Correct me if I’m off base, but it seems that every year, starting in October, trade show and event industry organizations and associations release surveys and reports that indicate which way the wind is blowing. The timing makes sense—these groups have had most of a year to analyze and assess what’s going on in the industry. However, this year, most of the news is, well, news. The observable changes seem more noticeable this year than before, or at least that’s how it appears to me; my job is to assist clients with their trade show and events programs.
Of course, it has been four years, almost five, since the reopening of in-person gatherings. At first, everything was very tactical, like where to put the hand sanitizer. But we’re beginning to face significant changes.
Personalization, Participation, and the Return of Human Connection
There has been a major upheaval in the workforce. Many retirements occurred during COVID, and a deliberate effort to attract more young people to our industry doesn’t just bring more new faces; it also introduces new ways of thinking, preferences, insights, and attitudes. Ignoring the influx and influence of younger generations should be done only at our peril. They are the future, and their ideas are shaping our industry.
Personalization is driving attendance—both new and repeat. Of course, the key factor in our industry is that we get to meet—attendees and exhibitors—face-to-face and in person. We can ask questions, we can express doubts, and we can talk about the products touted by the exhibitors’ competitors. Technology enables deeper levels of personalization. The much-maligned AI is facilitating this. Experiences will be participatory, not passive, in the coming months.
An interesting corollary: In-person demos are back and in high demand. We’ve all had enough of the virtual world; we want connection. To quote an article in Skift Magazine, our target audience is not content to simply say “Wow!” They are asking, “Why?” writes Andrea Doyle: Forget spectacle; today’s attendees seek connection, outcomes, and purpose. This is not to say that a well-designed exhibit combining content with visual appeal has no place on the show floor, but in a hierarchy of priorities, content and personalization are at the top.
Rethinking Value, ROI, and Trust in Event Marketing
As our budgets face increased scrutiny for return on investment, we must understand what resonates with our target audience. According to the recent Freeman Trust Report, attendees prefer hearing from experts rather than celebrities; they seek opportunities to network with individuals who share their concerns; and they want to feel connected to and trust the company showcasing its products and services. Exhibitors need reassurance that their budget dollars are spent smartly and effectively. Consider sponsorships: a sponsorship meaningful to attendees is far more impactful than spending on items like room keycards or lanyards. A sponsorship that reflects shared values communicates a lot about the exhibiting company.
A constant theme in trade show and event marketing is: How do we measure our success? And for years, the answer has been at best evasive. Now we have the tools to capture the data important to us so that we can make intelligent decisions based on actual engagement and results.
Convergence and What It Means for the Future of Events
What we are experiencing is convergence—the best of the old blending with the best of new ideas, the coming together of generations in the workforce, with their concepts, skills, and interpretations of best practices. When you read that “in-person demos are back” two paragraphs ago, did you wonder if they ever went away? For years, we focused on how technology could build a better demo, but now we are learning there is nothing quite like one person explaining a product to another and answering the audience’s questions.
My opinion? We are entering an exciting time for trade shows and events. New insights, new technology, new workers, new audiences. The coming changes in our industry will increase the dynamism that fuels our interactions and experiences. At the risk of being left behind, we can’t afford to ignore them.