Global event producer RX recently released the findings of its Customer Mindset Tracking Survey, developed by the RX Global Digital Insights team, which aimed to gain a better understanding of its customers’ mindsets and challenges in the post-pandemic event landscape.
The survey results confirm that face-to-face events are a top priority for RX customers, with 78 percent of businesses who participated indicating that trade shows offer them unique value that cannot be created elsewhere — up from 68 percent in RX’s 2021 survey.
Top challenges that remain for exhibitors, according to the survey, are maintaining contact with existing customers, government restrictions, reduced sales, and filling staff vacancies. On the visitor side, top challenges are similar and include reduced sales, keeping on top of new market/product trends, and budget cuts due to uncertainty.
The company notes that many of its returning events in 2022, including FEICON and in-cosmetics Global, enjoyed higher turnouts than the respective 2019 editions, indicating that attendees and exhibitors in various markets are eager to get back out there. These statistics also stand in contrast to many other events still struggling with lower post-pandemic attendance.
RX has also added new digital and data analytics tools to enhance the exhibitor and visitor experience at in-person events, which will be a key differentiator for events moving forward as data and proving ROI becomes more important than ever.
In terms of the biggest opportunity for growth this year, 64 percent of exhibitors and 61 percent of visitors believe it’s meeting new buyers or clients. Sourcing new products and expansion through new territories and new verticals came in second and third, respectively.
“The research confirms that there is a strong desire among exhibitors and visitors to grow their businesses and expand to new products and markets,” said Gaby Appleton, Chief Digital Product Officer for RX. “RX is well-positioned to help them do this, not only through our global portfolio of face-to-face events, but also through our digital lead generation, networking, meeting and brand promotion tools.”