Last month, Informa Markets’ World of Concrete became the one of the first large-scale trade shows to kick off the much anticipated return of face-to-face events post-pandemic. Concrete and masonry pros and companies descended on Las Vegas eager to attend after the original show scheduled for January was postponed. 

It was clear from the beginning that everyone was thrilled to be back together — learning, reconnecting, laying bricks, and closing business. 

To get you inspired for what promises to be a very busy event season, we talked to some of the eventprofs behind the scenes to hear how they’re feeling, lessons they’ve learned, and what’s ahead for the industry.

For a quick snapshot of the action, watch the video below.  Following the video, dive deeper into more thoughts and viewpoints — straight from the show floor.

“The last year has changed things for Informa Markets and the way we do business. Data is key to help our customers with better match-making and bringing the right audiences together. We’re going for quality over quantity — in this time of revival, the data will help us target the people who really want to do business.”
– Nan Walsh, President, Informa Markets North America

“When people come together they build trust, which leads to relationships. And those relationships lead to business.”
– Nan Walsh, President, Informa Markets North America

“There’s going to be a virtual component that never goes away, and that’s okay as long as it corresponds to a physical event.”
– Martin Now Marketing Specialist, Construction and Real Estate at Sage (Exhibitor)

“Having face-to-face conversations is 100% vital for our success.”
– Martin Now Marketing Specialist, Construction and Real Estate at Sage (Exhibitor)

“We love working with our customers and have loved connecting with them digitally, but being here now watching that human connection and seeing the value it brings — there’s no replacement for that.”
– Lauren Lamb Vice President of Marketing and Conference at Informa Markets

“WOC is an annual event we love running, but having the chance to reexamine everything and do some things in a new way (like updating health and safety) has given us an opportunity to ask why and to make sure we are delivering real customer value.”
– Lauren Lamb Vice President of Marketing and Conference at Informa Markets

“We have always prioritized digital within our roadmap and with everything we do, but this pause gave us a chance to accelerate digital offerings and then weave them into everything. World of Concrete is an annual event, but we can now reach our audience 365 days a year.”
– Lauren Lamb Vice President of Marketing and Conference at Informa Markets

“Face-to-face exhibitions and events have always been the number one most effective marketing tool for businesses, especially small businesses, throughout the world. And for the world economy right now, small businesses are going to drive the rebuilding.”
– David Audrain, Executive Director at SISO (Roundtable)

“It’s a very optimistic time overall — we are going to see a faster, stronger recovery, more than some expected.”
– David Audrain, Executive Director at SISO (Roundtable)

“At the end of the day people want to be together. To network, further knowledge, and content sharing — the organic, unplanned sharing of information. And from a business perspective, we want to be with people who understand us in a way that others don’t. Peers want to be together because it’s the shared experience of understanding each other’s challenges.”
– Peter O’Neil, CEO at ASIS International (Roundtable)