The first Data Protection World Forum (DPWF) trade show was a two-day affair (20th & 21st November). The event offered attendees seminars talks, business exposure and a valuable insight into GDPR. During this event, a survey (152 responses) was undertaken by Now Communications in order to find out which were the most popular groups represented, how much people knew about GDPR and what the attendees gained. If you work in data privacy then you definitely missed out BIG by not attending the DPWF trade show! More than half of the respondents worked in data privacy. Interestingly, a number of people continued to express their confusion about the GDPR principles throughout the event. Nevertheless, respondents agreed that their GDPR journey was essential for future business success.
Businesses That Stopped the Traffic!
Make Sure Your Stand Stands Out
Businesses such as Sponge and EchoWorx opted to attract attendees with their creative posters and colourful designs. Keepabl, Crownpeak, and Senseon relied on their knowledgeable staff to educate on-lookers.
Everyone Loves a Freebie
CyberTalks used their giveaways (pick n mix sweets) to lure passersby to their stand, although they fell short in the branding of them thereby trailing behind rivals with a bigger brand presence.
It was refreshing to see different giveaways being offered across the stands. There were competitions available for attendees to win a drone from DataRails or an Amazon Echo from Dataguise. There were also opportunities to take home ever-useful freebies such as pens and mugs.
Taster Sessions Are Valuable
Interestingly, Trust Hub was able to pull in a crowd because of their unique demos and seminar presentation (delivered by their director Simon Loopuit). Attendees were interested in learning about how dedicated privacy management tools provide a return on investment.
Choose Your Spot Wisely
From a strategic standpoint, the positioning of each stand had a significant impact on foot traffic. Businesses such as OneTrust and Nymity benefited from being positioned at the entrance. Also, businesses positioned next to seminar theatres welcomed a lot of interest. On the other hand, stands positioned on the outskirts of the hall received the least amount of foot traffic.
Heat map layout highlights most visited stalls in red and orange and least visited stalls in green and yellow.
Final Thoughts…
Due to the packed programme of seminar sessions, some exhibitors felt they were unable to have in-depth discussions with attendees. This left them frustrated with the amount spent on exhibiting and the low return on investment. In addition, some attendees didn’t receive programmes, which left them confused about the daily itinerary and the layout of stands. However, businesses and attendees alike were able to gain insight into the role GDPR plays within their organisations as well as scoping out the competition.
The show must have been a success because it is coming back next year on the 19th & 20th of November 2019. If you want to be among the happy exhibitors, contact us for some marketing advice.