Trade Shows: Relic of the Past or Still Worth the Hustle?
Trade show marketing has always gotten 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? In a world without data analytics and martech tools to support follow-up, it was also challenging to measure trade show ROI.
Today, in a business landscape marked by digital transformations like automation and AI, trade show marketing is reaching an official crossroads. Many are wondering if they’re officially outdated, and even misaligned with the way sales reps and buyers communicate in a modern world.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, and it’s something that can’t quite be replicated even by the best video conferencing or social media technologies.
That’s why we wrote this guide. In the sections that follow, 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:
- Trade show marketing offers unique value that digital channels can’t fully replicate.
- The integration of digital and physical strategies in trade show marketing is essential, utilizing tools like VR/AR and digital content to enhance attendee engagement.
- A data-driven approach is crucial for targeting the right attendees and measuring ROI, leveraging analytics for tailored engagement and post-event analysis.
- Personalization of the booth experience using modern technologies like touchscreens and AR/VR is key to creating memorable, customized visitor interactions.
- Future trade show success hinges on blending digital innovations with the human element, focusing on trends like sustainability and personalization.
The Digital Takeover in B2B (and Why Trade Shows Still Matter Anyway)
Digital transformation has profoundly changed the B2B world, forever changing the way that businesses interact and transact. Today, digital communication is the norm, 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.
Alt-Text: Bar chart showing that most B2B marketers intend to increase (41%) or maintain (33%) their trade show marketing 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 them so important, incorporating new technologies and tactics can maximize 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.
Alt-Text: Example of a trade show booth with a QR code on the banner
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, thorough analysis of collected data helps in measuring the success of your participation.
This includes tracking leads generated, attendee interactions, and overall engagement, allowing for a clear assessment of ROI and insights for future improvements.
Personalize the Booth Experience
Personalization is at the heart of successful trade show marketing, and new technologies have potential to significantly enhance it in 2024. 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 further enhance this by dynamically adapting to the visitor’s interactions, offering a customized journey through the brand’s offerings. A variety of 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 one of 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.
Plan and execute 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 not only reflects positively on your brand but also resonates with today’s environmentally and socially conscious attendees. This approach not only contributes to a better world but also 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.
