NCP-Talk it-sa Special Edition

The it-sa trade fair in Nuremberg stands as one of Europe's premier IT security events. Held annually, it draws trade visitors, experts, and suppliers from around the globe. The fair serves as a platform for exploring the latest trends, technologies, and solutions in IT security, data protection, and cybersecurity. In the following interview, Marco Drobek (Sales), Christian Albrecht (Marketing), and Bernd Nüsslein (Vice President of Sales & Marketing) reflect on this year's event

Hello Marco, we know that you are a big fan of trade fairs. What do you like most about them?

For me, the best aspect of trade fairs is the personal contact with people, especially our customers. Engaging in direct exchanges of ideas is always valuable, as it helps us better understand individual needs and wishes while also allowing us to develop new ideas together. The energetic atmosphere and the interactions at the trade fair enhance the experience, making it both enjoyable and motivating. 

Why does NCP attend it-sa every year? What goals does NCP pursue when attending the event?

As a company based in Nuremberg, it-sa is a significant event for us, making our participation particularly important for NCP. The trade fair grows in importance each year and serves as a valuable platform for us to showcase our quality as a German manufacturer, highlighting the "Made in Germany" standard and emphasizing the strengths of the Nuremberg region. 

Our goals are to exchange ideas with industry experts, maintain our existing customer relationships, and connect with potential new clients across various sectors, including authorities, municipalities, SMEs, corporations, and the defense sector. It-sa provides the perfect opportunity for us to achieve these objectives in an inspiring atmosphere.

It is already your second it-sa, Christian. What does a typical trade fair day look like for you? What are your main tasks?

I regularly meet with press representatives and contacts from various magazines to discuss our performance over the past year and evaluate the effectiveness of our different content strategies. Based on our public relations and marketing goals, we develop a content plan for the upcoming year. When I’m not needed at the booth, I either assist my colleagues at the reception desk or attend insightful lectures in the specialist forums

We’ve also released special episodes of our podcast "Be Safe, Not Sorry" for it-sa 2024, which are already available. What can our listeners look forward to?

In our special episodes, NCP experts Christian Günther and Merritt Häntsch engage with interesting guests who share valuable insights on pertinent topics in the field of IT security. We explore how the public sector addresses digital challenges, featuring Peter Adelskamp, the Chief Digital Officer of the City of Essen, who offers his expertise on this issue. Additionally, Stefan Wenshofer from the Central Contact Point Cybercrime Bavaria discusses his daily interactions with companies facing cyber-attacks.

Some have declared trade fairs dead since the pandemic. But it-sa in Nuremberg sets new visitor records every year. What do you think about this trend, Bernd?

At first, it was hard to believe that life would return to normal after the pandemic. Unfortunately, we discovered that many things, including major events like trade fairs, could quickly fade from memory. However, I’m pleased to see that trade fairs are gaining momentum again, and the most important trade fair in our industry is experiencing significant growth.

How do you think NCP’s presence was received at it-sa 2024? 

The success of a trade fair should be measured not by the number of contacts made, but by their quality. This year, NCP did an excellent job planning for it-sa, particularly in terms of resource allocation, content scheduling, and related tasks, as well as our trade fair booth. We had one of the best-designed booths on-site, and we can be proud of our performance this year and in the past. 

Many aspects were well-prepared in advance, and I am grateful for this on behalf of our entire marketing department and all the employees involved in this project. The conversations and engagement were intense, especially during the first two days. We not only had a high volume of conversations but also received a lot of positive feedback and encouragement. We exchanged ideas with numerous customers and discussed future strategies.

Our marketing team took full advantage of the opportunity to engage in many conversations, and our recruiting team also benefited from attending the event. Most importantly, we welcomed many new customers and prospects at our booth and established strong business contacts that I believe will lead to new projects in the medium term. 

Now, it is time to convert these leads into sales projects and close deals in the coming year!