EMT #23 with Kayla Drake - Field Marketer’s Guide to Sales Alignment

Event Marketer's Toolbox

In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Brendon Hamlin sit down with field marketing powerhouse Kayla Drake, whose track record includes building high-performing event programs that convert—not just impress.

Kayla shares her blueprint for connecting marketing and sales efforts to drive pipeline from the very first conversation. From aligning with sales pre-show, to leveraging live data on the floor, and creating post-event follow-up strategies that don't feel like spam—Kayla offers practical, no-fluff insights that every marketer (and salesperson) should hear.

This episode is for event marketers tired of measuring success by badge scans and swag tables. Kayla shows how to bring intention, collaboration, and results to your event playbook.

🔹 From Logistics to Revenue
How Kayla transitioned from just executing events to building strategic event frameworks that fuel pipeline.

🔹 The Pre-Show Sales Alignment That Makes All the Difference
Why Kayla builds event briefs for the sales team, and how they use them to prep, partner, and win.

🔹 Field Marketer = Connector
How field marketers can build trust with sales—beyond event-day execution—and act as a critical bridge between teams.

🔹 Don’t Wait for the Debrief
Why real-time data and conversations matter more than end-of-quarter dashboards—and how to act on them fast.

🔹 Tips for First-Time Field Marketers
Kayla shares her advice for navigating the chaos, building credibility, and avoiding burnout in high-pressure roles.

Kayla Drake didn’t just drop tips, she offered a working blueprint for how marketing and sales can align in real-time around events. Her emphasis on strategic collaboration, pre-show planning, and real-time measurement offers a refreshing -and practical- take on field marketing.

If you’re looking to make your events matter beyond the trade show floor, this conversation is a must-listen.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive

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챕터

1. Intro: Meet Kayla Drake (00:00:00)

2. The evolution from event manager to field marketer (00:01:39)

3. Building trust with the sales team (00:07:21)

4. Creating alignment before the show: Kayla’s event briefs (00:12:49)

5. Tools and platforms Kayla uses for field marketing success (00:18:09)

6. How to interpret event success signals during (not after) a show (00:23:24)

7. Post-event follow-up strategies that avoid “spray and pray” (00:28:44)

8. Advice for first-time field marketers (00:33:39)

9. Final thoughts: redefining event success in modern marketing (00:37:54)

10. Outro (00:39:39)