Trade fairs as engagement platforms: the interplay between physical and virtual touch points

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the association between physical and virtual trade fairs under the conceptual lens of engagement platforms. The authors build on the idea of business trade fairs (i.e. physical and/or virtual customer touch points) as learning and engagement platforms in service ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study combines qualitative interviews (n = 16) with trade fair organizers, exhibitors and visitors and a survey (n = 263) comprising open-ended questions administrated to visitors of an international trade fair. Findings: Findings highlighted the general role that trade fairs have in facilitating companies’ interactions with existing and potential customers. The trade fair develops in physical and virtual platforms, where companies advance business relationships and generate learning experiences and customer engagement. Participants look for solutions to problems and frequently innovation is a consequence of the engagement and learning processes. Yet, while the physical trade fair is instrumental for human personal interaction, namely, to establish informal networks of contacts and face-to-face interactions, virtual trade fairs are highlighted as a catalyst to foster interactivity and connectivity before and after the physical trade fair. Research limitations/implications: The study endures limitations that may be addressed by future research. For example, studies in similar contexts and in other settings (e.g. different industries) are warranted. Practical implications: The study offers wide-ranging implications for the principal agents from the trade fair industry: trade fair organizers, exhibitors and visitors. Originality/value: This research constitutes a preliminary attempt to understand the association between physical and virtual trade fairs and contributes to the discourses on customer engagement and the underlying notion of service ecosystems in the trade fair environment. In particular, the study looks at the role and connections that each platform plays for organizers and participants providing important insights into improving physical and virtual trade fair participation strategies.