For companies active in business-to-business (B2B) markets, establishing strong relationships
with business partners is crucial. It's essential to nurture, maintain, and enhance these
relationships to foster trust and loyalty. The pandemic in March 2020 highlighted this even
more when physical interactions were limited, making digital tools the primary way to
communicate. This period emphasised the crucial role of personal, physical interactions
alongside digital tools, illustrating their collective importance in sustaining business
connections. This master's thesis explores the significance of participating in trade shows and
examines whether trade shows, as an element of the promotional mix, affect the relationships
between companies and their clients in B2B markets. The thesis explores how trade shows,
traditionally used for marketing, are being integrated with modern communication and digital
tools within companies. The research included eleven companies operating in B2B markets that
participate in trade shows, as well as a public agency that provides financial assistance to
companies for their trade show participation, making the study both comprehensive and
relevant to current industry practices. The study engaged with company directors or marketing
heads through semi-structured interviews to assess the value of trade show attendance in
building, sustaining, and enhancing relationships with partners. It discovered that personal,
face-to-face interaction continues to be vital for companies in B2B sectors, with trade shows
identified as the optimal platform for such engagements. Digital tools demonstrate their
significance primarily in pre–show and post–show activities, and everyday communication with
business partners.
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