CEIR Launches Optimistic First Report in Omnichannel Marketing Insights Series

December 27, 2021

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) recently released Report One: Marketing Channel Mix During Pandemic and Outlook Moving Forward for Brand Marketers That Exhibit at B2B Exhibitions from its newest research series, Omnichannel Marketing Insights. The series details omnichannel marketing practices while the pandemic shut down the business-to-business (B2B) exhibition industry in mid-March 2020 and anticipated plans moving forward through 2022.

Along with benchmarks on the marketing channel mix used during the pandemic, it assesses the extent by which participants will return to B2B exhibitions and whether needs and preferences will shift in any way. Report One summarizes overall findings from the exhibitor perspective. Results indicate the outlook for the B2B exhibition industry is strong among exhibiting companies that have used the channel pre-COVID-19.

“This report is a must-have for organizers looking for benchmarks and insights to help position their in-person B2B exhibitions for 2022,” said Nancy Drapeau, vice president of research for CEIR. “Exhibitors are intent on returning to exhibiting. The high value in using the channel to help achieve their high-priority marketing and sales objectives is the catalyst driving their return to events.”

“This report speaks to the importance of face-to-face marketing to brand marketers and buyers who attend,” added Cathy Breden, CEO of CEIR. “Digital and other channels have helped exhibiting companies and attendees meet their needs during the pandemic, though study results point to their limitations. For companies that exhibit, face-to-face marketing is an essential part of their marketing mix. They are looking forward to getting back to business in person.”

The 26-page report provides benchmarks and insights on the following:

  • Marketing channels used by exhibitors compared to what attendees relied upon during the pandemic
  • Current high-priority marketing and sales objectives of exhibiting company organizations
  • Effectiveness of channels used during the pandemic in helping achieve marketing and sales objectives
  • Marketing budget outlook for 2021 and 2022
  • B2B exhibition channel overall image/perceptions
    • Net Promoter Score (NPS)
    • Unique values of exhibiting not furnished by other marketing channels
    • Importance of face-to-face interactions at exhibitions at purchase process stages
  • B2B exhibition activity
    • Volume of exhibitions and typical booth sizes from 2019 through 2022
    • Booth staff in 2019 and plans for 2021/2022
    • Commentary on reasons for participation levels
  • Among those exhibiting in 2021 through 2022
    • Value of exhibiting to help achieve high-priority marketing and sales objectives
    • Planned use of in-person representation at international B2B exhibitions if COVID-19 persists
    • Exhibitor interest in integrating digital options into event lifecycle in next two years

Meeting Business Needs During the Pandemic

The report pointed to the following industry insights:

  • Digital dominated, with multiple digital tactics used by 87% of attendees and 94% of exhibitors.
  • Other channels used included supplier phone calls (44% of attendees and 8% of exhibitors) and direct mail (33% of attendees and 20% of exhibitors)
  • The majority of exhibitors rate channels used as effective in helping achieve most high-priority marketing and sales goals, but few assigned the highest effectiveness score.
  • The outlook for exhibiting through 2022 is strong, with 94% planning to exhibit, an expected typical booth size of 200 net square feet (NSF) and the volume of exhibiting events expected to rebound to five.

B2B exhibitions are highly valued in helping to meet marketing and sales objectives, with more than 40% assigning the highest value for helping achieve most popular high-priority marketing objectives and more than 31% assigning the highest value for helping achieve most popular high-priority sales objectives.

Report One: Marketing Channel Mix During Pandemic and Outlook Moving Forward for Brand Marketers That Exhibit at B2B Exhibitions is the first of a series of reports that CEIR is publishing based on survey research done with attendees and exhibitors. The complete Omnichannel Marketing Insights series will include:

Methodology

CEIR’s Research Council commissioned this study. To generate attendee and exhibitor samples, CEIR identified top-ranked U.S.-based exhibitions, those with at least 45,000 NSF of paid space or larger from its CEIR database, with a goal of recruiting at least one exhibition per CEIR industry sector. The end result was the recruitment of 20 B2B exhibitions, which gave CEIR permission to poll their attendees and exhibitors from the 2019 edition of their events. For the exhibitor sample, a list was also purchased from Exhibitracs’ top 250 U.S. trade show list for 2019 events.

Online surveys were fielded from July to early August 2021 generating samples of 1,799 attendee surveys and 316 exhibitor surveys. The response rate for each audience is one percent. To project results to attendees and exhibitors in general, results of each sample have been weighted to the distribution of number of attendees and number of exhibiting companies in 2019, as defined by the 2021 CEIR Index.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.