The evolution of business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions and events is driven by emerging trends, advanced technologies and the dynamic needs of industry professionals. At Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2024, the Director’s Cut learning track served as a valuable platform for industry leaders to share their insights, research and foresight on navigating its transformative landscape. Let’s look at key insights and takeaways that emerged from impactful sessions included in this track.
Adaptive Growth Strategies for a Disrupted World
Keynote speaker Rick Denley, Founder and President of Peak Performance Leadership Services, Inc. focused on how sales professionals can adapt their strategies to meet the challenges of today’s disrupted B2B sales environment. The changing demographics of buyers, increased use of technology (particularly AI and data analytics), and group decision-making in the buying process means that buyers now expect B2B experiences to mirror the personalized, seamless journeys they enjoy as consumers.
Denley pointed out that while technology is significant, people and relationships remain paramount. Building lasting relationships, investing in customer success and bringing value are critical strategies which can include tactics such as focusing on omnichannel engagement, customer mapping, personalized solutions, and establishing a winning culture.
Denley concluded by offering these Top 5 Habits of Top 1% Growth Companies:
- Remarkable boldness
- Intrinsic motivation
- Grit and resilience
- Ability to lock in and see things through to conclusion
- Connection/communication
Key Takeaways:
- The B2B buying process has fundamentally changed, becoming more complex and requiring sales professionals to adapt their strategies to help customers navigate their buying journey.
- While AI and technology integration are important tools, human relationships and delivering value to customers remain the foundation of successful sales strategies in the modern environment.
- A growth mindset characterized by grit, resilience and innovative thinking is the “#1 Skill” needed to succeed in today’s disrupted sales world.
Bridging the Gap in Event Expectations
Panelists Ronny Coombs, CMP, CEM, Senior Exhibits Manager, American Society of Nephrology; Emile K. Davis, CEM, Managing Director of Business Development, American Institute of Architects; Amy Wilkinson, CMP, DES, Director, Global Events and Corporate Partnerships, Society for Laboratory and Screening; and David Saef, CTSM, CEM, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Freeman discussed the changing dynamics of event organization and attendee expectations, particularly as workforce demographics shift toward younger generations.
They highlighted the disconnect between what event organizers think attendees want versus what attendees actually prioritize, and examined how innovative exhibition organizers are adapting to meet these evolving needs. Discussions centered around data from the Fall 2024 Freeman Syndicated Survey of Event Organizers which included the findings below.
Key Takeaways:
- Generational Shift in Workforce and Values: By 2030, the workforce will be dominated by younger generations (35% Gen Z, 40% Millennials), who prioritize different values than Boomers. These younger professionals value work-life balance, experiences over possessions and social responsibility, which is reshaping expectations for business events.
- Disconnect Between Organizer Perceptions and Attendee Priorities: While organizers focus on networking opportunities, attendees place higher value on discovering new products/solutions (87%), hands-on/interactive learning (86%) and building their network (83%). Innovative organizers are more in tune with these attendee priorities.
- Need for Diversified Learning Formats and Experiences: Attendees expect a wider variety of learning approaches beyond traditional formats. Successful events are incorporating more peer-to-peer learning, hands-on interactions, and immersive experiences that cater to different learning preferences and provide more engaging attendee journeys.
Insights & Projections: Data-Driven Trends for the 2025 Exhibitions Industry
Moderated by Bob Chain, Global Head of Strategic Accounts for Swapcard, the panelists for this session included Sacha Carey, CEM, Vice President – Exhibits, National Business Aviation Association; Arjun Chakravarti, Ph.D., Managing Partner, COGKNITION Analytics; and Molly Witges, CMP, DES, Senior Director, Strategy and Insights, Freeman.
The conversation focused on data-driven insights for exhibition organizers in 2025 and examined engagement patterns, lead generation strategies, and exhibitor behavior across different event sizes. Panelists analyzed how activation relates to engagement, when networking activity occurs throughout the event lifecycle, where leads are generated and the significant impact of sponsorships on lead generation. They also addressed concerning gaps in exhibitor follow-up practices and offered resources for improving exhibition measurement.
Key Takeaways:
- Sponsorship dramatically increases lead generation: Exhibitors who sponsored at Tier 1 exhibitions (40,000+ attendees) generated 750% more leads than non-sponsors. Additionally, 75% of all leads created come from digital engagements rather than traditional lead scanning.
- Timing matters for engagement and networking: 65-67% of networking activity occurs before the event, with only 12-14% happening post-event. Similarly, 40% of lead generation happens pre-event while only 8% occurs post-event, emphasizing the importance of pre-event strategy.
- Significant follow-up gaps exist: One-third of all inbound leads are never followed up with, more than 50% of networking requests remain unanswered and only 15% of exhibitors download their final lead report within 10 days after an event ends, indicating a major opportunity for improvement in post-event processes.
Join the Conversation at Expo! Expo! 2025
As we look ahead to Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2025 taking place 8-10 December in Houston, exhibition professionals have a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of these transformative industry shifts. Immersive educational experiences will equip you with actionable strategies to bridge expectation gaps, leverage data-driven insights and implement adaptive growth techniques in today’s disrupted marketplace. Whether you seek to enhance pre-event engagement, optimize your lead generation approach or better understand the evolving needs of younger professionals, Expo! Expo! 2025 offers the collaborative environment, cutting-edge research and practical tools necessary to thrive in the exhibition industry of tomorrow.
