Modern B2B events need to deliver more than footfall. As expectations around measurable ROI increase, what should sponsors and exhibitors expect from the event organiser?
Old-school business-to-business exhibitions were simple: the show floor was a prime location to strike up unexpected conversations and breathe life into a new idea, relationship, or commercial opportunity. That hasn’t necessarily changed, but the journey from office to convention centre has become more complicated.
Today, companies are up against tighter budgets and increasing pressure to demonstrate returns on investment – making in-person events harder to justify when meaningful commercial outcomes are left largely to chance.
No matter how attractive their stands look, sponsors and exhibitors cannot guarantee the traditional format will connect them with the right brand owners, retailers or decision-makers. Footfall is no longer a fail-safe metric.
Substance has become the deciding factor: the value of new connections, the number and quality of business meetings, and whether any of it translates into a continued relationship after the event ends.
That isn’t to say exhibition spaces are a thing of the past. But a model that places almost all the responsibility for success on the exhibitor – their position in the hall, the appeal of their stand and the chance that a sought-after customer passes by is starting to feel outdated.
Event organisers have a bigger role to play in creating ROI.
From possibility to intent
Networking is at the heart of the Sustainable Packaging Summit. As the official organizer, Packaging Europe recognizes our role in maximizing value from the outset.
Because we know who is attending, their roles, organisations and interests, we have an opportunity to do more than simply create an environment in which valuable connections might happen.
This doesn’t mean replacing the exhibition floor. It means complementing it with more intentional opportunities to connect – from curated introductions and pre-arranged meetings to themed networking and informal social environments.
At Sustainable Packaging Summit, these changing expectations have prompted us to rethink our own approach – including the role we play in connecting partners with the people they actually want to meet.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll share more about what’s changed.
Because the future of B2B events isn’t about eliminating exhibition spaces. It’s about creating an event where the right conversations are far less likely to be left to chance.
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