Trends from CONEXPO CON/AGG, Las Vegas, NV March 2023

This past week I was fortunate enough to spend some time with my Freeman colleagues and so many exhibitors and attendees in Las Vegas for the return of CONEXPO CON/AGG which was nothing short of impressive, as one would imagine for the largest construction industry show in North America.

Spanning over 2.8 million square feet, every kind of implement, tractor, truck, attachment, and technology was on display for the estimated 130,000 industry attendees. Having had the opportunity to do some exploring and observing myself I thought I'd share some of the top event trends that I was able to witness in my time on-site that might help you when planning your next show or exhibit space.

Tom's Top 10 Trends from CONEXPO CON/AGG:

1. LED: I can't tell you how many tiles of LED were used throughout the show, but it was a lot! LED is a great tool to capture the eye and a great way to showcase your products in action, outside of demos! It is also a fantastic backdrop for a stage presentation! LED is becoming increasingly popular and comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. LED also integrates nearly flawlessly with many event collection structures so you can add a little or a whole lot to give your space a bit more of a punch. If you're looking to make a statement, consider utilizing LED to enhance what you're there to say!
2. Lighting: Brighten up and highlight your space through lighting. With so much machinery to show off, many exhibitors took great advantage of adding lighting above their booths to bring attention to their space. House lighting's okay, but if you want to stand out and your machines/equipment to shine, a nice bath of lighting can really clean up a space and give your space a nice bit of curb appeal.
3. Interactive/Experiential: While it's great to get to be back live and in-person to quite literally kick the tires, there are many who are putting attendees in the seat virtually to showcase ease-of-use, features, and how things perform in different scenarios. This could be a fully immersive multi-screen seat and controls or a traditional gaming controller. Coming back from the pandemic, many have picked up gaming or simulators online which I think has become a very attractive thing for potential buyers to get to experience. Things to consider when creating these AR/VR/MR experiences are that it doesn't have to happen in a headset. While fun and futuristic, sometimes these headset devices can cause people to feel claustrophobic, dizzy, or uncomfortable.
4. Lead Retrieval: There's no getting swag or having a conversation without a scan of your badge's QR code. In talking with a contact on the floor in the North Hall, they had gained 700+ quality leads to set demos for after day 1! While it's great to get leads for handing out a vest or a hat, it's also great to put some qualifications in place before scanning everyone who passes through to help with the integrity of your data.
5. Demos: Taking time to highlight your products is so valuable! With all the advancements in technology, being able to showcase these live and in person is truly what it's all about. While showing things off is great, look into having a representative who's operating or onlooking to talk through all the features and the demonstration. This helps educate and intrigue and engaged the audience.
6. Audio Attracts: From utilizing impactful scores through in-booth video content or talking through features, audio is a great way to capture the curious ear of a passerby.
7. Fun Photo Moments: Whether it's a racecar or an oversized backhoe bucket, photo moments not only offer a great opportunity for your brand to be captured but they also keep potential customers around your space longer. Also, another great opportunity to grab another badge scan if you have a photo booth.
8. VIP Treatment: VIP areas sell more stuff! Exclusive areas give clients the ability to take a seat, recharge and have a drink but they're also a great space to sit down with buyers and put pen to paper. Elevating booths into a two-story experience is a great way to add to your footprint and give your clients a space to connect away from the crowds and get down to business.
9. Wayfinding: With any show, ease of navigation brings joy to attendees. With an event that takes over a whole convention center and 3 lots, it's even more important! From app features that would take you to an exhibitor's booth on a virtual map, to rigged signage or venue signage and even traditional meter boards better signage and wayfinding techniques make things easier and more direct.
10. In-booth theaters: Like the demo having an in-booth stage or theater allows you to captivate and educate an audience, whether it's new product rollouts or technology features, having a seated theater area is a great way to gain and retain audience members to your space and help your brand to stand out as a subject matter expert. These stages are also great areas to use for streaming March Madness between sessions to help gain an audience.

All in all, this was a great opportunity to see some great spaces and creative work and to see the Freeman Exhibit Services and AV teams work to help produce a really cool event!

For event solutions like these or to brainstorm your next experience, show floor, or exhibit, look no further than Freeman.

Making moments that matter.