In today's world of independent research and digital-first discovery, B2B buyers often complete 70% of their buying journey before even speaking with a salesperson. This approach can be reassuring in its cold pursuit of hyper-efficiency – "Just the facts, ma'am" – and brands are responding, often offering 10 different channels or more for customer interaction. Despite this increasingly decentralized nature of B2B sales, there's still no substitute for the face-to-face trust-building that happens at in-person events.
And the industry knows it: According to studies conducted by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), 99% of marketers found value from in-person shows that they did not get from other channels. This is likely due to the engaged, tactile nature of shows. On average, 81% of trade show attendees have buying authority.
Michelle Edmonson, vice president of exhibitions at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, the organizer of IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, says, "Trade shows remain one of the most effective ways to build your brand. In a world that’s increasingly digital, there’s simply no substitute for face-to-face conversations. People want to buy from companies and people they know and trust."
Trade shows like IMTS – the largest manufacturing technology show in the Western Hemisphere – remain one of the most powerful tools in a marketing leader’s arsenal – not just for lead generation but also for building a brand that sells for you long after the show floor closes.
Beyond Lead Gen: How Events Shape Brand Equity
Marketers often view trade shows purely as lead-gen vehicles, but that leaves opportunity (and ROI) on the table. A visible presence at major events signals strength, credibility, and market leadership.
Tom Sheridan, president of Royal Products (IMTS booth #431622), notes: “Elevating the brand is one of the most important and often overlooked parts of industrial marketing. Lead generation is critical, but brand building creates trust across the buying team, even before the first conversation. A strong brand is always working for you.”
But in-person events cannot be treated as a stand-alone tactic. To realize the full value of your investment, they must fit into a broader marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals, ideal customer profile, and channel mix.
Below is a six-step process to evaluate the fit and determine the right path for your company.
Step 1: Start With Organizational Goals and Your Ideal Customer Profile
Begin by clarifying your high-level organizational objectives. Are you:
Entering a new industry vertical?
Launching a new product line?
Focused on growing revenue with existing customers?
Trying to reduce churn or improve retention?
Once your priorities are clear, define your ideal customer profile (ICP). Consider:
Firmographics:
What are their industries, company sizes, or geographies?
Behavioral traits:
What are their buying cycle lengths, information sources, or pain points?
Buying team makeup:
Which roles are involved, and what does each care about?
For capital equipment and complex solutions, buying teams are often large and include engineering, manufacturing, operations, finance, and executive stakeholders. Each has unique priorities. If you only focus on purchasing, you are too late – your competitors have likely already shaped the conversation.
This understanding will guide not just your event participation but your entire channel strategy.
Step 2: Determine Your Channel Mix
With your ICP defined, analyze where they go for information and how they make decisions. Ask yourself:
Where do they look for solutions like ours?
How do they prefer to consume information (e.g., short videos, articles, newsletters, in-person)?
Which channels do they avoid or distrust?
If your ICP attends events like IMTS to evaluate solutions and you are not present, you are absent from a critical stage of their buying process. Your competitors may be capturing mindshare and positioning themselves as the default choice.
Step 3: Understand the Role of Trade Shows
Trade shows support both immediate and long-term marketing objectives, delivering a one-two punch of short-term lead generation and long-term brand-building.
Lead generation:
Events create concentrated opportunities to capture qualified leads. Exhibitors at IMTS collectively capture over 380,000 leads per show cycle. Many are in active buying cycles.
Brand building:
Trade shows reinforce your position in the market. Roughly 50% of IMTS attendees are new every cycle, providing exposure to a fresh audience. IMTS is a rare chance to get in front of new prospects, strengthen perception with existing customers, and reinforce your positioning alongside competitors.
A strong brand is always working for you, influencing distributors, suppliers, media, and end-users long after the booth has been dismantled.
"Every interaction at a trade show contributes to our brand,” Sheridan says. “Even if someone doesn’t buy today, the impression we leave can influence decisions months down the line. That’s why investing in brand presence is just as critical as capturing leads."
Step 4: Choose the Right Events
Not all events are equal. Consider:
Audience profile:
Do attendees match your ICP?
Buyer intent:
Are they actively seeking solutions?
Timing:
How long after the event do attendees typically buy?
Competitive presence:
Will you be conspicuously absent if you skip?
For example, IMTS attracts a concentrated audience of buyers looking for solutions. The vast majority of attendees – 91% – report discovering new ideas and products at IMTS, and a significant percentage purchase or plan to purchase based on what they see at the show. Many attendees discovered solutions that they had not even known existed prior to attending.
For exhibitors like Tim Thiessen, senior vice president – sales and marketing at Okuma America Corp. (IMTS booth #338500), IMTS is an incredibly efficient use of his company’s resources.
“IMTS is our opportunity to showcase both our products and services to the world,” he says. “And we get to do that in just one week. So rather than me going around and meeting all these customers over the course of years, I get the opportunity to meet with tens of thousands of customers all at once.”
Step 5: Maximize ROI With a Before, During, and After Plan
Create a plan to effectively maximize your investment before, during, and after the show.
Before the Show: Build Momentum
Create a five- to six-month campaign runway that includes:
Exhibitor resources: Leverage the IMTS exhibitor e-Kit for templates, social media graphics, and planning tools.
Data access: Use IMTS Exhibitor Passport to connect with prospects before they arrive on-site. Passport includes two full show cycles of attendee data, making it easier to target engaged contacts.
Digital showroom: Build a compelling digital showroom with product details, demos, and CTAs. Attendees use this tool to plan their visit months in advance.
Preshow outreach: Run targeted email campaigns, create preshow videos, and encourage prospects to schedule meetings.
Sponsorships: Evaluate sponsorship opportunities to reach niche audiences or gain premium visibility.
Consistency is key. Align booth design, sales team training, and campaign messaging to create a seamless experience from a customer’s first touchpoint to the show floor.
During the Show: Drive Engagement
While lead retrieval is the primary goal, look for opportunities to grow brand equity and capture content for future campaigns:
Use IMTS lead retrieval tools to scan every qualified visitor.
Share live updates on social media and tag the event to increase reach.
Record short-form videos and demos in the booth for postshow content.
Take advantage of on-site media opportunities, such as sponsored interviews or event coverage.
After the Show: Follow Up and Extend Impact
The postshow period is where ROI is won or lost. Focus on:
Fast follow-up: Reach out to leads while interest is still high.
Lead nurture: Build tailored campaigns for different buyer roles.
Content repurposing: Turn booth demos, photos, and interviews into ongoing marketing assets.
Extended outreach: Use IMTS Exhibitor Passport to connect with attendees who match your ICP but did not visit your booth.
Step 6: Measure Your Impact
Track both short- and long-term metrics:
Lead metrics:
Number of leads, conversion rates, revenue generated.
Audience match:
Percentage of attendees who fit your ICP.
Brand awareness:
Growth in social followers, web traffic, press coverage, and distributor engagement.
For best results, build a full-funnel attribution model that measures how events contribute to pipeline, revenue, and brand lift over time.
Trade shows like IMTS remain one of the most valuable investments for industrial marketers – not only for generating leads but also for building a brand that accelerates future sales. With a thoughtful strategy before, during, and after the event, your trade show presence can fuel growth for months, even years, to come.
Save the date for IMTS 2026, which will take place from Sept. 14 to 19 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Explore exhibitor resources, or connect with me to discuss how to maximize your event ROI.
