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The return of tradeshows: the importance of face-to-face events

Trade shows and events came to a sudden halt in 2020 due to Covid-19. The events industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. While organisations adapted and found creative ways of presenting events digitally, it’s fair to say there’s nothing quite as powerful as the engagement and connections you make in person.

We’ve moved from cancellation to digital to tentatively planning face-to-face (F2F) events for late 2021 and 2022. So even though trade shows and events are making a comeback, they are looking and will be running very differently from how events were up until February 2020.

Personal safety concerns, venue capacity restrictions, and social distancing are the biggest challenges for industry professionals organising trade shows and events. In order to meet these challenges, organisations are investing a considerable amount of money.

Changes and challenges are present, but it’s not all bad news. There seems to be a strong desire from organisations and individuals alike to return to live events. So what are the benefits of the return to F2F trade shows and events?

  1. To establish your brand identity – attending trade shows and events provides visibility and credibility to companies. Speaking or having a stand at an event allows businesses to establish and build a presence in their target market.
  2. To meet and connect with prospective customers – speaking directly with your target market at a F2F event is the perfect way to generate leads and sales opportunities. Attendees are usually present to collect necessary information for future purchases, and some may even place an order on the spot.
  3. To learn what your competitors are doing – it pays to keep your customers close and your competitors closer. Exhibiting at a trade show is the perfect way for businesses to observe their competitors and see what they are up to. It’s also a great way to learn about the latest developments and innovations in the industry.
  4. To show off new products – potential customers may not be aware that your product even exists. Trade shows and events are a great way to promote new products and any updates to existing products. Exhibitors can showcase a wide range of products directly to customers with demonstrations and one-on-one discussions while gaining direct feedback – a valuable tool for future interactions.

514 Media are looking forward to the return of tradeshows and events. Below is a list of the upcoming events that our team will be attending.

  • The Engineering Design Show: 19–20 October, 2021 in Coventry, UK. EDS is dedicated to engineering, electronics and embedded design, providing design engineers with direct access to the latest products, services and innovations.
  • Medica and Compamed:15–18 November 2021 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Compamed is a leading trade fair for the medical manufacturing market, held in parallel with the leading medical trade fair, Medica.
  • Productronica:16- 19 November 2021 in Munich, Germany. Productronica is a leading trade fair for electronics development and production.
  • Smart Production Solutions (SPS):23–25 November in Nuremberg, Germany. SPS covers the entire spectrum of smart and digital automation – from simple sensors to intelligent solutions, from what is feasible today to the vision of a fully digitalised industrial world.

If you would like to meet up with us at any of these events, get in contact with the 514 Media team at [email protected]. We hope to see you there!