Same old B2B events? How to stand out.
At Velo, we’re big believers in B2B events – but only when they’re done well.
When done badly, they’re a costly sponge. A glossy presence that eats up time, budget and goodwill. But when done well? They can do more than generate leads. They can fuel brand awareness, support ABM, enable sales conversations, and set up your whole year for success.
That’s especially true in the niche sectors we work in every day – where specialist publications are shrinking in number, online communities are fragmented, and trade shows remain one of the few places your buyers, partners and peers come together in one place.
But here’s the catch: most stands still look, sound, and feel the same. Before we dive into show strategy, let’s pause to recognise something crucial: B2B events aren’t just about brand presence or pipeline. In niche sectors, they’re community lifelines.
Where once trade journals and industry forums gave professionals a place to connect, learn and share, many of those touchpoints are shrinking or disappearing. Specialist publications are in decline. Online platforms are fragmented. And for many industries – from precision engineering to professional services — events are now the place to meet new people, catch up with peers, and keep tabs on what’s changing.
That means exhibitions are more than marketing opportunities. They’re industry glue. They connect the people who make up your niche. They support peer-to-peer learning. They generate serendipitous encounters. And for many attendees, it’s one of the only times they get out from behind the screen and into the real-world buzz of what’s next.
If your event presence blends into the crowd, don’t be surprised when your leads do the same.
Make your gimmick match your message
You’ve seen it all before: the branded beanbag toss, the popcorn machine, the putting green, the Scalextric – some of the devices used to grab attention look great. The Hyfire stand at the FSE event especially looks very striking,
Yet they have been done before and you must ask yourself – are they pulling in the right kind of attention?
The best stand ‘gimmicks’ don’t just entertain. They connect. They reflect what you do and why you’re there. A coffee machine on a Facilities Management stand? Smart. A putting green for a cybersecurity platform? Maybe less so.
At the Fire Safety Show, a device by Apollo Fire Detectors which was a competition to see who could fit the most Detectors within 60 seconds is both fun, engaging and reinforces an important message.
Ask yourself: does it support your story or distract from it? Does it speak to your target audiences or is it just fun?
Don’t just show up. Show it off.
There’s still nothing like seeing your product in action — especially when there’s a bit of noise, movement, or surprise involved.
Live demos, smoke simulations, even destructive testing all tap into that irresistible “what’s going on over there?” moment. If you can get people to stop, you’ve got a better chance of starting a real conversation.
Let visitors get hands-on. It’s memorable, and it makes your benefits tangible.
At the security show, a particularly impressive use of space was by BRE, who had barricaded a stand space to conduct live and noisy demos. Of what? The robustness of products going through their testing program. There is nothing quite as magnetic as watching a man with a hammer attack a steel door to get across the rigour in the testing and the structural strength of the product. Bravo.
Use your space with purpose
From double-height LED temples to modest shell schemes, there are two camps in stand design. But regardless of budget or build, your stand should be:
- Purposeful: not just pretty. Create clear areas for demos, meetings, and quick chats.
- Efficient: use every inch, including walls and corners, to reinforce your message.
- Appropriate: looking to have meetings, have a meeting area.
- Accessible: make it easy for the right people to find what they need – whether that’s a conversation or a QR code that links to an in-depth whitepaper for those conducting research.
Consider those researching anonymously. Can your stand serve self-educators as well as sales-ready visitors? Make sure your stand graphics explain what you do, why you do it and who you do it for. Speaking of positioning…
Nail your positioning and engagement
It’s not just about where you are in the hall – it’s how you act once you’re there.
Without doubt, some spaces experience quieter footfall than others. But you know what you have bought from the floor plan. In quieter places the need to be more willing to engage and filter people is more important than nearer the front, where fast profiling is vital.
Be visible, be proactive, and don’t be afraid to strike up conversations. Visitors are often willing to speak to those who speak to them. And with B2B audiences in a niche, often one conversation could pay off the entire cost of the exhibition.
Talk to the right people. Not just all the people.
Here’s where many teams fall short: visitor profiling.
You’ve got a few minutes – max – to figure out who’s worth a longer chat and who just wants a pen. That means your team needs a plan. A short set of qualifying questions. A slick way to code each visitor (digitally or otherwise). And a route for hot leads to get follow-up immediately. No more guessing games.
Less stuff. More substance.
Today’s B2B event goer is less interested in branded stress balls and more interested in how you’ll solve their business problems. Bring fewer brochures. Offer more links, use QR codes and interactive screens to let people dive deeper their way.
It’s another chance to stand out by being considered and useful – not just giving away clutter.
In summary: Be relevant. Be real. Be remembered.
Trade shows, exhibitions and industry events aren’t going anywhere – and nor should they.
But in niche sectors especially, they can’t be treated as a box-ticking exercise. They are often the biggest single marketing investment a company makes each year. And when poorly planned, they can quietly suck up budget, time and energy better spent elsewhere.
At Velo, we believe B2B events should earn their keep. They should drive relevance, not just presence. They should bring people together – not just passers-by. And they should be part of a joined-up, long-term strategy that delivers real value.
So next time you exhibit, don’t aim to just ‘show up’. Show off what makes you great. With purpose. With energy. With confidence.
We dive deeper into the value of face-to-face in Make memories with events – how experience-led marketing builds lasting loyalty.
And if you need a partner to help bring your event strategy to life, we know a few people…
