Why invest in attending trade shows and congresses?

Jo Share • 4 min read

Why invest in attending trade shows and congresses?

There’s no getting away from it, attending an exhibition is probably going to represent a sizeable chunk of your annual marketing spend. The congress fees alone can be pricey and that’s before you even start to think about filling your plot with a stand, designing it, getting the structure to where it needs to be, having a team onsite… the list goes on.

So is it really worth it?

Well obviously, OSP are going to say yes! But we genuinely think the Return on Investment makes exhibition attendance worthwhile. In fact, we actually think there’s a cost in not attending a key congress, particularly when your competitors are all there, loud and proud.

So here are my top five reasons why attending expos and exhibitions is a must for any business.

1. Face to face networking

Probably the most significant advantage over other types of marketing is the chance to get face to face with potential and existing customers, and build and strengthen these relationships.

• With existing clients, you have a rare opportunity to sit down and find out more about their long-term plans and where you can support them… perhaps over a coffee from your on-booth barista!
• With potential customers, you have a chance to meet, connect and make a lasting (hopefully positive) impression against a backdrop that perfectly showcases your product or service.

Meeting in person is so much more effective than just being a voice at the end of a phone or a name at the end of an email - particularly with potential customers. I find that people are much more likely to take the time to engage with you when they can put a face to the name. I also think you tend to have more traction with them in any follow up communications because of that connection you’ve established face to face.

2. Brand exposure

An exhibition booth gives you an opportunity to increase your visibility amongst those that matter most to your business. And they’re a captive audience — the delegates are there because they’re willing to find out more; you’re not approaching them unsolicited.

A beautifully designed exhibition stand with eye-catching print or digital content gives brilliant brand exposure to people who are genuinely hungry to know more about you and your offering.

Not only can you promote an established business or brand as being industry leading, congresses and trade shows are also great platforms at which to launch a new product or service. Somewhere you can explain (and maybe even demonstrate) your offering in person and answer any questions there and then.

3.Showcasing your products in real time

On the subject of promotion, expos and exhibitions also provide perfect settings for demonstrating your products in action, in real time. Potential customers get to see first-hand what you can offer them — and how you can help them. At trade shows, they can actually get to grips with your product and interact with it. You can also give them free samples or giveaways to take away with them.

Giveaways obviously aren’t really an option at pharma or medical congresses but there are other things you can do in that setting to grab the delegate’s attention and ‘demo’ your product — maybe you could display patient testimonials through interactive digital content so the delegate feels like they’re driving a conversation with a patient. Or perhaps you can show your drug in a Mode of Action?  We’ve actually done this very successfully with a flight simulator on a client’s exhibition booth before, where the delegate took a ‘journey’ through the human body.

All these ‘live’, hands-on interactions will leave a lasting impression with your target audiences.

4. A close up on your competitors

Not only are you getting exposure, so are your competitors! Trade shows and exhibitions give you a unique opportunity to see first-hand what your competitors are doing and what they’re saying about their products. Is one of your competitors having huge success? Well now you can hear straight from the horse’s mouth the reasons why!

5. Keeping up with the industry

Congresses also serve as a great opportunity to keep up with your industry, to find out what’s new, to attend industry talks and symposia, to find out about new developments, trends and so on, and to assess what opportunities might be heading your way in the short and long-term. Are you able to pivot your marketing plans accordingly?

So don’t write trade shows and exhibitions off. And if you need some tips on how to make the most of your exhibition budget, get in touch!