Trade Shows: Relic of the Past or Still Worth the Hustle?
Trade show marketing has always received mixed reviews—even before?digital marketing ?took over in the B2B world. Professionals wondered: Are they really worth the effort, or are they all just a lot of hand-shaking and posturing? Without data analytics and martech tools to support follow-up, it was also challenging to measure trade show ROI.
Today, trade show marketing is reaching an official crossroads in a business landscape marked by digital transformations like automation and AI. Many wonder if they’re officially outdated and even misaligned with how sales reps and buyers communicate in a modern world.
The thing is, amidst all the technology advancements we’ve seen in recent years—accelerated in many cases by years after the pandemic—people still want to experience the human aspect of the B2B buying process. Trade shows provide that, which can’t?quite?be replicated even by the best video conferencing or social media technologies.
That’s why we wrote this guide. In the following sections, we’ll explore how trade show marketing has evolved over the last decade?or so, why they’re still a valuable part of B2B strategies, and how to get the highest ROI from trade shows in 2024.
Quick Takeaways:
The Digital Takeover in B2B (and Why Trade Shows Still Matter Anyway)
Digital transformation ?has profoundly changed the B2B world, forever changing how businesses interact and transact. Digital communication is the norm today, with channels like email, search engines, social media, and virtual conferencing becoming the foundation of B2B marketing and sales.
Given this massive shift toward?digital, it’s natural to wonder: Do trade shows really still have a place in the B2B world? The pandemic brought this question straight to the forefront when in-person events were off the table for months. It’s understandable, given that most businesses realized they could indeed execute entirely digital marketing strategies.
But four years later,?B2B professionals still speak to the value of in-person events. In fact, more than?80% of B2B marketers ?say in-person events are their most impactful marketing channel, and 70% of attendees consider their best opportunity to learn about new products and services.
It isn’t just sentiment, either—trade shows are still?being prioritized?in 2024. Statista reports that?74% of B2B marketers ?plan to increase or maintain their trade show budgets.
When you go by the objective numbers, the verdict is clear: Trade shows are still very much in, and B2B marketers and buyers alike are finding them valuable.
That said, digital transformation has changed trade show marketing best practices. While the in-person element is what makes trade shows so important, incorporating new technologies and tactics can maximize the ROI on your trade show efforts.
6 Ways to Maximize Trade Show Marketing ROI in 2024
Integrate Digital and Physical Strategies
In 2024, the fusion of digital and physical strategies in trade show marketing is crucial. Before the event, use digital tools like social media, email marketing , and targeted ads to create buzz and draw attendees to your booth.
At the event, use new technologies to make your booth more interactive. Things like VR/AR experiences, digital contact forms, and QR codes that link to digital content effectively modernize traditional trade show engagement tactics. By blending the physical and digital realms, these tools enhance the impact of your company’s presence.
Take a Data-Driven Approach
A data-driven approach is?key?to maximizing trade show marketing ROI. By leveraging data analytics to analyze your pipeline leading up to the event, you can tailor your engagement strategies to target the right attendees, ensuring that your efforts resonate with the most promising prospects.?After the event, a thorough analysis of collected data helps measure your participation's success,?including tracking leads generated, attendee interactions, and overall engagement. This allows?for a clear assessment of ROI and insights for future improvements.
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Personalize the Booth Experience
Personalization is at the heart of successful trade show marketing, and new technologies have the potential to enhance it in 2024 significantly. Touchscreens at the booth, for example, can present a questionnaire that tailors subsequent demos and information to match individual preferences or challenges.
AR/VR experiences enhance this by dynamically adapting to the visitor’s interactions, offering a customized journey through the brand’s offerings.?Various?QR codes and digital content can be made?available for different products and buyer interests.
These approaches ensure each visitor?engages with content that is most relevant and intriguing to them, making the experience both personalized and memorable.
Follow-Up Strategies
Trade show follow-up is among the best places to marry in-person and digital engagement. Once you’ve met a prospect at a trade show, they’re more likely to pay attention to digital communications you send their way, like email marketing messages or virtual event invitations.
Planned?and executed timely digital follow-up campaigns to maintain the connections you built through trade show marketing and keep those leads moving further down the sales funnel.
Innovative Booth Design and Experiences
Innovative booth design and experiences are vital for standing out in a crowded trade show. Creating a booth that is not only visually striking but also offers unique and interactive experiences can significantly increase foot traffic and engagement.?
American Express went as far as incorporating an Escape the Room game to attract people to their booth and get them to hang around! You might not be able to go this “big,” but you can get this creative.
Whether it’s through immersive technology, engaging activities, or creative displays, your booth should leave a memorable impression on attendees.
Sustainability and Social Responsibility
Today,?72% of?B2B buyers ?say they’re more likely to buy from businesses committed to?sustainability ?and social responsibility. Given that trade shows are often responsible for your company’s first impression with potential buyers, incorporating these principles into your trade show marketing strategy is a must.
Implementing eco-friendly practices and aligning your participation with your company’s CSR values reflects positively on your brand and resonates with today’s environmentally and socially conscious attendees. This approach contributes to a better world and strengthens your brand’s reputation and appeal.
Looking Ahead: The Trade Show Outlook Beyond 2024
It’s clear: Trade?show marketing remains an important opportunity for B2B companies to attract new and engaged leads. While digital innovations must be made part of trade show strategies and displays, they cannot fully replace the human element that makes trade shows valuable. In the future, succeeding with trade show marketing will be all about seamlessly blending digital and physical elements while staying on the pulse of timely priorities like personalization and sustainability.
Televerde offers industry-leading marketing and sales solutions that help B2B companies stay ahead of the competitive curve and attract best-fit customers.?Contact us today ?to learn how Televerde can help you grow.
This article appears on the?Televerde blog.