If your company has made the decision to pull out of trade shows for the first half of the year, you’re not alone. Only 45,000 people attended CES 2022 in person, about one-quarter of the 170,000 that attended in 2020. Many shrunk their presence considerably while some big names did not exhibit at all, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, among others.
Next up is Mobile World Congress 2022, the industry’s largest event for mobile, wireless, and IoT infrastructure, devices, software and services. While organizers have decided the show must go on, expect to see lower attendance numbers and a more limited presence from North American companies, media and analysts than in years’ past. However, even if you’re not planning to attend in person, you can still capitalize on the natural buzz that surround shows like MWC.
Stuck at home or sending a much smaller group than usual? Here are three things you can do to amp up your company’s presence at MWC and the rest of your 2022 slate of events, without leaving the comfort of home:
- Make an announcement. You don’t always need to announce news that corresponds with the timing of a trade show, and it’s true that sometimes smaller announcements may get lost in the shuffle at bigger shows. But if the timing is right and the news is big enough, a news announcement can help keep you engaged with reporters and editors, both those attending the show and those manning the fort at home. Many North American reporters have indicated they are not attending MWC 2022, so they will be looking at news associated with the show before, during and after the event. Worried about getting lost in the shuffle? Wait a week or two after the event until the reporters have cleared their desks and make your announcement then.
- Stay active on social media. Even if you’re sending a downsized team, they are not likely to have time to socialize news from the show floor. You can help stay active on the social media front. Not sure what to post? Here are some ideas:
- Tweet about what your company, its partners and customers are demonstrating at the show, events they’re hosting, speaking slots, parties, etc. In other words, tell them where they can find your company’s representatives if they’re attending.
- Make sure to use appropriate hashtags, such as #IoT, #mobile #wireless and #MWC22, for maximum exposure.
- Tweet or retweet interesting facts/quotes from the keynotes and sessions as they are streaming live.
- Follow #MWC22 and @GSMA and retweet interesting storylines from exhibitors and attendees.
- Partner up. If you don’t plan a booth, or only have 1-2 executives or sales team members going to “walk the floor,” touch base with your partners to see how you can best support them during the show. They might be open to hosting joint appointments with customers, media or analysts on their implementation of your product. While some customers may shy away from revealing your company as its “secret sauce,” others might be open to the suggestion if you can bring something interesting to the table. That conversation might open the doors to other opportunities outside of MWC as well.
You might not be attending MWC, but you can still put your best foot forward. The work you put in for this show can translate over to the rest of your 2022 show schedule.
Want to learn more about how your company can take advantage of shows like MWC as an attendee instead of an exhibitor? Contact Calysto today.