Research |
|||
|
existing customers’ leads the way, followed by‘ Launching a new brand, product or service’ and‘ Entering new markets or geographies’.
In-person events as a virtual antidote“ A few years on, many of our contributors suggested that the longerterm shift to virtual working practices had triggered a more fundamental appreciation for events that brought people together in-person,” says Brewster.“ In particular, exhibitors noted how crucial events had become for face-to-face engagement with existing customers.”
“ Online it has become harder and harder to cut through the noise. That’ s why in-person events aren’ t just about chasing fresh leads anymore – they’ re powerful trust accelerators. They give prospects who already know your brand online the face-to-face assurance they need to turn curiosity into a confident‘ yes’,” says Tim Groot CEO & Founder, Grip.
EW asked some other organisers what they made of the new Channel
|
Insights and, in particluar, the importance of meeting up with existing customers.
Duncan Reid, CEO and founder of Reset Connect, said the findings validated what his company had known for a long time,“ that the more exhibitors get involved in and lean into pre-event and marketing, the better the event is for them”.
The idea of encouraging exhibitors to invite their customers to meet with them at shows is hardly new, of course, so I asked Reid about what challenges organisers face when trying to convince exhibitors to do this?
“ The main challenge is that everyone is so time poor that exhibitors feel‘ they’ ve paid their money’, so organisers should deliver the right event for them.
“ We try to give incentives to our exhibitors, give away VIP tickets, dinner receptions, badge sponsorship, roundtables, speaking slots and other activation points across the event to ensure that those exhibitors who put the most in get the most out of it.”
|
Below: Chart shows the shift in achievement of exhibitor objectives( not the commonality of objectives held). Largely, exhibitors report marginal to notable improvements in the extent to which they achieve their objectives( 1-5 point achievement scale). |
Reid adds:“ The findings from Explori show that those exhibitors who really lean in in pre-show marketing do well … The more effort you put in, even a couple of weeks beforehand, sharing the codes and links and inviting your customers, the much better show you’ ll have. We all know it’ s harder to win a customer than to retain one. If you’ re using your time to retain customers and upsell it’ s a great benefit.”
Apart from using the Explori data, how can organisers better operationalise on this opportunity?
Reid believes that exhibitors that are successful utilise all of the show’ s free marketing opportunities – tickets, guest invites, incentives.“ We encourage exhibitors to look at prospects in their pipeline and use the various incentives that the organiser is giving. Ask your organiser for VIP passes. Send them to your most important customers and get them to come along to relevant sessions so you are showcasing yourself at the best opportunity.”
|
14 Issue 4 2025 |
www. exhibitionworld. co. uk |