The Covid pandemic has led to increased significance for digital trade fairs over the past two years. Despite that, our survey shows that other formats still outstrip digital.
In the run-up to our Webinar “The trade fair experience of tomorrow”, we decided to check the pulse of the trade fair market with a survey on trade fair behaviour. We wouldn’t want to keep our findings a secret, so here are the results of this informal questionnaire.
Question: How many times per year do you exhibit at trade fairs?
Physical trade fairs more attractive
Around 60% of respondents exhibit at least once a year. This means that trade fairs account for an average 30% of the overall marketing mix. That is considerable. It is all the more surprising that in the past two years just 38% have even considered virtual trade fairs as an option. Scepticism about the format therefore outweighed the need to exhibit the products at a trade fair at all. It’s not entirely unjustified. All participants who had exhibited at a virtual trade fair felt that a physical presence was economically more attractive. This is not just a Swiss phenomenon, either. Our figures are in line with a survey conducted by the AUMA (Association of the German Trade Fair Industry).
Question: physical vs. virtual? Which format was more economically attractive (sales, leads, networking)?
Massive potential: hybrid formats
“Creating an emotional connection, generating leads and networking in general can still be done in a more targeted way at a physical trade fair,” says Malik Zayat, Creative Consultant at Habegger. Purely digital trade fairs will definitely have a difficult time in the future. That fact was also reflected in our survey. Two-thirds of respondents will continue to give priority to physical trade fairs. The remaining one-third will rely on a combination of physical presence and digital components – the hybrid format.
Zayat: “Hybrid formats offer interesting opportunities for companies to showcase their products and brand.” This could mean integrating a studio at the trade show booth or presenting an expert from overseas using a Holobox. Around 90% of survey participants also see strong to very strong potential in such formats.
Question: When you look at the future… Which format will you be considering as a priority?
Alternatives widespread
Products and brands do not always have to be presented using exhibition booth. Indeed, for 40% of respondents this is not even an option. In particular, they prefer alternative formats such as road shows or visitor centres. Other sales channels including events, social media, promotions, TV campaigns or a classic sales department are also common. “Every company needs individual solutions. Typically it is a mix of different formats, depending on the communication needs and the target group,” says Zayat. Ultimately: Whether it’s a trade fair or an alternative format, the vital ingredient is offering participants an experience they will remember.
Want to know more about the trade fair experiences of the future? Our Webinar on May 5th is devoted to this very topic.
