EXHIBITIONS – THE ORIGINAL SOCIAL MEDIA!

When you think about social media and how it works, it is a cloud version of exhibitions.
Exhibitions connect people in face to face interaction where you network with like-minded people and provide instant access to information, education…they excite, entertain and educate.

So, could it be that the reasons why companies exhibit have changed in the current market, or should they?
I firmly believe the major focus of exhibiting should be about sales. Whether it’s there and then or in the months following. I also believe that a database should always be collected as it has so many ongoing benefits.

I have looked at some international trends lately and it was interesting to note that while sales still rated, it was a long way down the list of priorities. Companies have worked out that meeting a qualified audience in a condensed time frame has other important outcomes.

This is the order of the top 13  from the reports I have read. It’s interesting to note ‘sales/take orders’ were second last out of 20:
*Raise awareness of company and brand
*Leads from NEW buyers and prospects
*Create and/or strengthen industry relationships
*See current clients
*Network with colleagues and /or vendors
*Because our competition’s there
*Support of the industry
*See many buyers at one time
*Launch new products/services
*Present educational sessions
*Public relations
*Provide education
*If we don’t exhibit the industry may think we are having problems

It struck me that the similarity of the above list to how social media works is uncanny. It also highlighted how powerful it could be if both outcomes are combined.

It is so easy to have a mobile device with Facebook or Twitter live from the event and this adds greatly to the engagement outcome. And use of these at both the show and your company’s sites ensure the coverage.

So are exhibitions the original version of social media? Pretty much, although the new version isn’t as personal as exhibitions but does connect  at different levels.
While some things don’t change, the new world of social media is constantly changing and one thing for sure is you do need to be in the space, along with exhibitions of course!
See you on the floor.