The end of trade shows?
The cancellation of trade shows… What do we lose?
The organizers of professional salons, especially in the industry sector, had to resign themselves. The health pandemic has left the doors closed to the major events that mark the economic life of French industry. It is the bracketing of events to bring together the actors of the same field in the same place, at the same time.
Let’s take the example of the International Air and Space Show (SIAE), which takes place every two years at Le Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis) in which, for 7 days, all the players in the global aeronautics and space industry come together around the latest technological innovations:
- The inauguration is made by the President of the Republic.
- The event is covered by 2,700 accredited journalists from 87 countries.
- There are more than 300,000 visitors, including 140,000 professionals.
- $140 billion in contract orders.
How do I replace such an event?
Of course, most salons are a long way from these numbers. These smaller events may benefit from an equally effective digital alternative. But which ones?
Summary
- DIGITAL ALTERNATIVES
- THE DIGITAL EVENEMENTS // To keep the link.
- Virtual living room
- Rendezvous B to B
- Webinar
- Live
- Marketplace
- MARKETING ACTIONS // To stand out.
- Inbound marketing
- Sponsored campaigns
- THE DIGITAL EVENEMENTS // To keep the link.
- At ICM Industry, OUR EXPERIENCE RETOUR
THE ALTERNATIVES
Virtual interaction // to keep the link.
Virtual living room
A virtual trade show, also known as an online trade show, or web show, is an event on the internet. It reproduces the functioning of a traditional physical salon with exchanges of information, with participants from all over the world.
We find the company stands, conferences, appointments B to B … Participants can connect with other participants and use the networking tools on the digital platform. For exhibitors accustomed to the contact and spontaneity of physical events, the virtual format is quite difficult to accept.
However, it is an increasing concept, due to the health pandemic and the digitalization of society. The benefits are many:
- less travel costs.
- a globally expanding audience.
According to a study by Tradeshow Logic, 43% of participants in a virtual trade show confirm that they no longer want to try the experience again. Blocking points for new users:
- Has prepared overly lavish virtual communication documents
- Learning how event platforms work
- Lack of participation and visibility of exhibition halls
Rendez-vous B to B
Physical business appointments are limited, if not impossible, for some companies. Virtual meetings become the new standard of appointments between a salesperson and his client.
Digital tools allow you to see and interact with your interlocutor through a digital medium such as Zoom, Hangout or Microsoft Teams.
Video conferencing is the combination of two techniques: video and video telephony, allowing you to see and interact with your interlocutor by interposing screen. You can share your screen or digital documents.
Webinar
The word Webinar is a compression of web and seminar words, created to designate all forms of interactive seminar-like meetings made via the internet. Webinar is most often positioned on technical themes to bring knowledge to prospects and customers.
The webinar allows the speaker to interact with the participants. Digital tools (chat, instant messaging, data sharing …) allow the web of these conferences to take place.
Live
The word Webinar is a compression of web and seminar words, created to designate all forms of interactive seminar-like meetings made via the internet.
Webinar is most often positioned on technical themes to bring knowledge to prospects and customers. The webinar allows the speaker to interact with the participants.
Digital tools (chat, instant messaging, data sharing …) allow the web of these conferences to take place.
Marketplace
Online marketplace is the name given to a commercial web platform that simplifies the purchase and sale of goods and services. It brings together on the same application the companies of the same professional activity. Two advantages to its use:
- High visibility with a large portfolio of prospects
- Fast and very effective targeting.
This channel is very interesting for the sale of products.
An effective website becomes essential.
The loss of visibility of companies pushes to optimize their referencing of their website on search engines.
MARKETING ACTIONS// To stand out.
Inbound marketing
Inbound marketing is based on a content creation strategy that attracts visitors to your website and blog, converting them into leads and then customers.
Sponsored campaigns
Google Ads campaigns
Google is now the most used search engine in the world, 90% of Internet users used it in 2018. So have a good referencing on google and indispensable, and Google sets the tone on the rules to put in place in the manufacture of its website to appear at the beginning of the search engine.
The google Ads, formerly Google Ad Words, is the advertising agency of Google created on October 23, 2000 in the United States. It displays ads or banner ads either on Google or on the partner network, targeted based on keywords typed by the user or according to his browsing behavior.
Advertising campaigns on social networks
With the proliferation of companies present on social networks, it becomes very difficult to obtain visibility organically. The various algorithms limit visibility, forcing companies to pay to be visible to prospects and to acquire new customers.
Since the beginning of 2019, the estimated reach is around 2% of the natural coverage on subscribers of corporate pages. It is therefore essential for companies to consider social media advertisements to gain visibility with competitors and to attract new prospects.
Advertising comes in a variety of forms:
- personalized e-mailing via social network messaging
- advertising banner or even highlighting the post.
The strength of these advertisements is the quality of targeting, guaranteed by the collection of dense and reliable data.
OUR RETURN FROM EXPERIENCE // How did ICM Industry act in this new environment ?
ICM Industry like the majority of its ecosystem had to adapt to this social distancing and the cancellation of the trade shows in which it participated every year: The SIAE at Le Bourget, the Midest (defense fairs) etc…
We relied on different alternatives:
- The redesign of our website with a lace-up via a Live;
- webinars in innovative industries;
- Participation in virtual trade shows actions on B-to-B rdv platforms;
- use of marketplaces.
Webinar
Hydrogen Composites
with the Burgundy-Franche-Comté Hydrogen Club
Intervention of Jérôme ZURBACH , specialist in composite materials – 20 years of experience in industrial applications.
On December 17, 2020.
The description of the event:
“The composite material is a solution increasingly used in many applications because of its intrinsic properties of mechanical resistance, thermal and electrical insulation and its lightness.
Take part to discover this material, a real alternative to accompany the energy transition.
The webinar was a great success:
200 companies interested in the subject, dozens of important questions and contacts have been established.
Virtual living room
AEROMART TOULOUSE #DIGITAL 2020
A global aerospace industry event.
Participation of Denis MILANDRE – our expert in Aeronautics
On December 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9, 2020.
A first for us. We cannot talk about success, but it has allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the media and to consider new resources to be more effective.
Live
the launch of our new website
on LinkedIn
Hosted by André CIXOUS – Marketing Manager
On March 4, 2021
A new exercise that made us want to start over. A nice success that gives us ideas…
