We've all been there. You've just wrapped up a brilliant event - maybe it was UKREiiF, or the BCO Conference in Milan, or your own carefully crafted roundtable. The lanyards have gone, the networking buzz is wearing off, and you're left wondering, ‘Now what?’

The thing that consistently strikes me when working with built environment firms - we spend months planning these events, but barely five minutes thinking about what happens after. It's a waste and a bit like throwing a dinner party and then binning all the leftovers instead of creating a week's worth of meals.

So, this blog talks about how you can squeeze every drop of value from your event content, whether you launched a white paper, hosted a panel, or facilitated a roundtable discussion.

Making your reports and white papers work harder

You've launched your research at the event, had some lovely speeches, maybe even got a professional photographer on board, great. But that's just the beginning, not the end, there’s so much more to do.

The low-hanging fruit

First up, do a proper blog post about the launch itself. If you've got those nice close-up shots of people speaking (you know, the ones that actually show engagement rather than just another "people standing at microphones" shot), overlay some key quotes from the launch event. Create a carousel that tells the story of your launch - it's a lovely teaser for the actual content.

But here's what most people miss - re-launch the report after the dust settles. Just because you made a splash at the event doesn't mean everyone saw it. People were busy, distracted, or simply couldn't make your session. A "in case you missed it" approach works brilliantly here.

Create a proper content campaign

Take your report headlines and turn them into a drip-feed campaign. I’m talking social media posts, email sequences, maybe even short video clips of someone introducing key themes. Remember, it takes time for messages to actually resonate and sink in - we're all drowning in content, so repetition isn't annoying, it's necessary.

And here's a strategic move - segment your email approach. Send one version to people who attended ("Great to see you - here's the report we discussed"), and another to those who couldn't make it ("Sorry you missed it, but here's what we shared"). Nowadays personalisation is king and really does make a massive difference in take up.

Get feedback and create more content

Reach out to people who were your target audience. What did they think? Can you get a quick audio soundbite or written testimonial? This becomes additional content that validates your research and extends its shelf life.

Maximising panel and roundtable value

This is where things get really interesting, and frankly, where most people completely drop the ball.

Record everything (even if it's just on your phone):

In an ideal world, you'd have a proper audio setup. But honestly? Your mobile phone will do. Record the discussion, get it transcribed through Otter AI or similar, and you've suddenly got the raw material for blogs, social posts, quotes, and even podcast episodes.

Pro tip: make sure everyone introduces themselves at the start. It helps with voice recognition in the transcript, making your life infinitely easier later.

Mine those audience questions

Every question from the audience is potential gold. They could become individual LinkedIn posts, FAQ content for your website, or spark ideas for entirely new pieces of content. Start thinking of audience questions as market research being handed to you on a plate.

Don't just write it up - bring it to life

Yes, do your standard event write-up talking about the atmosphere, key points, and thank-yous. But go further. If you have photography, create quote carousels that capture the essence of what people said. Even without pictures, text-only posts with compelling quotes still perform really well on LinkedIn.

The bigger picture – distribution over creation

Here's something that I see all the time with built environment firms - we spend 90% of our time creating content and about 10% thinking about distribution and promotion. It should be the other way around.

A good piece of content takes a long time to create. So why would you only use it once? Map out how you're going to distribute that content over weeks and months or even years if it’s evergreen. Think about:

Account-based approaches - Can your senior leaders email the report directly to key prospects with a personal note?
Regional variations - Could you run the same discussion in different offices or regions?
Follow-up events - Host an online version to capture people who couldn't attend in person
Segmented social campaigns - Different audiences need different angles on the same content

Measuring what actually matters

People always ask about measuring thought leadership success. Yes, likes and comments matter, but they're just the beginning.

What really counts is whether your content opened doors. Did it lead to meetings with target clients? Are people approaching you at events because they've read your research? Can you track who's visiting your website because of specific content?

I always tell clients to have a top-10 list of dream clients or contacts they want to engage with any piece of content. Did you get meetings with them? Did it spark conversations? That's your real ROI.

The channels that actually work

LinkedIn remains the social media platform for business, but here's something most people don't know: LinkedIn now offers thought leadership ads. You can put ad spend behind individual posts from your team members and hyper-target them to specific companies and job titles. It's been available for about a year, but hardly anyone's using it effectively yet.

Don't forget traditional routes either. Getting your insights published in sector publications like Property Week or Estates Gazette can be incredibly powerful, especially when you promote those pieces across your other channels.

Your action plan: What to do right now

If you've just returned from an event, here's your homework:

Audit what you've got - Recordings, photos, notes, contact lists
Plan your distribution - Map out 6-8 weeks of follow-up content
Segment your approach - Tailor messages for attendees vs non-attendees
Set up measurement - Track meetings, website visits, and engagement from target accounts
Plan the next one - How can you capture content better at your next event?

Remember, the magic often lies in the stories behind your business, your projects, and yes, even you as an individual. People after all do business with people, and your post-event content is a chance to show who you really are and what you stand for.

So go on - what are you going to do with all that brilliant content you created? Don't let it gather digital dust. Your future self (and your business development) will thank you for the effort.

What's your biggest challenge with post-event content? I'd love to hear how you're tackling it - drop me a comment and let's keep this conversation going.