Earlier this week, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)
revealed that more than half of trade show attendees prefer one-on-one interactions with exhibitors. The results of separate survey show that number to be even higher: The survey, released this week by meetings technology company Certain Inc., found that over 91 percent of meeting attendees believe attending or hosting an event with pre-scheduled, one-on-one appointments makes the event more productive for attendees and more valuable for stakeholders.
"In this metrics-driven business climate, it's critical that event organizers are able to provide measurable value for time and money spent at an event to the executive sponsors at participating organizations," said Certain Inc. CEO Peter Micciche. "One-to-one appointments fuel event productivity with scheduled 'face time.' In most cases, these one-to-one meetings result in actionable follow-up, increased probability of closed business and demonstrable ROI."
Other key survey findings:
• Fifty percent of respondents found networking the most productive component of an event, while only 35 percent of respondents viewed booth time as the most valuable.
• Forty-four percent of respondents currently measure event ROI solely against spend; 26 percent measure through self-determined before-and-after metrics; and 17 percent measure through executive feedback.
• Sixty-one percent of respondents often do not attend events because they feel they cannot adequately justify the cost.
In addition to the survey results, Certain Inc. has released an accompanying infographic and white paper on the role of appointments in defining success at meetings. The infographic visually illustrates how pre-scheduled appointments can drive more meaningful one-on-one activities between event attendees. The white paper, meanwhile, looks at the organizational objectives of event participants, and argues that event organizers who embrace one-on-one meetings will be ahead of the curve in terms of attracting and retaining the best attendees and sponsors.