To attend or not attend, that is the question

In an industry like this, there is no shortage of events.

Trade publications publish comprehensive calendars, LinkedIn is full of “I’m attending” posts, and it can feel like there is a “must attend” event every other week.

But some companies are hesitant about attending events at all, and that hesitation is understandable. It can be expensive to travel, time consuming, and sometimes hard to see the return on investment.

Yes, events are brilliant for lead generation.

They offer face-to-face engagement with potential clients and create valuable networking opportunities. But this benefit can be hard to quantify immediately.

From a PR perspective, there are plenty of additional benefits.

Exposure is key, not just for lead generation but for reputation, and events offer multiple opportunities to build visibility, from stands and speaking slots to daily publications and interviews with journalists.

And with a good PR team behind you they can be capitalised to reinforce credibility.

It’s a chance to demonstrate your expertise outside of boardroom pitches and feature placements, which plays an important role in building long-term reputation and trust.

Journalist exposure is particularly valuable.

The opportunity to speak to them face-to-face about your company and share insights allows organisations to provide context and perspective, positioning them above their competitors, showing understanding beyond marketing buzzwords and elevator pitches.

It’s not just about meeting potential customers, but, strengthening relationships with the journalists who shape industry coverage.

And this benefit is also quantifiable.

With your company featured in the next issue, or a video interview published, it is a chance to showcase the knowledge your company possesses, while reinforcing your authority.

As my colleague Dulcie pointed out in last week’s blog, perhaps as an industry we don’t talk enough about what we are doing, and we don’t place enough emphasis on the impact that those conversations have on our businesses.

Events aren’t just about sales, they create new routes to talk about successes, highlight achievements, and share expertise with wider audiences.

There is no single answer to which events every company should attend.

The right choices depend on agreed objectives, audiences, and timing.

But what I can say is that it’s important to attend at least some.

Which ones depends on the company and your goals, but ultimately my advice remains the same. Attend events with clear intent, and focus on exposure, not just with potential customers but with journalists, partners, and industry peers in attendance.

And if you need help maximising your impact on the ground, you know who to call.

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