451: Events with Intent: How CMOs Turn Brand Moments into Growth

You can spend six figures on an event and still walk away with nothing but badge scans and a fuzzy sense of brand presence. But when you treat it as a full-funnel campaign, that’s when the impact starts early and lasts well beyond the event itself.  

In this episode, Drew Neisser is joined by Ellina Shinnick (HUB International), Kevin Ruane (Precisely), and Isabelle Papoulias (EliteOps) to explore how teams show up with intention and turn B2B events into focused, cross-functional efforts that build brand, strengthen buyer confidence, and avoid the all-too-common post-event fade.

In this episode:

• Ellina breaks down HUB’s three-part event framework: Sales alignment, rigorous ROI auditing, and one bold theme that ties it all together. 

• Kevin shares how a shift from demand gen to brand-first events, paired with sideline plays and airport branding, led to unexpected revenue wins. 

• Isabelle gives the play-by-play on how startups can show up strong with limited budgets and purposeful sequencing.

Plus: 

• Why pre-event planning is where ROI starts 

• How to audit your event calendar for strategic fit (not just attendance numbers) 

• What actually works for post-event follow-up, and what to skip 

• Why one big creative idea can carry you through a whole year of events 

Tune in to steal what works and rethink how events drive brand and pipeline! 

For full show notes and transcripts, visit https://renegademarketing.com/podcasts/

To learn more about CMO Huddles, visit https://cmohuddles.com/