Large trade show orders are no longer the norm — discover how to win in the new era of year-round, ongoing sales.
After a sudden drop in the B2B trade show market in 2020, trade shows are back, reaching $16.28 billion by 2025. But trade shows are also changing, so it’s time for brands to adapt their approach to shows.
Read on for tips on achieving trade show success in 2025:
Instead of ending their role in the industry, the pandemic and later growth transformed and elevated trade shows. The result? More options and events are available than ever. As such, your brand’s opportunities are no longer confined to a specific season, location, or category.
Moreover, new partnerships and technologies are changing how outreach, partnerships, preplanning, and on-site engagement work. Analytics are also now easier to measure and track to help you better understand your return on investment from trade shows – before, during, and after each event. Thanks to developments such as these, today’s trade shows offer exciting, approachable opportunities for brands to scale and build relationships.
However, trade shows are no longer reliable sources of large, revenue-driving orders — smaller, more frequent orders have increasingly become the norm. This cuts retailer risk, helping styles and inventory stay in-season and fresh. Retailers have the power to be more nimble with their inventory in the face of slower customer demand or other surprises. Brands — instead of banking on making all of your sales at a single event, adapt your wholesale strategy accordingly. The more you understand these data-driven ordering patterns, the better prepared you’ll be to use technology to maximize your trade show success and to continue garnering interest outside of market weeks to encourage mid-season orders from buyers.
In order to build strong relationships at every trade show, it’s best to start planning before the big event. Develop a solid plan and follow-up sequence to stay in touch with prospects who aren’t ready to buy, as well as the buyers who order at the show.
Consider a process like this:
Get more from your trade show investments — download our free, actionable guide, “Beyond the booth: How brands find trade show success in the new hybrid era".
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