With that in mind, consider this scenario: A professional has registered at your booth, and through a representative-led interactive application, you discover that she is familiar with your brand but has limited knowledge of your new indication. You also find that hundreds of other physicians have the same knowledge gap. How can you turn this information into action?

Take advantage of that knowledge immediately. Start by incorporating it into your coversations with exhibit attendees. Then follow-up with an e-mail that reinforces the point.

Likewise, your convention management group, along with your exhibit house, might like to know that, of all the kiosks in your exhibit, the one located in the north corner of the booth has received the greatest traffic. This information can inform booth flow and design strategies for future events.

A Different Approach

When this kind of campaign-style planning is adopted, your booths become more than just static billboards; they actively deliver the product information physicians need, connect them with your brand, and collect critical data that will better follow-up interactions with these prescribers.

While some skeptics may believe otherwise, professional events are here to stay. More than 70 percent of our survey respondents said they plan to attend the same number of events in the future, and almost 20 percent plan to attend more. Given that two-thirds of respondents expressed interest in beginning online relationships with the brands they visit at events, it makes sense to consider how to integrate your events into a broader professional relationship marketing strategy. The results could make you rethink the value of your convention presence.

Stephen Wray is president and CEO of Cadient Group. He can be reached at stephen.wray@cadient.com