Events and the Industrial Purchase Process

As digital and artificially created marketing volume increases, a strong “you can’t fake a handshake” sentiment persists amongst an industrial manufacturing community that values face-to-face interaction to interact with people, products and processes.

This sentiment is evident in the 2025-2026 Industrial Buying Influence report which reveals live and in-person events as an essential component of the industrial purchase process and industrial marketing mix. Industrial buyers rely on tradeshows and conferences to discover and evaluate product and service solutions, particularly during the early and mid-stage of their buying journey.

Here we take a closer look specifically at the importance of events – including tradeshows and conferences and supplier and distributor open houses – through their role and usage as an information resource, purchase process influencer, advertising vehicle, content channel and lead acquisition tool.

Inside the Numbers

Events as a Resource

• Tradeshows / conferences return as the 2^nd most used resource for getting product and process information; Supplier / Distributor Open Houses ranked 6^th
• Tradeshows / conferences return as 3^rd most used resource for making purchase decisions; Supplier / Distributor Open Houses ranked 7^th
  • Tradeshows / conferences play a primary role in each stage of the purchase process, but are primarily early and mid-stage influencers
  • Supplier / Distributor Open Houses showed less impact during early buying stage but become a more notable influencer during mid and late stage buying

Events and Advertising

• Tradeshows / conferences are the #1 most effective advertising channel for forming or reinforcing a positive impression of a supplier/vendor

In which of the following sources, if any, does advertising and marketing for a specific supplier/vendor typically form or reinforce for you positive impressions of the supplier/vendor advertised?
Source: 2026 Industrial Buying Influence Report

Events and Content Marketing

• Tradeshows / conferences ranked as the 2^nd most effective content marketing resource for forming or reinforcing a positive impression of a supplier/vendor.

Events and Lead Generation

• Scanning their badge at a tradeshow is the 2^nd most likely way for a prospective buyer to show interest in being contacted by a sales representative
• Upon having their badge scanned, buyers prefer to be contacted 2-3 days after the event ends; preferably by email; no more than 3 times

Maximize Your Event ROI

Your event presence is the unique combination of your company’s personality, culture, knowledge base, and solutions. Following are four takeaways for maximizing your event ROI.

• Content – Increase exhibit value by investing in content creation, before, during, and after the event. First, attendees view events as a research opportunity. Be sure you have solutions-based content available in your booth in some combination of live demonstrations and presentations; applications and success stories; case studies or white papers; and, in-booth subject matter experts. Second, use the event as an opportunity to create content to package and share long after you leave the show floor. Photos, videos, research, customer testimonials, and interviews all make for great post-event content.

• Advertising – In recent years, in-person events have become more than just marketing channels—increasingly buyers are forming more positive impressions of those companies who exhibit. That impact comes partly from the event format itself, but also from the credibility gained through active participation and visible commitment to the industry. An opportunity exists to extend that brand awareness benefit by investing in pre-show, onsite and post-show advertising and sponsorship opportunities. These activities reinforce brand message, drive attendees to your booth, and often carry beyond the event itself, reaching broader audiences throughout the entire show cycle.

• Lead Nurturing – Event registrants have specific preferences for post-show follow-up. They expect to see brand and content forward advertising from exhibitors. For those badges you scan, know that follow-up timing is important. Buyers indicate 2-3 days after the event as the optimal time to follow up, with email being the preferred channel. Our recommendation is 2-3 personalized, content-based follow-ups complemented by an office phone call. If no response, allowing some time to laps before reengagement efforts is advised.

• Audience Extension – Even the biggest events reach only a portion of the total buying audience. The same marketing message you prepare for the event can be repurposed and amplified throughout the year to a larger audience. Doing so will keep your name top of customers’ minds and may increase the likelihood of engagement at future events. Keep your brand present in the market with organic and paid campaigns, to both an existing and new audience, to maintain the momentum you build up from the event.

As you develop your overall marketing strategy, consider events such as conferences, tradeshows, and open houses as central components of your mix. Realize too that the total value and impact of your event investment can be multiplied by working to maximize content creation, capitalize on high-impact advertising options, thoughtful lead follow-up and ongoing organic and paid audience extension. Those efforts are made more valuable when working with partners that can help you create the right content and match that content with engaged, first-party audiences and trusted contextual environments.

In part 2, we will examine the impact of brand awareness on the industrial purchase process.