The Return of Exhibitions

Exhibitions are making a long-awaited comeback. After a year of looking at screens instead of into people's faces, it seems the shows are back. As convenient as virtual trade shows and conferences have been (and they have their benefits), they will never replaced the human need for interaction. This interaction is achieved in person. The spontaneity of walking down a trade show floor and bumping into a new person. A conversation strikes up, and you find yourself not just with a new client but a friend. These serendipitous meetings were the lifeblood of most in-person events.  

Covid-19 has pushed many old-fashioned and electronic reluctant companies to join the technology revolution. Just in the past year alone, we have more options than just Zoom. Take the platform Remo; it allows you to network as well as present in conference style. It is the networking aspect that makes it attractive. People can hop from table to table with 8-10 individuals virtually seated. This allows you to have a more intimate conversation with people. We become one step closer to a better virtual reality experience. 

Events that are coming back will still have the online aspect to accommodate those that can not travel. This defiantly expands the reach of past events. Hybrid events can be done in many new ways. For example, a company in Montreal booked a high-profile sommelier from Argentina to conduct an online wine tasting. The company delivered wine bottles to each of the online participants ahead of the scheduled online experience. This was much cheaper than paying for a complete in-person event. Yet the delivery of the wine made the event feel more real. Not everything can be replicated online. Hybrid events help bridge the gap on things that are meant to be touched, smelled or eaten. 

Due to the influx of technology, digital elements will now be a part of every show. Touchscreens might not be incorporated as often as they promote constant touching. New sanitary protocols make things safer than ever before. Controlled traffic at an event will ensure that people are travelling in one direction. All these steps help events come back faster and safer.

Matthew Funge of Your Stand Builder, has a great deal of experience with trade shows. A young and innovative event technology company based in London’s exciting Tech City, Your Stand Builder are experts in exhibition and trade show preparations worldwide. Whichever continent you are exhibiting in, at whichever show, YSB are always on hand to help make the planning process as easy as it can be. The innovative free online matching and comparison platform instantly connects global exhibitors and stand builders, to allow them to find each other easily and save time when planning their upcoming events.

Planning your company's participation at an exhibition or trade show is a time consuming and complicated task, often taking weeks or even months. YSB don't believe it has to be this way. As a company they're completely changing and revolutionizing the way exhibitors organize their stand ahead of attending important events all around the world, so that exhibiting companies can focus more of their time on what's important – their customers.

Recently recognised as the Innovation of the Year winner at the 2019 EN Supplier Awards, YSB have already helped exhibitors with stand projects worth over USD $4 million across 30 countries – and it's only the beginning! The main aim is to provide a user friendly platform which gives genuine benefits to all members, and simplifies the whole planning process from start to finish.
Matthew pointed out that in the UK regional shows are returning as vaccine rates are high. As a founder the  company, Matthew gave an insightful overview of booth building. In the past booth building at the show was a very wasteful and unsustainable practice. Booths were built and destroyed leading to mass amounts of waste. Samples and products are shipped all over the world. This was pressure on logistics to ship stands all over. Post- Covid, Matthew sees a more sustainable approach to booth building through his platform. This approach is focused on employing local booth building companies and not shipping things all over the world. This can hopefully lead to more local companies handling tradeshows and increasing local revenue.

The crowds will not be the same for the next two years at least. Companies have obstacles when sending people to international trade shows. Fewer crowds at trade shows can be a benefit. This will lead to a more acute audience that is more focused on buying. In the days of the past, international conferences attracted people looking for a day off work. Now the individuals attending the show will be serious enough to buy with even with the possibility of exposure to a virus. Now, that's a committed customer!

Take Away For 2021-2022 Exhibitions:

• First, the trade shows will be local, regional then finally the international shows.
• The hybrid model is here to stay, so take advantage. Check out Cosmetic 360, a great example of a hybrid event for the cosmetic industry.
• Sanitization is key to successful events - wash your hands and wear a mask.

Human beings are social animals. We need interaction offline to thrive. The world is ever-changing, but even without handshakes, the power of in-person eye contact is a trend that is here to stay.