Research |
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Effectiveness of each format |
Prospect engagement |
Availability |
Ease of execution |
Lead generation effectiveness |
Brand Building |
Customer Relations |
Reach |
Product Exposure |
Targeting Prospects |
Cost Effectiveness |
Language
Capabilities
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Content / Resources |
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Blogs Podcasts Video ( Live / On-demand ) Webinars ( Third party ) Webinars ( Owned ) Whitepapers / Reports |
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Networking / Communication |
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121 Meetings ( Video / text chat ) |
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Matchmaking * 1 |
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Networking Lounges |
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Panel Discussions |
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Brand / Product Awareness |
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Directories Reviews ( Products & Services ) Sponsorship Virtual booth / Shopfront |
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the moment our industry offers online channels in an unstructured way to exhibitors and visitors . A scan of key hybrid tradeshow websites in the food sector showed the same results : our industry is deep in an experimental phase regarding hybrid offers and clear hybrid event USP still need to be formed .
The described framework can be used as an anchor point to create such a hybrid USP , as it allows event teams and exhibitors to review past online activities and check which exhibitor motivations have been served or to build a future hybrid strategy that really serves what the exhibitor needs .
During a summer sprint of the Exhibition Think Tank to find the best hybrid event , we presented our definition and framework to all participants of the sprint and asked all groups to use the framework to find the best hybrid examples our industry had to offer in July . Around 100 industry professionals used the framework and reported back the result to the ETT Club . The results were
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astonishing and , in some way , shocking for our industry .
One best practice example that was discovered by the think tank came from Informa Asia . It was the online presence of Food & Hotel Asia ( FHA ), Saladplate and Food & Hotel Digital Week . Two examples came from Apple and Cisco . Quite eye opening that two companies we would hope to see as exhibitors are starting to create their own hybrid events now ! A further example came from a company called Hopwine . This company collects product samples – in this case small wine bottles , packages a selection of up to six product samples and sends this package to the potential buyer . Once this is done the products are presented during an online session . This way the company creates a truly hybrid journey that brings sellers and buyers together .
Finally , our latest research focuses on how to make money with hybrid events . Most exhibitors do not like virtual tradeshows as much as live tradeshows but they plan to shift
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Above : Rating of digital b2b formats .
– Very poor – Poor – Neutral – Good – Very good
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budgets away from onsite to digital products . This gives the industry the clear mission to develop better hybrid formats so that the shifted money stays in the industry instead of being spent with outside industry companies . In workshops we conducted it became very clear that isolated online events will struggle to make any substantial money . Instead of launching such isolated events an online strategy needs to be created that can be seen as a ‘ touch point journey ’ for the exhibitor to interact with buyers , to present his products or services or to conduct customer relation management . Each online event should be seen as a step on such a journey . Equally , a stand at a show or hybrid formats such as described above , are steps on such a journey . Offers to exhibitors that contain stands at show plus a wider range of touch points to the industry have a great monetisation potential as per our latest research . It is even possible to enter new forms of revenue if done in the right way : subscription and audience monetisation . |