Research Center >> Conference Sponsorship

Top Business Decision-Makers Still Value Trade Shows
Industry-specific events rank No.1 for helping business decision-makers find out about new
products and services.
from AICPA Custom Media Solutions

Digital is the wave of the future. That’s a given. So why not hang on its coattails and fly high? That’s what many top business decision-makers are doing with their trade shows and events. Not a bad move, if you really think about it.

The newly-released joint study by American Business Media (ABM) and Forrester Research revealed that:

• Industry-specific events, such as trade shows and conferences, continue to be important business tools and play a key role in decision-making and purchase procedures.
   
• Integrated use of industry-specific business media, especially industry-specific events, is the most effective way for brand recognition and for BDMs to find new products or purchase new services.

The study also found that industry-specific events help 80 percent of B2B marketers build awareness, generate qualified leads and reach top decision-makers.

Here are some more noteworthy findings from the ABM/Forrester study:

Industry-specific events will continue to be an important media source for BDMs, extending the life of an event with a Web-based component will increase its value:
A full 90 percent say their use of industry-specific conferences and industry-specific trade shows will “increase” or “increase significantly” in 2009.

How do you expect your spending on business-related media to change in the next two years (2009):
Nearly one of every four (24%) business marketers expects to spend “significantly more” on industry-specific conferences and industry-specific trade shows in 2009, while 86 percent expect to spend “somewhat more.”

Here’s a visual map of what more your peers think about conferences.

(Source: American Business Media and Forrester Consulting)

2009 is the year when BDMs will continue to give more importance and place significant emphasis on industry-specific trade shows as conferences. And they’re going to this by joining hands with digital.

(Source: American Business Media and Forrester Consulting)

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to follow that yellow brick road to the pot of gold!