Valuable Insights from CEIR on Trade Show Engagement

Most exhibitors understand their exhibits work better when they’re designed to boost engagement. But it’s a struggle to prove that engagement works, and to determine which strategies work best.

That is why we are excited to share credible industry research from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) that reinforces the meaningful value of trade show attendee engagement.

CEIR published a comprehensive series of white papers called Maximizing Attendee and Exhibitor Engagement on the Exhibition Floor. The 8-part series looked at engagement from all sides of trade shows, gathering input from over 800 exhibitors and B2B exhibition organizers.

In this article, we will focus on key insights we found most compelling from Part 1: Exhibitor In-booth Tactics: People, Product, Learning, and Other Strategies, which is most relevant to exhibitors wanting to boost their results.

Insight #1: Boost Engagement with People, Product and Learning

The report shows that up to 60% to 80% of attendees value engagement tactics driven by people, products, and . These engagement tactics are by far the most effective because they align with the fundamental motivations attendees have when attending trade shows: discovering what’s new, connecting with vendors, and evaluating potential solutions.

These successful tactics for boosting attendee engagement focus on:

People: Staff your booth with interaction-focused people who can effectively deliver on your objectives.
Product: Offer hands-on experiences that showcase your products and help buyers see why your solution is the best choice.
Learning: Offer multi-faceted learning opportunities through formal sessions and alternative activities, creating teachable moments that demonstrate how you solve their real-world problems.

Insight #2: Prioritize Interactive Engagement Over Static Approaches

CEIR surveyed exhibitors and show organizers to understand which engagement tactics are being offered by exhibitors and which tactics attendees actually value. Show organizers reported significantly higher attendee preference for interactive tactics compared to similar static tactics.

When comparing similar engagement approaches, the gap is substantial:

Product Displays: 75% of attendees valued interactive product displays, while only 46% valued static.
Screens/Tablets Promoting Products: 60% of attendees valued interactive digital screens, while only 42% valued static.
Ability to Purchase Product On-Premises: 52% of attendees valued purchasing via staff assistance, while only 25% via self-service (such as with QR code or an iPad).

Interactive product displays, digital screens, and purchase options may take more money and creativity to create, but strong attendee preference for interactivity makes the investment worthwhile. This data suggests that whenever you have a choice, upgrading to a more interactive solution will boost attendee engagement.

Insight #3: Align Staffing Functions with Each Stage of the Buyer Journey

When CEIR asked show organizers which people-focused engagement tactics attendees prefer, the top three centered around different types of exhibit staff:

83% prefer engaging with sales and marketing staff
79% prefer engaging with technical product experts
78% prefer engaging with executive management

Attendee preferences shift throughout the buying process. Sales and marketing staff are the most valuable earlier in the buying process, while technical product experts and executive management are more important later in the buying process – especially for existing customers. A well-balanced staffing strategy ensures you engage attendees effectively at every stage.

Insight #4: Differentiate by Adopting High-Value Tactics That Few Exhibitors Use

CEIR reports how exhibitors and attendees value (CEIR calls it “high use”) a wide variety of tactics. Usually, the results are similar between the two groups. However, there are tactics where there is a surprisingly large gap between what show organizers say their attendees value and what exhibitors actually offer.

Here are two examples:

Peer-to-Peer Learning: 74% of attendees highly use peer-to-peer learning, but only 20% of exhibitors offer it.
Games: 67% of attendees highly use games that educate about products in a fun way or games with no linkage to product promotions, but only 8% of exhibitors offer games that educate about products, and only 10% of exhibitors offer games with no linkage to product promotions.

The tactics with high attendee value but low exhibitor adoption represent strategic opportunities to stand out, increase engagement, and gain a competitive edge on the show floor.

Using Solid Evidence to Justify and Boost Trade Show Engagement