85% of booths booked
Following the 10th edition of the leading PCHi event, which took place in Guangzhou, China, 401 companies have signed up for next year’s event, occupying 85% of the event space.
Organisers Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions (RSE) will now focus on encouraging personal care ingredients producers and wider markets outside of APAC to make up the remaining 15% of booths available.
Of the 85% committing to a 2018 place at PCHI, 80% of these exhibitors booked their place during this year’s event.
Reasons for popularity
After PCHi 2017, RSE carried out a survey with 339 of this year’s exhibitors to gain insight into the main drivers encouraging exhibitors to take up a stand at the event.
Forming part of its post-show review, overall, the respondents emphasised the importance of raising brand awareness, building relationships and generating sales. These were recorded as the top three factors and main objectives influencing their decision to book a booth.
Of the 339 exhibitors asked, 84% said that brand promotion was a crucial element of the decision-making process, along with the opportunity to develop existing relationships with customers and boost sales figures contributing to the investment for 82% of respondents.
At this year’s event, almost 92% of exhibitors announced their overall satisfaction with PCHi 2017. In addition, 74% stated they had experienced the benefits from creating new and enhancing existing relationships. Of those asked, 71% highlighted the positive effect the event had on promoting their brand.
Value-adding digital presence
Building connections through digital channels such as social media platforms and email marketing are proving an intrinsic part of marketing strategies and additional income generation.
To reflect this evolving business landscape, RSE is equipping a chosen number of exhibitors with access to a digitalised marketing platform.
“The key to delivering a sustainable trade show is to be responsive to change and adapt to these trends in order to stay relevant,” said Joe Zhou, Vice President, RSE.
RSE are exclusively providing 2017 Fountain Award winners and long-term ten-year plus exhibitors with the WeChat Marketing Programme as a post-exhibition value-added service.
The complementary programme enables these eligible companies to actively promote their brand, products and services to a larger customer base. In the future, PCHi will consider extending it digital WeChat Marketing Programme to other exhibitors attending the event.
Staying ahead
“Marketing trends are constantly evolving but there is still great value in face-to-face interactions, as evident from the industry’s overall satisfaction at PCHi and the survey results,” added Zhou.
With networking still of key importance to companies in APAC and the wider global markets, PCHi will continue to balance the need for innovative additions with traditional conversations: “PCHi will maintain its core offering - a professional trade platform with quality content - but continually strengthen it with new elements that complement the overall presentation. This is what we will strive towards in the coming editions,” Zhou went on to say.
PCHi 2018 will take place between 19-21 March 2018 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. For more information, visit www.pchi-china.com/en.