B2B exhibitors say that their most important objectives for participating in exhibitions are to build brand awareness and identify and reach new customers, according to [download page] a new study released by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). But how best to share product information in order to support those goals? Results from the study suggest that the methods exhibitors find most effective don’t match attendees’ preferences for receiving information.
Among users of the various information distribution methods, the percentage of B2B exhibitors rating them as “effective” or “highly effective” in supporting their objectives broke out as follows:
- Info downloadable to USB (82%);
- Email after exhibition (80%);
- USB given by the exhibitor (73%);
- Printed brochure mailed after the exhibition (72%);
- Printed brochure given at the exhibition (63%); and
- QR code attendees can scan (51%).
But while relatively few exhibitors who hand out printed brochures saw that method as effective, it was the top method by which attendees indicated they would like to receive product information. (It also happened to be the most common method by which exhibitors said they share their information, so the two groups did align from that perspective.)
Judged by perceived effectiveness, then, information shared via USB would appear to be the best bet. But based on meeting attendees’ preferences, exhibitors would be best served by continuing to hand out printed brochures at exhibitions and following up via email after the fact.
About the Data: A sampling from The International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing database and Exhibitrac’s Top 250 trade exhibition list were invited to participate in the online survey in June 2012. A total of 502 exhibitors responded. The attendee sample size was 419.