If you work in social care, it is highly likely that you work long, anti-social hours and that any spare time that you have is precious. Why would you want to invest your rare and valuable time at social care trade shows which only seems to have the potential to add to your workload?
As a care business owner or manager, there are several benefits in taking time out to visit some of these events. By attending, you can gain a different perspective on what the rest of the industry is doing and saying, what is most pertinent and, at some of these events, you can even gain CPD accreditations for attendance.
Once limited to one or two large shows in either the north or south of the country, the health and social care event portfolio has grown considerably over the last few years. Social care trade shows are now hosted at a variety of locations across the UK and some are more topically focussed than others. The offering is now so broad that you have the freedom to attend the ones that are of most interest and, more importantly, value to you and your business.
If digital transformation is a key focus for your business this year, then there is no shortage of shows, both regionally and nationally, that bring together the innovative tools and equipment you might want to consider in selecting the right solutions for your business. Digital transformation is featured at most health and social care trade shows. This is more than just a reflection of the urgent need for updating across the care sector. It is also a key component to improving standards and efficiency, replacing outdated and laborious practices and increasing the opportunity for carers to spend more of their time providing quality care.
If industry-wide knowledge is what you’re after, the larger social care trade shows host keynote talks and other insightful speaking sessions to educate, promote and raise awareness of topical issues within the industry. Recruitment, as always, is a hot topic of discussion, as is the long-awaited social care green paper and, of course, the effect of Brexit across all forms of care in general. Now that there is such a huge choice of conferences alongside the larger social care trade shows, we no longer need to wait for the next big event to find out what the thought leaders of the industry have to say about these topics. We really are spoilt for choice with talks springing up all over the country discussing these issues and offering ways for you to get involved in the social care agenda to help your business thrive.
With the growing portfolio of events within the trade, suppliers in the industry are thinking of more strategic ways to spend their event budgets, positioning themselves where they can have the most impact. Whilst it might seem like a great problem to have with such a broad range of opportunity platforms, it’s also about understanding the market place, the key areas of demand, need and interest. So, there’s a lot to consider before deciding which show to visit.
Another question often raised about the increasingly decentralised care event calendar is: “With easy access to more intimate events, is there still a place for the really big shows?” Our verdict is absolutely! It’s great that there are more of them, all with slightly different approaches, each attracting slightly different audiences and, with the supplier marketplace growing too, it means there’s not only room for everyone, but that suppliers can be more selective about where they go to ensure that they have the best opportunity to communicate their message.
For the delegate, attending one of the larger social care trade shows is a great and worthwhile day out; great for networking, best-practice sharing, and checking out the competition, whilst all the time being exposed to a huge range of products and services that will benefit your business. There are a fair number of freebies and show-only offers to take advantage of too!
So, whether you’re a customer, an industry speaker or a supplier, there is something for everyone at a social care trade show and it really is a worthwhile investment of your precious time.
everyLIFE Technologies are exhibiting at the Care Show at Birmingham’s NEC on 9th and 10th October. Pop along and see us on stand H35!
By Anoushka Farouk, Director of Market Engagement
