Expanding the Audience

For every attendee who comes to a trade show, there are hundreds just like them sitting back in their offices trying to accomplish the same things—and do so cost-effectively. They are doing their research online, trying to connect with peers in their industry, and scouring industry news for new products and services that will solve their problems. By incorporating social media and virtual event components into your trade show strategy, you can extend your reach beyond just the attendees to those customers back in their offices across the globe.

The current economy has made it difficult for customers to attend industry events. Budgets are being cut, so fewer employees are being sent to industry trade shows. In the past, companies might have sent four or five team members to an event, but these days they typically send only one key member. Shrinking budgets also mean more work is piled on shrinking teams. Customers simply do not have the time to leave their offices to attend trade shows the way they did in the past.