Connect, network and engage

Face-to-face is a vital form of personal business interactions and emergence of new relationships. How else can there be targeted sales meetings presenting your brand to thousands in your core markets? Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director – Middle East, Arabian Travel Market & IBTM Arabia, tells more…

In a world swamped by easy-toignore marketing and advertising messages, businesses are constantly looking for new ways to engage customers. Yet, those in the Middle East who have embraced the oldest form of business communication – face-to-face — are increasingly achieving some of their biggest successes at trade events.

Advances in accurate business pairing
At IBTM, we’ve spent the last 30 years as the events industry’s trusted ‘right-hand’, helping conference and event organisers from around the globe make connections, discover new technologies and learn about the cuttingedge innovations they need to create world-class events. We have developed considerable expertise in pairing our suppliers with businesses they can help, and the recent rapid advances in technology have enabled a step change in our capabilities. Over 2,700 meetings took place during the three-day event at IBTM Arabia 2018, between a select one-to-one buyer-to-supplier ratio of 150 attendees. Returning in March 2019, the event features a full programme of pre-planned business meetings as well as a series of knowledge sessions on the latest industry developments.

Making connections
Trade events are filled with potential clients and partners — people who can help your business in different ways. To develop, progress or become more prominent are popular reasons why businesses choose to engage the market through trade shows. Through our research, we have identified distinct motivations driving seven behaviours. Understanding these different behaviour types can help you tailor your strategy to reach as many people as possible during an event. These includetargeting, fishing, building, reconnecting, learning, socialising and exploring.

Meeting Influencers
The speakers at the event are among the most active professionals in the industry. A trade event gives you a good opportunity to meet, connect and develop mutually-beneficial long-term relationships and partnerships with them.

Beyond trade benefits
People come to trade events with open minds. They come to discover new ideas, new venues and destinations, cuttingedge technology, equipment and software, inspiration from suppliers and knowledge and skills from expertise-led conference sessions. With so many industry professionals from different backgrounds, trade events are abuzz with thoughts and opinions on hot topics, trends, opportunities and challenges.
With demand for greater Return On Investment (ROI), we’ve worked hard to make exhibiting at IBTM Arabia cost-effective to display your products, generate international sales leads, develop relationships, gain valuable exposure and discover new business opportunities.

(The views expressed are solely of the author. The publication may or may not subscribe to the same.)