For more than 50 years, CES® has served as a global platform for companies to share new technology with the world. CES showcases the spirit of innovation with energy and creativity, fostering technology breakthroughs that make the world healthier, safer and more connected.
Over the last decade, CES® has grown to more than 4,500 exhibitors and become the world’s premier venue for automakers and suppliers to engage with consumer technology leaders and innovators. As the industry moves beyond automotive to mobility, the need to integrate with smart home, smart cities and connected objects is even more critical.
This January, CES 2021 will be an all-digital experience due to the global health crisis. Many mobility companies are asking themselves: Do we just sit it out — or should we embrace this opportunity to virtually collaborate and engage with the most influential technology leaders in the world? NextTech’s recommendation to our mobility partners is a resounding “go for it.” We share the view of many respected technology and business consultants that an investment in digital today is essential to driving growth tomorrow. That makes the all-digital CES not an anomaly to be avoided – but an unmatched opportunity to dive into digital engagement on the world’s biggest technology stage.
In a recent McKinsey & Company article on a commercial recovery strategy for B2B companies, experience shows that companies win by investing in innovation in times of crisis. In the next normal, cross-functional teams, with representatives from product development, sales, customer support, and other groups, should follow an agile approach to create new offerings. Results from McKinsey’s B2B Decision-Maker Pulse Survey showed that respondents more often cited digital over traditional channels as the best way to research suppliers.
Here are seven reasons to embrace the CES 2021 all-digital experience:
1. Ignite the Brand
If you want to thrive in the new normal, CES is the platform to elevate your brand on a global stage. Yes, it’s virtual … but it’s still the Super Bowl of technology innovation – demanding that every participant bring their “A” game. It can be the driving force to re-ignite your vision, mission, and brand strategy.
2. Spark Innovation
The need for innovation is greater than ever, driven by new challenges that are more disruptive than most have ever faced. The opportunity for upstart and established mobility companies to help shape the future of mobility has never been greater. CES provides the ideal opportunity to connect customers’ problems with supplier solutions.
3. Jump-Start Business Development
B2B sales are complex, with roughly seven people involved in the decision process. Modern buyers have quickly jumped onboard digital channels to learn and buy. CES provides the opportunity for sales teams to reconnect with current clients and spark interest with new customers.
4. Accelerate a Digital Marketing and Sales Strategy
Modern buyers cite web sites, online content and live chats as the most valuable resources to research suppliers. In the latest McKinsey survey, only about 20 percent of B2B buyers say they hope to return to in-person sales. Now is the time to be disruptive and bring new technology to your marketing and sales model for a digital-first world. The technology and content that you develop for CES will not only attract, engage and delight customers, but also drive your revenue recovery plan and serve as a growth platform for years to come.
5. Re-Energize Your Team
If your employees are working remote, an event can generate energy, enthusiasm and excitement. It pulls together your team to focus on the brand, innovation, customers and success.
6. Engage with a Larger Audience
An all-digital CES can bring more people together to learn and create compelling conversations. Many high-profile events in 2020 successfully made the leap to digital; organizers were pleasantly surprised with the substantial increase in attendees and engagement. Embrace the change to a digital experience and exploit the benefits of a virtual environment.
7. Optimize 2022 Space
If history repeats itself, exhibitors at CES 2021 will have first rights to physical booth space at CES 2022. With the new West Hall dedicated to automotive and mobility innovations, that will be the place to be for 2022.
The dates for CES 2021 are Jan. 11-14, with first-day access exclusive to media. According to the Consumer Technology Association sales team, the digital exhibitor packages will be available in the next few weeks. The companies that invest in innovation and digital transformation today will be the mobility leaders of tomorrow – making CES 2021 not an option, but a must.
