Strategic Trade Show Leadership
Driving Engagement in the Medical Technology Industry
Moving Outside of Our Network
When I joined Health Connective, the company had no trade show presence. Business development relied heavily on our company president's personal network and existing client relationships—a strategy that had served us well but limited our growth potential.
To scale beyond this network and reach new decision-makers in the medtech software development space, we needed to establish trade shows as a core component of our marketing and sales mix.
The challenge wasn't just attending events—it was creating a differentiated presence in crowded exhibition halls that would generate qualified leads and position us alongside companies like Stryker, Teleflex, and Olympus as a trusted partner in the industry.
Strategic Approach
Audience-Specific Messaging
Clear communication that eliminates industry jargon confusion and speaks directly to decision-maker needs
Interactive Engagement
Create memorable experiences that move beyond passive booth presence and generate meaningful conversations
Data-Driven Follow-Up
The Health Connective Show
Thought leadership interviews
Vendor relationship management
Professional editing and production
Cross-platform distribution
Key Initiatives
Custom Booth Design
Through direct attendee feedback at multiple events, we discovered a critical communication barrier: medical device professionals were misinterpreting our service offerings.
The Problem: Our signage featured "Application Development" as our core service. Some medical device professionals more focused on manufacturing interpreted "application" as the process of applying coatings or finishes to metals and plastics.
The Solution: We re-positioned our language to "Custom Software Development for Medtech." Conversations immediately shifted from clarifying what we do to discussing how we could help.
Booth Design Elements:
Clear, industry-specific value propositions that eliminated confusion
Visual hierarchy guiding attendees from high-level messaging to specific service offerings
Integration of client logos (Stryker, Teleflex, Olympus) on handouts to build immediate credibility
Modular design elements allowing customization for different event types
Med Tech Bingo
Recognizing that passive booth presence wouldn't differentiate us in crowded exhibition halls, I developed a gamified experience that encouraged attendees to actively explore the entire event while keeping Health Connective top-of-mind.
How It Works: Participants received bingo cards featuring key industry terms and technologies. To complete their cards, they attended specific educational sessions, visited partner booths, and identified emerging technologies on the show floor.
The Impact: The program created natural return visits to our booth, extended conversation opportunities, and positioned us as connectors within the medtech community rather than just another vendor.
The Impact
By establishing trade shows as a new channel for Health Connective, we successfully expanded our reach beyond our founder's network and created a sustainable lead generation platform.
Lead Generation: Interactive programs created natural conversation starters that moved beyond superficial exchanges, generating qualified opportunities with decision-makers we wouldn't have reached through existing relationships alone
Client Relationships: Trade shows became valuable touchpoints for existing clients, with interactive elements providing casual, low-pressure environments for relationship strengthening outside of formal project discussions
Brand Positioning: By establishing a differentiated presence as an active contributor to the event experience, we elevated Health Connective's visibility and credibility within the medtech community as a cornerstone of our marketing mix