Exhibitors surveyed in a Freeman report chose lack of attendee information as the main reason events have fallen short. Photo Credit: iStock/KENGKAT
It takes more than meeting counts or even fear-of-missing-out for events to convert exhibitors, according to Freeman’s Q4 2026 Trends Report (Pre-Event).
As exhibitors mull whether or not to participate in an event, organisers fall short chiefly on the lack of information on attendees, which was chosen by nearly half (46%) of survey respondents. The next obstacle is the difficulty to assess ROI, chosen by 42% of respondents.
The theme recurs again, with the lack of compelling attendee profiles ranked third (39%) in the most common pre-event shortcoming preventing exhibitors from committing to an event.
While FOMO (fear of missing out) is a common way to sway exhibitors, only 29% of exhibitors identified the lack of clarity on other exhibiting companies as a pre-event shortcoming.
When it comes to what exhibitors need to obtain funding to participate, 65% consider the expected number of new leads, while 54% think about how relationships can be strengthened. By comparison, only 28% cited the number of meetings as key to helping them obtain funding for participation.
This focus on understanding their attendee profile continues into the event preparation stages, which for most respondents, begin six to eight months before an event.
Nearly one in four begin at least 12 months ahead.
In the year leading up, what are exhibitors expecting from organisers as they prepare for a show?
The report found that information or intelligence about attendees ranks as the leading information need, chosen by 40% of respondents.
Schedules and guidance follow at 26%, while 25% seek logistics and booth-planning information. Another 19% prioritise connections and visibility.