3 minute read
Why are trade shows so important?
Julie Driscoll
Why are trade shows so important?
Julie Driscoll, Managing Director of Retail & Fashion at Hyve Group plc, looks ahead to Autumn Fair and explains why she believes doing business face-to-face is crucial
If the last year showed us anything benefi cial it is how much people and businesses have missed face to face networking and it has given the industry a fresh appetite for physical shows. After the initial appeal of online meetings faded, the reality hit home that nothing quite beats the excitement and anticipation of entering a show brimming with new innovations and inspiring products, and of walking up to a stand and seeing, touching, and experiencing products in your hands.
When you spend the day at a trade show you feel part of a community, you meet new brands and designers creating incredible things, you re-connect with people who run established and successful businesses, you explore and discover and come away with a renewed energy and excitement for the forthcoming season. The possibilities for business relationships and collaborations are endless.
The inevitable move to a more digital way forward now sits comfortably alongside physical shows and o ers complementary and year-round added value and benefi ts. We have seen how popular this has been with the launch of the Online Marketplace. However, the networking opportunities of a physical show really are unparalleled anywhere else. And, with the convenience and coste ectiveness of so many brands and products under one roof, trade shows will continue to be a crucial place to do business. It is a bit of a no-brainer if I’m honest.
At Autumn Fair we are really putting the spotlight on the return to face-to-face networking. The new community-focused Curated Meetings programme launches and will connect prequalifi ed buyers who are actively sourcing with relevant highquality suppliers through prescheduled one-to-one meetings. This is a highly e ective and time-e cient way to discover new brands and products. The much-loved and inspirational partnership with Theo Paphitis’ Small Business Sunday Pavilion returns even bigger this season, showcasing new and unique products from 15 ambitious startups and small businesses.
As the shape of retailing changes so are the needs of buyers. The burgeoning ‘lifestyle’ sector is growing, garden centres are becoming the new department stores and this generates endless cross buying opportunities. Lifestyle retailers are looking for trusted, coste ective environments to fulfi l a large proportion of their buy. Moda, also known as the National Footwear Show, co-locates with Autumn Fair, o ering visitors the most comprehensive and inspirational curated line-up of fashion, footwear, accessories, and jewellery, all delivered across easy to navigate key shopping destinations: Home, Gift, Fashion, Design & Source.
Autumn Fair is set to be the largest Home & Gift show in the UK and the largest Gift and Fashion gathering in the whole of Europe, and we are delighted to be the only show for so many great brands. We have made our website super easy to navigate and you can search by brand, product category as well as for Sustainable and Made in Britain brands.
We have worked tirelessly to put our Safe & Secure guidelines in place to help our exhibitors and visitors feel confi dent about attending events once again. There is huge pent-up demand and quite rightly we are providing clear information on the detail. These guidelines leave no doubt about what exhibitors and visitors can expect on site. With our longstanding heritage and experience, we can deliver a trusted platform and inspirational marketplace for physical business to take place again. The show really is going to the best place to buy this Autumn.
Autumn Fair takes place at the NEC Birmingham on 5-8 September 2021. Visitors can register to attend and exhibitors can apply to be part of the show.
