What do you accomplish by attending a security trade show?

Trade shows are the most efficient way to meet with customers, prospects, and partners in the shortest amount of time. Although they represent a lot of work and expense for exhibitors, as we learned over the pandemic, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction. Being able to touch and interact with security solutions is invaluable compared with looking at spec sheets online or a piece of marketing collateral. A trade show helps people see the differences, sometimes subtle, between manufacturers’ offerings and provides a forum for questions and dialog that is hard to replicate in any other way. For the sales organisation, it’s a particularly important opportunity to collect leads, and every company’s ability to do so defines the success and return on investment of their tradeshow attendance. Above all else, it’s the best place for our customers to “kick the tires” and truly evaluate products and partnership opportunities.

Industry events are always a great opportunity for any business to showcase its products, services, and latest developments to the industry and are often seen as a good opportunity to network and meet new customers in an informal setting. How many “leads” are generated is often just the tip of the iceberg. For example, when attending The Security Event back in April, we had several great conversations with potential customers who had visited solely to speak about their access control requirements for both current and future projects. In addition, we had meetings with existing customers who popped by to discuss our latest product and software updates, see them working in person, and place orders. There were also several planned meetings with customers who were actively seeking to upgrade existing systems. These meetings would have taken several weeks and thousands of miles in a car to achieve out in the field!

As a security manufacturer, industry shows are a chance for our customers to get their hands on the products. When you have a physical product, rather than say a software solution, having customers touch and feel the product for themselves can be a game changer. It’s the ability to show, rather than just tell. This not only allows them to get a full-picture view of what a solution looks like but also allows our sales team to receive valuable feedback. Trade shows are also a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the security industry. Even as an exhibitor, it is exciting to walk the show floor and see what is new or trending within the industry. Just as we are educating attendees, our team is also learning in the process.

Trade shows within our industry give us an excellent opportunity to raise brand awareness among potential customers and partners, the key decision makers that drive opportunities. These events also allow us to better educate the market about the benefits of cloud-based video services. Raising awareness of how the cloud is simplifying the management and deployment of video surveillance and getting our name out in the EMEA market is a critical focus for us. We look forward to participating in more events as we ramp up our growth strategy in these key regions.

Attending a security industry show offers a great environment to be among the most innovative and consolidated companies and to check their respective technologies, services, and products. In a few words, it's one of the greatest experiences in the security market. Security shows provide excellent business opportunities and networking. It's the best way to increase brand awareness significantly, exposing products, services, and solutions to a very qualified public focused on the security sector, establishing key contacts with national and international partners, generating high-value leads, and developing new and strengthening current long-term partnerships. We are living in a technology era where we are doing more and more tasks remotely/virtually. However, some activities will be very hard to replace. Nothing compares to business networking, meeting face to face with security directors, business owners, presidents, CEOs, engineers, managers, integrators, buyers, installers, distributors, and many others.

The nature of business has been greatly affected by the pandemic, causing interactions and relationships to be built exclusively online for the past few years. Now, more than ever, attending events in person gives us the opportunity to meet with one another once again, and, in many cases, for the first time. Relationships are not built on what we can get from one another but rather on what we can give. Taking the time to attend an event exposes attendees to more people, more solutions, and more opportunities than Googling names or specific job titles. Trust is built more swiftly when you can see and interact with physical products, view demonstrations, and shake hands with the person you are speaking with. Attending a security show allows trust to grow among like-minded individuals and allows the industry to innovate.

First and foremost, the greatest value of attending a trade show comes from the opportunity to meet with others face-to-face. We are fortunate to have a diversity of colleagues, customers, and partners across the globe, but of course, we miss the human aspect of connecting in person that can sometimes be lost in virtual work. Also, we gain the opportunity to see the latest and greatest industry developments in a way that is both tangible and fosters discussion. We saw a lot of innovative technology and approaches at large shows earlier this year such as ISC West and we expect that momentum to continue at the upcoming GSX show. As the operator of the largest open application store for AI-enabled video analytics, we look forward to meeting new partners and customers to further grow the Azena ecosystem.

Security industry shows provide a number of opportunities for professionals in the space to not only immerse themselves in all things security but also raise brand awareness for their organisations. At security industry shows, attendees will learn about current, hyper-relevant trends, pain points, innovations, and more through informative keynotes, panels, workshops, and other activities designed to spark inspiration and thoughtful discussion among the community. Additionally, industry professionals can promote their businesses at such events via exhibitions, speaking engagements, sponsorships – the list goes on. Attending industry events can also help with personal career development and advancement, as networking opportunities are plentiful at conferences and trade shows. I always look forward to getting together with my peers to learn more about how the industry is evolving, as well as to share how my organization is contributing to that evolution.

The security world is continually changing and advancing as threats and challenges shift and change. Threats exacerbated by the pandemic as well as heightened social, political, and global security issues are some of the issues today’s security professionals must address. To do their jobs effectively and keep their business safe, security professionals and teams require knowledge of both proven and new strategies, methodologies, technological tools, and training. Security industry shows are a great way to combine seasoned knowledge with new strategies. Attendees of security industry shows can network with other experienced professionals and thought leaders, gain insights from these meetings, and experience in person the technology, products, and services contributing to the success of other security programs and that help keep people and businesses safe. Industry shows are a great way to stay “in the know” as security continues to evolve.

Attending security shows empowers our team to discover the latest trends in the industry, connect with colleagues, and create new partnerships. As a monitoring station, one of our explicit goals should be to present a full suite of interactive apps and services so that the dealer can concentrate on servicing its clients, additional marketing offerings, and driving opportunities. Attending and participating in security shows gives us greater visibility over market needs and the latest technologies, making us a more robust partner for our dealers. Overall, we believe that creating and maintaining strong industry partnerships with like-minded businesses that share the same ideals and can grow over time results in increased value and higher levels of service and support delivered to all parties.