Myth or Reality – Is Trade Show Intelligence Still a Valid Option for Competitive Intelligence Professionals?
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped our business landscape. Once, traditional trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences were at the heart of market intelligence. However, as online meeting platforms soared and remote work became widespread, these events were often considered outdated.
Yet, despite lower attendance compared to the pre-COVID era, exhibitions and trade shows continue to provide invaluable, real-time insights for competitive analysis. When executed effectively, trade show intelligence significantly bolsters your competitive data gathering.
Why Consider Trade Show Intelligence?
- Trade shows are genuine. Products and services are on display and actively presented. A microcosm of activities unfolds in real time without a safety net as multi-channel communications emerge and fade. This environment offers opportunities for intelligence validation, weak signal detection, and hypothesis generation.
- Personal interaction is paramount. In special event settings, sources are more open to communication—from brief exchanges to in-depth discussions. Although the environment is challenging, it offers significant rewards.
- Trade show intelligence is a collaborative effort. Plan your company’s approach in advance and develop your strategies with the understanding that “plans are nothing, but planning is everything.” Once you are prepared to lead a major trade show information-gathering initiative, you need not fear logistical challenges. Moreover, your team will evolve into a close-knit group.
If you want to discover what trade show intelligence can do for your company, join ICI’s Trade Show and Event Intelligence Workshops.
Related Events:
Want to stay informed?