WEFTEC has become an annual tradition for us, and we are gearing up for our 10th participation in WEFTEC23 in Chicago next week. I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to reconnect with so many of our esteemed customers, colleagues, and friends in the industry. 

As a sales intelligence company, we often engage in discussions with our clients about how they should allocate their budgets for maximum sales growth. One recurring theme in these conversations is the comparison between investing in Citylitics, our innovative sales intelligence platform, and spending on tradeshows in general.

I’ve always believed that both Citylitics and tradeshows offer distinct value propositions, and the key lies in making smart investments in both avenues to empower our sales and business development teams for success. Let me delve deeper into this paradox that we find ourselves in.

In our ever-evolving tech and AI ecosystem, it’s not surprising that tradeshow spend is on the decline. After all, the digital era has offered us alternatives for finding new leads and gathering market intelligence. However, in the infrastructure sector, tradeshows remain an indispensable space where cities, utilities, public agencies, engineering firms, consultants, vendors, and suppliers can connect in person, forging valuable relationships and sealing deals. This apparent contradiction, where a sales intelligence company like ours attends tradeshows, can be intriguing for some of our customers. They occasionally ask me why Citylitics invests in in-person interactions when our platform is a digital alternative for lead generation and market intelligence within public infrastructure industries.

The truth is, not all tradeshows are created equally, and they hold varying degrees of value for different companies and roles. Over the years, attending WEFTEC has been an event I eagerly anticipate for several reasons:

1. Customer Feedback: We proudly serve over 100 customers (and growing!) in the municipal wastewater industry, and WEFTEC provides a unique opportunity for me to connect with 15-20 of them each day. In the span of just two days, I’ve had the privilege to engage with 30-40% of our customers in person, gaining invaluable and candid feedback on their sales growth aspirations and how Citylitics can best support them.
2. Expanding Our Customer Base: Meeting prospective customers face-to-face at WEFTEC offers unparalleled insights. It allows me to understand their thought processes as they consider adopting Citylitics. These interactions provide fresh ideas on how we should position our products and company while offering a real-time gauge of what matters most to them.
3. Deepening Relationships: Having spent a decade in this industry, I’ve learned that people buy from people. Beyond the realm of business, genuine friendships and relationships have blossomed over the years. The evening events at WEFTEC serve as the perfect setting to connect on a more personal level. It’s a time to set aside business discussions and get to know the individuals we work with and the industry we serve on a deeper, more human level.

As we prepare to embark on our 10th WEFTEC journey, I look forward to seeing familiar faces and forging new connections. This event has been instrumental in shaping our company, and I have no doubt that it will continue to be a source of growth, learning, and camaraderie for many years to come.

Thank you for your continued support and trust in Citylitics. See you in Chicago!