The global health crisis is still spreading and the impact on trade shows and businesses relying on them is heavy.
This year the majority of trade shows are being cancelled or postponed to another year slowing down activities and good financial health for attendees and hosts.
Those events were unmissable for many companies and they’re wondering how to generate leads to help grow their business, meet relevant buyers or suppliers to develop new relationships and activity.
“Covid will not stop top export managers, retail category managers and importers/Distributors to expand their business.
Consumer trends are changing fast, offering innovating brands, private label makers and retailers new opportunities to grow their sales and differentiate from the competition.”
Pierre Asséo, Co-Founder and CEO @ Wabel
Figuring out new ways to meet potential partners
Companies are used to meeting prospects and potential partners in person but Covid-19 is making it impossible.
While going digital thanks to different technologies out there has been adopted for a while now, switching to online events is another conversation.
But the topic is now getting very attractive since physical events are restricted due to the global pandemic.
Digital B2B one-to-one meetings: the new way
A second wave isn’t out of the question and people do not want to travel. It means that even though some trade shows are not cancelled it doesn’t ensure that all participants will show up.
No need to travel to participate in digital meetings which will secure your appointments, all while reducing your carbon footprint.
What to expect from digital events?
Get a personalized event experience, matched to relevant players of your industry and pre-scheduled meetings in advance.
Access to digital content from industry experts. Large number of educational sessions and even keynote, available on-demand to diverse audiences who can choose among more sessions than they would be able to attend in-person at a live event.
Extend the face-to-face meetings possibilities
Digital events are about hundreds of meetings happening, but also about participants getting the most of it!
Physical event’s possibilities are limited, but it isn’t quite the case when it comes to digital events.
Lower cost: meet more without spending a draw-dropping budget. Meeting as many participants as one wishes will not increase the participation fee.
Participating in an online event will also prevent overhead costs: no traveling, hotel and restaurant spending are involved.
Time efficiency: companies can do more business in less time. Those timed encounters make participants go straight to the point multiplying their efficiency.
Pre-matched meetings will allow companies to meet relevant players to their industry right down to their specific categories of activity. No unnecessary meetings involved here, only ones that can make a business grow.
Wabel and its Online B2B Smart Meetings™
For 8 years now, Wabel has been facilitating FMCG buyer and supplier relationships by combining digital technology and physical face to face events.
Now that face-to-face events cannot take place, Wabel has prioritised the development of online events for 2020 and has added more video conferencing capabilities to its digital platform.
All our online Summit events in Food, Drinks, Wine & Spirits, Beauty, Personal Care and Home Care both in Brands and Private Label will be going ahead this autumn. Despite the postponement of major food and beauty trade shows, buyers and suppliers can leverage on Wabel online technologies, curation and human touch to meet and do business.
Buyer and supplier B2B Smart Meetings™ are arranged using Wabel’s Tango Matching Engine, a matchmaking technology taking into account both buyer and supplier preferences to maximize chances of successful business cooperation.
The first online business meetings we organised demonstrated that people do not have to meet face to face to place orders.
On branded products, when the first online meeting generates interest on both sides, samples can be sent, prices agreed and we’ve seen that buyers will place orders.
On private label, the process is a little different, but the beauty of these 20-minute online meetings is that large retailers can bring not only buyers but also product, marketing and quality executives. On the other side, suppliers can bring representatives from the R&D and quality departments alongside the sales team.
Wabel online summits are accelerating the whole decision-making process compared to the traditional physical approach.
More than 300 suppliers and 350 buyers from the largest retail chains, as well as distributors and importers, have already committed to our program of Summits this autumn and many more look set to join.
