Face to face interaction is one of the unique qualities of trade shows that continue to demonstrate its value for B2B marketers. Studies show that an average company will spend 31.6% of their entire marketing budget on events such as trade shows.
What’s shocking is the fact that exhibitors in the US spend close to 24 billion US dollars annually for trade show displays. Despite the uncertainty attached to this marketing technique, trade shows have increased in popularity and geographical distribution.
According to the Chаngіng Envіrоnmеnt оf Exhіbіtіоnѕ, 99% of b2b marketers stated that trade shows provided the value that wasn’t available in other marketing channels. The single-valued aspect from the interviewees was the face to face meetings with prospects and suppliers gotten from trade shows.
Trade show displays are a form of experiential marketing that requires proper planning to ensure success. ExpoMarketing offers a highly individualized concierge-like trade show coordination service. They use a smart approach in offering their clients both trade show rentals and displays.
Their intricate process entails designing, logistics, staging as well as on-site installation and support to their clients. This helps their clients focus on your b2b marketing goals.
A PwC analysis titled the Global Entertainment & Media Outlook revealed that trade shows were the most effective tactic for b2b marketers. Webinars and lead generation campaigns were other successful demand generation tactics.
In this article, I list down six reasons why trade shows are useful in b2b trade show marketing.
Strengthen Relationships Within the Company
Trade shows are an excellent way for team members to create bonds out of an office setting. This is especially true for large firms that have different branches countrywide. Since trade shows take place over a couple of days, employers meet the employees who may have only interacted via phone or email.
This face to face interaction over a few days builds bonds and creates a sense of trust and appreciation among the company members. These trade shows are also an opportunity for employees to voice their concerns directly as well as share their stories and successes.
Helps One Gauge Their Industry’s Future Trends
Trade shows give people a proper understanding of their industry’s trends, opportunities, and challenges. Participating in a trade show gives you a chance to engage your competitors to see the products and services they are promoting as well as the response from attendees.
Additionally, you get to talk to prospective leads and other attendees, which gives you a picture of the market and provides insights into trends that you could tap into in the future.
Trade Shows Help B2B Marketers Achieve the Three Main Marketing Goals
The three main marketing goals are to build brand awareness, strengthen key relationships, and generate leads. Trade shows are an excellent avenue for brands to meet with the industry press, which generates publicity for the organization.
Trade Shows Provide Measurable Results
Even with the existence of digital marketing, markets still believe that trade shows drive more business value. The Harvard Business Review revealed that the use of experiential marketing such as trade shows and conferences correlated with increased business growth.
Trade Shows Are A Hotbed of Technology
Companies such as ExpoMarketing utilize high-tech designs for their trade show displays that combine both virtual and augmented reality, which leaves a lasting impression on attendees.
Trade Shows Are A More Straightforward Marketing Tool Compared to Digital Marketing
It’s no secret that trade shows require a lot of effort to generate successful leads. However, they are less daunting compared to digital marketing. Email marketing does not always yield results. Search marketing relies on search engine optimization (SEO) as well as successful blog posts to guarantee leads.