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Exhibitions
are no better at avoiding it and if you can’t keep your train of thought, you’re simply not giving yourself
the best opportunity to make good business decisions.”
3. External location – more accurate perspective
An exhibition is custom-designed
to provide a broad perspective
on emerging industry trends and directions of an industry, which
can be hard to grasp in a ‘2D’ environment. In addition, the simple act of walking into a physical venue does a couple of important things which improve perspective...and lead to better outcomes.
“Firstly, you are removing yourself from your normal work environment, which immediately provides a perspective that is difficult to achieve at your desk,” Harper points out. “Stepping away from the everyday boosts your objectivity and improves your ability to realistically assess your business and evaluate potential investments.”
Secondly, as our brains respond
to physical stimuli, the very
act of placing yourself in a new environment gives your brain the cue to shift to a response that fits that environment, he says.
Above
Unexpected: Expos can reveal new opportunities
means you’re priming yourself subconsciously for more successful outcomes. Primed to learn, we are able to absorb information more effectively. Primed to identify new ideas, we are better able to spot innovations and think creatively about their application. And the expectation of making valuable new connections actually makes us more effective at seeking out people with whom we would like to do business.”
4. Improved connection – better decision making
Connecting with people, of course, is one of the most often-cited benefits of expos and events, and there’s no question that it’s easier to connect and build rapport in person, because we have well-established rituals to follow and can pick up non-verbal cues.
“Good partnerships between suppliers and businesses are vital
to ongoing success,” Harper says, “and exhibitions are the ideal place to connect and collaborate with the right people – not just sales people, but product experts – and to build relationships which can support your future business success.
“Rather than simply place an enquiry, shows like PacPrint provide the opportunity to have in-depth
conversations about your specific situation and an exhibitor’s full portfolio of solutions. Good decision- making also involves not only taking on board information, but balancing that with our attitudes, feelings and intuition. In-person interactions are more effective at integrating all these elements.”
5. Incidental opportunities – unexpected benefits
Finally, physical events provide
the benefits of serendipity – those chance encounters, discoveries and conversations which can introduce unexpected, but often valuable, new ideas, insights and perspectives.
“Feedback from our trade show visitors consistently notes the importance of chance conversations and discoveries, often calling
them ‘game changers’,” Harper
says. “A virtual show doesn’t
provide the opportunity for these incidental encounters or ‘off-track’ conversations. That has to be done in real life.”
All in all, while virtual meetings and events have tided us over the past couple of years, the benefits of face-to-face events are clear – and Harper says the market is keen to take advantage of those benefits at PacPrint and its co-located shows.
“Far from dampening enthusiasm for physical trade shows, Covid seems to have made both exhibitors and visitors even more enthusiastic about attending,” he says, “so we’re expecting a bumper event!”
PacPrint 2021 will be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from Tuesday 28 June to Friday 1 July 2022. To register, go to www.pacprint.com.au or to reserve one of the remaining exhibition stands, contact Peter Harper at peterh@visualconnections.org.au 21
“For trade show visitors, that
22 Print21 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
The 5 Key Benefits of In-Person Expos
1. More Value – Less Energy
2. Better Focus –
Improved Outcomes
3. External Location –
More Accurate Perspective
4. Improved Connection – Better Decision Making
5. Incidental Opportunities – Unexpected Benefits