Nailing down the right delegate: data collection is part of the process. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Generative AI
The key elements for successful trade shows were explored during a recent online session on the future of trade shows, featuring Carina Bauer, IMEX CEO; Doug Emslie, ex-CEO of trade show company Tarsus, which was sold to Informa last year; global event marketer Nicola Kastner; and Paul Miller, CEO of trade show organiser Questex. The event was hosted by Julius Solaris, founder of event consultancy Boldpush.
Data collection priorities
With forthcoming restrictions on data collection owing to the elimination of third-party cookies, the panel discussed how trade shows will become even more important for first-party data collection. Such data will prove vital in ensuring that the right delegates are attending the right shows and getting the information that they want at the right time.
However, as Solaris pointed out, just having the data is not enough; following up on that data, customising communications and keeping in touch with one’s audience is vital too.
There is also a growing need in 2024 for more tangible show interactions and Questex’s Miller touched on how data can be used pre-show to do this, such as providing suggested itineraries.
“We know people have been looking at a (particular show topic) - we can then give them a suggested itinerary for who to meet on the show floor, or details of others coming to the show who are interested in the same things, as well as conference and education tracks on this particular show topic,” he said.
Miller added that a suggested itinerary takes away ‘the total serendipity’ of the big trade show, which in the past might have been seen as an advantage. This is particularly relevant for younger attendees going to shows - their expectations are a little bit different from just ‘showing up’.
Kastner highlighted how industry professionals need to think of ‘the business of events’ rather than the ‘events business’: “The narrative is changing in our industry as event professionals. We need to own that change of conversation and we need to think about events as the outcomes that they're expected to drive, and how we do that versus leading with logistics.”
Impacts of events
Panellists also touched on key trends for 2024.
“A key trend for us is impact - it’s about the impact of events or individuals, the impact on destinations for industry sectors, but also looking at it from the lens of ESG and sustainability,” said Bauer. “We need to make sure that the minimum we do is run our events in a sustainable way, because that is already in our control. We also need to authentically explain the impact that we have as a result of people coming to an event. Sometimes it is about cost, or it’s about time or effort.”
Miller said attendees now have very different expectations of what they get when they come to an event. He added: “People don't just wait for an event, they don't wait for the whole year until the three days of the event happens. They are doing business for the other 362 days a year. We should be looking at that as an opportunity to serve our communities outside of those three days.”