Where roadshows belong in your marketing mix: a comparison with webinars and exhibitions
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In today’s competitive life sciences landscape, selecting the right marketing channels isn’t just about visibility—it’s about impact.
Roadshows, webinars, and exhibitions all promise reach, engagement, and lead generation. But how do they really stack up? And where do roadshows offer distinct value that marketing and sales teams can’t afford to overlook
At Minnac, we have seen how roadshows drive leads through your funnel. The table below compares each format across critical marketing and commercial dimensions:
| Criteria | Webinars | Exhibitions | Roadshows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Impact: Reach vs Resonance | Wide digital reach at low cost. Often passive with limited attention and brand stickiness. | High visibility alongside peers. Broad but impersonal; hard to build meaningful connections. | High-resonance, in-person engagement. Intimate, curated experiences that foster deeper brand affinity. |
| Sales Enablement: Lead Capture to Deal Acceleration | Good for top-of-funnel. Low conversion rates; minimal real-time interaction or qualification. | Large volume of contacts, but many are unqualified. Sales follow-up is inconsistent. | Enables deeper engagement with qualified prospects. Accelerates conversations and shortens deal cycles. |
| Budget & ROI Considerations | Economical to run, but limited reuse and lower conversion value. | Expensive (booth fees, logistics). ROI diluted by low targeting precision. | Targeted spend with higher per-conversion efficiency. Strong content repurposing opportunities. |
| Strategic Positioning: Customisation & Control | Standardised formats. Limited control over experience. | Shared space with competitors. Hard to control brand narrative. | Fully brand-owned experience. Customisable content, format, and follow-up aligned to customer journey. |
| Funnel Stage Focus | Primarily top-of-funnel: awareness and education. | Top-to-mid funnel: brand positioning and light engagement. | Mid-to-bottom funnel: qualification, persuasion, and deal progression. |
What this means for your marketing mix
Each format has its place. Webinars educate, exhibitions broadcast, but roadshows convert.
If your goal is to drive more than just attention—to build credibility, advance conversations, and move deals forward—then roadshows offer a uniquely potent tool. They blend marketing precision with commercial momentum, and they do it on your terms.
What happens when events are built to convert?
Explore how life sciences leaders used Minnac-led roadshows to shorten deal cycles, scale global campaigns, and turn interest into impact.
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