Performance Marketing

Traditional Trade Shows and Live Events Are Returning—and Better This Time

They're set to be engaging and effective

traditional-events-returning-better-2021 — Whether hybrid or fully virtual, the “new breed” of trade show also breaks down some of the barriers that exist when thousands of people converge in person, expecting to make valuable contacts and meet new prospects.Mathis Wienand/Getty Images

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When the pandemic began in March 2020, one of the first industries to take a hit was business travel. Trade shows and other live events quickly followed in a world where large gatherings of any kind were considered a health risk. Within a few months, we began to see virtual events sprouting up online as an alternative to face-to-face shows.

As that trend matured, and as event organizers honed their virtual approaches, it looks like these online events are here to stay.