Whether or not you’re one of those “new year, new me” people, it’s undeniable that a new year brings new opportunities and the chance for a fresh outlook on life. For those of us in the B2B space, that means a fresh slate of industry events and conferences that we’re excited about attending in the new year.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced so many in-person events to be cancelled or moved online, we’ve been antsy about the chance to meet up with our friends and colleagues again, network, and share knowledge about the latest best practices in manufacturing, wholesaling, sales, and marketing. Fortunately, 2023 has a fantastic lineup of exciting in-person conferences across the United States! Here’s just a few of the general manufacturer/distributor and industry-specific events we’re excited about in the coming year.
We hope to see you there!
General B2B Conferences and Events
- When and where: February 27-March 1, Scottsdale, AZ
- Who it’s for: Those in marketing, demand generation, and sales across all B2B industries
- What it does: B2B Marketing Exchange is an annual event for those of us who want to learn more about new strategies and best practices in creative marketing and brand development. Topics for this year include social media marketing, visual storytelling, community-building content, sales enablement, and account-based marketing/customer experience strategies.
- Bonus: Our own demand generation team will be there! Hit us up if you want to meet.
- When and where: May 1-3, Chicago, IL
- Who it’s for: B2B manufacturers and distributors
- What it does: As its name suggests, B2B Online is an event focused on sharing insights on disruptive and innovative practices in digital, eCommerce, and omnichannel practices for B2B businesses. Managing the digital transformation is an ongoing and challenging concern for so many of us in B2B today, and this year B2B Online has a wealth of resources on building a successful digital/omnichannel business. This year is also the conference’s 10-year anniversary, so the event is sure to be a blast.
- When and where: May 22-25, Philadelphia, PA
- Who it’s for: manufacturers who want to learn more about emerging practices in innovation
- What it does: The Innovation Research Interchange is a division of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) that focuses on innovation management. This year, their annual conference explores the theme of “connectivity” in topics like:
- Streamlining the supply chain
- Integrating AI & ML
- Employee retention and enablement
- Driving and improving product development
- Building innovation ecosystems
Shift: The Future of Distribution
- When and where: September 18-29, Denver, CO
- Who it’s for: B2B distributors interested in learning more about digital transformation strategies
- What it does: Shift is an annual conference hosted by Modern Distribution Management (MDM) focused on helping attendees optimize their businesses for the major transformations of the 21st The conference is structured around three focused instructional tracks:
- Building a hybrid sales organization
- Managing digital transformation
- Developing data analytics strategies
AME ReImagining Excellence International Conference
- When and where: October 30-November 2, Cleveland, OH
- Who it’s for: manufacturers across all industries
- What it does: like the NAM, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence is a leading manufacturing organization. Their annual conference brings together manufacturers across many industries to learn about and share insights on topics like engagement, sustainability, industry 4.0, and leadership.
Industry-Specific Conferences and Events
- When and where: March 7-9, Dallas, TX
- Who it’s for: residential and commercial professionals in the roofing and exteriors industry
- What it does: the IRE is the largest roofing event in North America. The Expo functions as both a trade show and a conference, and attendees have the chance not only to interface with suppliers and learn about new products, but also to hear from other professionals about best practices on topics such as resilience and employee retention.
- When and where: May 1-2, Austin, TX
- Who it’s for: key decisionmakers in building materials companies
- What it does: the Whizard Summit is an annual meeting hosted by Whizard Strategy, a channel marketing consultant for the building materials industry. The summit helps guests grow their businesses even in slow economic times and develop strategies in digital marketing and sales.
- When and where: May 23-25, Marco Island, FL
- Who it’s for: senior team members of businesses in the electrical distribution industry
- What it does: the National Association of Electrical Distributor (NAED) hosts regional and local meetings throughout the year, but their annual national meeting offers a chance for members of the electrical supply industry across the United States to gather, network, and share ideas.
- When and where: August 8-10, 2023, Boston, MA
- Who it’s for: Team members at distribution companies in or aspiring to leadership positions
- What it does: Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) is an international trade association for distributors of construction, mining, forestry, power generation, agriculture, and industrial equipment. Their leadership conference focuses on professional development, strategies for business growth, new technologies, and networking.
- When and where: October 31-November 2, Las Vegas, NV
- Who it’s for: members of the automotive aftermarket industry
- What it does: AAPEX is a trade show for automotive aftermarket industry professionals to learn about new-to-market products, get training in the latest technology, and network. The event also provides opportunities for valuable and inspirational discussions about the state of the industry and the economy, and best practices in sales, marketing, employee retention, and workplace culture.
NAFCD + NBMDA Annual Convention:
- When and where: November 14-16, Colorado Springs, CO
- Who it’s for: distributors of building materials
- What it does: this convention brings together two leading organizations in the building materials industry: the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) and the North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA). The convention features an exhibition hall, networking events, and educational sessions to learn about industry practices.
- When and where: November 28-30, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Who it’s for: members of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
- What it does: the AEM hosts an annual conference for its members, key stakeholders of businesses in the construction /agriculture equipment manufacturing industry, to gather and discuss the state of the industry, technological developments, and other trends.
- When and where: December 2-5, Phoenix, AZ
- Who it’s for: distributors in the HVACR industry
- What it does: HARDI is the nation’s largest and most important organization for the HVACR industry. Their annual conference brings together industry leaders to connect and learn together. It may be at the very end of the year but mark your calendars now for the big event!
