How to get the best ROI from expos

Hi, Hilde here 👋

The expo season is soon here!

Wondering how to maximize ROI from expos and trade shows?

Well, hopefully you`ll find value in this newsletter.

In this months newsletter I talk about:

• Why expos are a goldmine for market insights (beyond just sales).

• How expos can strengthen your GTM strategy and market insights.

• Questions to ask to structure your digital buyer journey.

1️⃣ Why expos are a goldmine for market insights

Let’s be honest:

The B2B buyer journey mostly happens online these days.

• 70% of B2B buyers make most of their decisions online before even reaching out to a supplier.

In other words, prioritze structuring a effective buyer journey asap!

Expos are full of energy and activity.

Especially in the seafood industry—30,000 visitors at the Barcelona Expo!

Sure, the main focus here is sales, making connections and getting your name out there.

But with the entire industry gathered in one place, expos are also a goldmine for insights.

Why does this matter?

Because you’ll need a lot of insights to improve and tailor an effective GTM strategy and digital buyer journey when you get back to the office.

Make sense?

Ok, keen on reading!

2️⃣ How expos can strengthen your GTM strategy

To create a successful Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, you need to understand each market’s needs. Every market sees problems in different ways, so getting the right insights is key.

Expos help you understand what each market needs and if your product can solve their problems.

Here’s how:

• Understand market trends & gaps: Identify mature markets ready for your solutions, key players, market size, and other critical market details.

• Gain competitive insights: Listen to the market to see what your competitors are doing well, where they fall short, and where you can stand out.

• Engage with customers: Ask questions! Identify their needs, pain points, and how they make purchasing decisions.

The more insights you collect, the better you know how to tailor the GTM strategy to each market.

3️⃣ How to structure your digital buyer journey with expos

When the foundation is set, it is time to create demand.

To effectively create demand for your products and services online, you need to understand how to tailor your messaging at each stage of the buyer journey for each market.

Expos give you the chance to structure your digital journey in alignment with your potential customers are making buying decisions.

What you should do:

• Prepare surveys or questions for booth visitors to learn about their decision-making process. Make sure you collect data such as contact information, company name, current supplier etc.

Some examples of questions to ask:

• Have you heard of us before? If so, where?

• Which channels do you use when searching for solutions?

• How easy is it for you to find the information you need when researching a supplier?

• What type of content would encourage you to engage more with a supplier? (e.g., video content, whitepapers, interactive tools)

• Is there a type of content or resource that you feel is missing from most suppliers’ websites?

• What features or services are missing from your current solution?

• What’s most important to you when choosing a supplier?

• What factors influence your decision to move forward with a supplier?

• How do you prefer to receive information about products or services?

• What would make you consider switching suppliers?

The Key Takeaway:

Expos are much more than sales events. They are essential platforms for understanding your buyers and to tailor your communication.

By focusing on gathering insights and structuring your digital buyer journey, you’ll see a better ROI in both the short and long term.

I hope you found this useful!

Let me know if you have any questions and good luck in the upoming expos!

(A humble suggestion: Make sure to pay Maritech a visit at the Boston and Barcelona Expo. Digital Demo)

- Hilde