The report, based on a survey of 841 industry professionals, highlights a systemic failure to treat trade shows as revenue-generating events. While 58.4% of teams record on-site interviews, only 24.2% plan them in advance, and less than 40% of leads are properly tagged to their event source. This disconnect leaves teams unable to defend budgets, particularly in the medtech and healthtech sectors where buying cycles involve complex committees and intense financial scrutiny.

Operational gaps are further widened by poor planning. Over 74% of booth conversations occur without prior strategy, and nearly 30% of organizations lack a designated owner for the event pipeline. As companies shift toward fewer, high-value events, the consensus among experts is that conferences must function as integrated campaigns rather than isolated marketing expenses. Failure to map on-site interactions to sales sequences renders these efforts little more than expensive excursions in the eyes of the C-suite.