Digital Disconnect: Exhibitor Lead Generation Opportunities Association Exhibitors Are Missing

The report focuses on performance areas like user activation and engagement, networking, lead generation and exhibitor ROI, and session interactions. Two findings stand out for associations that want to deliver increased value to exhibitors and sponsors.

Finding 1: Only 30% of Exhibitors Complete Even Half of Their Booth Listing

Association exhibitors can use a virtual booth to showcase videos, product content, company branding and white papers. It also helps reduce exhibit hall fatigue by letting attendees research in advance and decide which companies they want to meet in person.

According to the report, 40% of exhibitor lead generation takes place before an event begins. Couple that with the finding that 85% of all lead generation is now driven by digital engagement, and the lack of a virtual booth reveals a glaring missed opportunity for exhibitors.

Finding 2: Only 3% of Exhibitors Download Lead Reports

This data point is perhaps even more striking. While the finding reflects only 11% of Association+ events, the fact remains: if just 3% of exhibitors are downloading their lead reports, the majority are walking away without leveraging one of the simplest and most effective ways to capture new prospects.

The reasons vary. Some exhibitors simply don’t realize the reports exist, while others may not emphasize the value of digital lead generation compared to in-person badge scans.

“We often see a disconnect between marketing teams, who manage digital engagement and lead generation, and onsite sales teams, who focus more on physical badge scans,” explains Bhavya Sharma, Swapcard’s Senior Content Marketing Manager. “As a result, valuable digital leads can be overlooked or under-prioritized.”

How Associations Can Help Close the Gap

While these two findings focus on exhibitor behavior, they call on associations to help maximize the attendee–exhibitor relationship. Associations can bridge the digital disconnect by creating conditions for exhibitors to succeed before, during and after the event.

One area of opportunity is exhibitor education. Prior to the event, associations can provide training materials or host onboarding webinars for booth setup and platform usage. Lisa Lazzaretto is the Director of Corporate Solutions at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and says this kind of education could improve exhibitor usage.

“Education and reminders are so important. Exhibit managers are often overwhelmed and navigating multiple shows at the same time. Simple checklists and timelines help guide key next steps throughout the process.”

Another opportunity is around data. Lead data is a strategic asset, and associations should treat it as such. Event organizers can make lead reports a standard deliverable after every event, distributed quickly to all exhibitors, or they can choose to package and share the data as a paid upgrade. Either way, improving access to lead reports is a valuable tool for associations to demonstrate the ROI of an exhibitor’s investment.

Lazzaretto says it makes sense to include lead generation via digital engagements as part of the sales conversation.

“When an exhibitor is buying a booth, we often think of it as simply the concrete square,” Lazzaretto says. “Highlighting [the digital lead generation] as a key aspect of purchasing space at a show can help ensure exhibitors activate their listings.”

The Swapcard report shows that event engagement platforms are powerful tools for association exhibitors, but without education and a clear value proposition, exhibitors cannot fully capitalize on their potential. By emphasizing digital booth completion, ensuring access to lead reports, and equipping exhibitors with the know-how to act on the app’s resources, associations can deliver qualified leads and measurable ROI for their exhibitors.