Why this matters now

Buyers complete more than 70% of their journey before speaking to a sales rep. AI is increasingly mediating early-stage research. Physical events have become one of the last places where vendors can genuinely influence perception and accelerate pipeline.

 

Yet our survey of SLAS 2026 exhibitors reveals a sector that is largely passive: showing up, scanning badges, and hoping for the best.

 

The data tells a consistent story: exhibitors lack clear ICPs, pre-event strategy is underdeveloped, AI adoption is fragmented and often superficial, and follow-up remains the weakest link in the commercial chain. These aren't new problems. But the cost of ignoring them is growing.

Inside the report

• How SLAS 2026 exhibitors define (or fail to define) their ideal customer

• Pre-event strategy: what the top performers do before the show floor opens AI adoption in the field — where it's real and where it's theatre

• The follow-up gap: why most conference leads go cold

• Side-by-side comparison with ELRIG Drug Discovery 2025 (Liverpool) — a regional and time-based perspective on how life science vendors approach commercial events

Three moves to turn your next conference into a commercial system

1. Before you go: Define who you're there to meet. Sharpen your ICP, clarify your messaging hierarchy, and brief your team. Build battle cards, not talking points — and run an AI discoverability audit before you arrive.

2. On the floor: Treat every conversation as a data point. Capture context, not just contact details. Have a defined next step for every lead type before the show starts.

3. After the event: Move fast. The teams that win follow up quickly and carry the booth conversation forward. Personalised proof of value outperforms generic follow-up every time.