daily recap: 3 takeaways
Invite: “Come find us if you want to talk about ___”
Pro tip: lead with self-starters first, then give clear assignments to everyone else (“Brandon, grab 4 clips at the partner event”).
What should I post during the show if most of my market isn’t there?
This is the trap: posting like you’re talking to the 30 people who stopped by.
Reality: most of your market is NOT at the show—so publish like you’re giving outsiders a window into what’s happening and what it means.
Good “during-show” content:
“Here’s what everyone’s asking about X”
“The misconception we keep hearing is ___”
“If you’re evaluating this category, here’s the real decision criteria”
“Three trends we’re seeing on the floor”
What should I do after the show so the content actually gets used?
Step 1: Organize first, edit second
If you did the pre-work right (outcomes + people + intake links), post-show should be easy: upload, label, and route.
Post-show workflow:
Upload in batches
Use folders aggressively (“Event 2026 / Day 1 / Customers / Partners / Sales Follow-up”)
Identify evergreen clips that don’t mention the show so they can live for months
Step 2: Build a simple 14-day release plan
You don’t need 50 posts. You need momentum.
Days 1–2: POV (what we learned / what’s changing)
Days 3–6: Proof (customers + partners)
Days 7–10: FAQs + objection clips (what people misunderstood)
Days 11–14: Sales enablement pack (3 clips embedded in follow-up emails + internal recap)
What do I do if my team says “we don’t have time / sales won’t do it / legal will block it”?
“We don’t have time.”
You don’t need more time. You need two capture windows:
one midday batch
one end-of-day batch
And a 6-of-10 scavenger hunt.
“Sales won’t do content.”
Sales doesn’t need to “be creators.” They need:
a one-question prompt
a 60-second script
a place to send it (QR/intake link)
“Legal/compliance.”
Stay in safe lanes:
industry POV
process lessons
non-sensitive customer insights (with permission)
product education (approved talking points)
If someone can’t talk about their industry at all… that’s a bigger issue.