It is only December 2024. Yet, we have already curated 1,291 trade shows taking place in the US in 2025.
I expect the final tally to be closer to 2,300!
These shows are estimated to attract over 11.4 Million attendees!
Of these, over 620 trade shows have 300 Exhibitors on an average!!
Naturally B2B companies are gearing up to build pipeline, discover new customers and build their brand at these shows.
In conversation with several customers and prospects, we learnt of 4 different ways they look to generate pipeline and achieve their objectives at trade shows. Here are they:
1️⃣ Exhibit in a Booth: 🎪 Great for your brand, attract footfalls and visitors to your booth, discover new opportunities. Also the most expensive option.
2️⃣ Walk the Floor: 🚶♂️ Be selective whom you want to meet, insight-driven plan to engage companies, perhaps a tenth of the cost of Option 1.
3️⃣ Sidebar Events: 🎉 Curate attendees for specific, special and exclusive events – these could be luncheons, drinks and dinner, or other interesting formats like yacht party. Perhaps a bit more expensive but still gives the advantages of engaging a select set of audience in really meaningful and deep conversations.
4️⃣ Digitally Prospect the Attendees: ☎️ #MicroCampaigns that engage specific set of attendees before and after the event using digital channels: phone + email + linkedin + social media. Perhaps even throw in gifting into the mix and it might still be far more economical than 1️⃣ or 3️⃣ .
All the 4 options have their pluses and minuses.
At B2Brain we work with companies that want to make their trade show and event investments result in big business impact.
Few of the companies in conversation are doing a mix of the 4 through the year which I thought was a smart approach, when it is tough to pick winners.
The big events of 2025 begin with
Consumer Electronic Show (CES)
National Retail Federation Big Show (NRF)
National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)
We have just a few more working days to go in 2024 before the new year is upon us.
What are your plans for #tradeshows and #events in 2025? Let me know in the comments here or here.
