Trade shows have always been about making connections. They bring together people, ideas, and innovations that help move the baking industry forward. As technology continues to change how people research and ultimately spend on capital resources, the role of events, like IBIE, is evolving as well.
During BEMA’s Convention 2026, Kimberly Hardcastle, Chief Strategist at Freeman, shared new research on how attendee expectations are changing and what that means for exhibitors:
- Recognizing that today’s attendees arrive with more information, higher expectations, and a stronger desire for authentic conversations.
- Offering valuable reminders that success begins long before the trade show floor opens.
- Highlighting practical ways every organization can create more meaningful interactions before, during and after the event.
Know Your Audience
Millennials now occupy leadership and purchasing roles, while Gen-Z continues entering the industry with different expectations shaped by digital technology, economic uncertainty, and constant access to information. These professionals often arrive at events having already researched products, watched videos, compared suppliers, and built a shortlist of companies they want to visit.
Interestingly, they also value in-person interactions more than many realize. They want opportunities to build trust, ask detailed questions, and gain confidence in their decisions by speaking directly with experts. Understanding these changing expectations allows organizations to better prepare for meaningful conversations instead of assuming every visitor is starting from square one. Once attendees arrive, the experience inside the booth becomes equally important.
Build Trust
Instead of simply explaining what a company does, attendees increasingly want to understand why a particular solution is the right fit for their business. Hands-on demonstrations, working equipment, live product experiences and open conversations allow attendees to see solutions in action while asking questions specific to their operations.
Equally important is staffing the booth with the right people. Sales professionals play an essential role in welcoming attendees, but visitors also want access to engineers, technical specialists and subject matter experts who can answer deeper questions. When attendees leave with confidence instead of simply a brochure or badge scan, they’re far more likely to advocate for a solution within their own organizations. Creating these experiences requires intentional planning around what attendees need to experience to believe. Trust doesn’t stop with demonstrations. It extends into every conversation happening on the show floor.
Listen First
Spend less time talking about your products and more time understanding the challenges visitors are trying to solve by asking:
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- What are you hoping to improve?
- What challenges are you running into?
Those questions often uncover needs that may extend beyond a single product. In many cases, helping someone find the right solution – even if it isn’t your own – builds credibility that lasts well beyond the event itself.
The same mindset applies for bakers walking the floor. Staying open to new ideas while exploring beyond an initial shortlist can uncover innovations and partnerships that may have otherwise been overlooked. Strong conversations naturally lead to stronger impressions, making it equally important to think about how your organization presents itself.
Create Experiences
Your booth is important, but it doesn’t have to carry the entire weight of your trade show strategy. Educational sessions, demonstrations, networking events, and informal conversations all contribute to how attendees experience your organization. Creating multiple opportunities for engagement throughout the event like participating in educational programming, supporting demonstrations, hosting customer discussion or making knowledgeable team members available outside scheduled meetings leave more memorable impressions than flashy exhibits alone.
Even if it’s in the smallest details; clear messaging, purposeful booth design and authentic sustainability efforts all help reinforce what your organization stands for. Rather than being the loudest exhibitor on the floor, focus on creating experiences that reflect your expertise and make it easy for attendees to understand your value. When every interaction supports the same story, attendees leave remembering more than just your logo.
Measure What Matters
As organizations plan for future trade shows, badge scans and booth traffic only tell part of the story. Valuable questions often deliver the greatest long-term value:
- Did your team build stronger customer relationships?
- Did attendees leave with greater confidence in your solutions?
- Did meaningful conversations lead to new partnerships, opportunities or business outcomes?
The baking industry has always moved forward through collaboration. Every conversation, every demonstration, and every new connection is another opportunity to learn from one another and strengthen partnerships. As organizations prepare for IBIE 2028, success will come from creating experiences that help people feel understood, supported, and confident in the relationships they’re building.
