After a two-year COVID enforced delay, the buzz, and atmosphere at Business Vision LIVE in 2022 were amazing as businesses came back together for what, for many, was the first time since 2019.

While visitor numbers were slightly below that of the 2019 event, reflecting a trend seen across trade exhibitions since restrictions were lifted, the quality of visitors was higher, with exhibitors reporting a greater proportion of conversations with delegates ready to do business, again reflecting the industry experience. Coupled with the high proportion of senior management roles represented in the audience, this led to a highly valuable day for those exhibiting and supporting the event.

Over 16 events spanning 18 years, Business Vision LIVE has brought together more than 25,000 different business professionals to network, share best practice and expert knowledge, be inspired, and support their business’ prosperity. In that time, another 2,450 organisations have showcased their business to the audience that the event brings to Detling.

Since the first event in 2006, the support of headline partners, which have included Kent County Council, the Kent Messenger Group, BT, the Federation of Small Businesses, Metro Ban, South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Southeastern Railways, and the Chartered Institue of Marketing, has been central to Business Vision LIVE’s success and the creation of what has become the largest business-to-business event in the South East and something which Kent can be proud of.

Working closely with the partner’s representatives has helped shape Business Vision LIVE, ensuring it is relevant to the challenges and opportunities faced by the county’s business community and that it meets and reflects partners’ priorities and aspirations.

 

For Business & IP Centre Kent: 

This year’s Business Vision LIVE event was Kent Business & IP Centre’s first time attending, and what an atmosphere. We had been placed within the Kent County Council’s business service area due to BIPC Kent expanding the business services’ that Kent Libraries provides, with funding from the British Library.

The event itself was nothing of what I was imagining, the space was huge with business service stalls, talks, contests, and live radio – it had it all for businesses. Before the event began, we realised that we were surrounded by familiar faces from Team meetings during the Lockdowns and working from home policies, while we were getting to grips with our new service. We were happy to finally meet in person for the first time in over a year of being a face on the screen. During the day, we were able to meet with new people and business services from all over Kent that we would be able to work with by utilising the knowledge and services we all provide together to make sure our message is out there.

By the end of the day, our stand met with 76 people who were interested in what we had to offer and managed to catch a moment from one of the BIPC Kent’s team members between talking – a huge success compared to previous years. We also had 44 people participate in our prize draw and managed to break away for a moment to talk to over 50 other exhibitors.

Photo of four people in front of a stand, 2 women and 2 men, one of the women in the middle holding a glass award.

Not only did we meet so many attendees and exhibitors at Business Vision LIVE, but we also won the best small stand award! – a first for Kent Libraries, and we were live on air with Made in Kent Radio.
All we can say now is that we are looking forward to next year.