Lost in the IBS 2025 Builderverse

My team and I flew to Las Vegas last week to attend the 2025 NAHB International Builders’ Show. It was an eye-opening experience that really brought home the vastness and opportunities in America’s building industry. With a record-breaking 81,000 attendees and more than 1,800 exhibitors packed into the Las Vegas Convention Center, the event was impressive and overwhelming to say the least.

Featuring all aspects of the building industry, I was struck by the sheer scale of the event. It showcased countless innovative products (smart toilets were all the rage), AI was everywhere from project management software to rodent detection, and I even sat in on a few demonstrations explaining the futuristic trends in siding and insulation. Everyone had an angle. 

But most importantly, the immensity of the show painted a literal illustration of how hard it is as a builder to stand out in a crushingly-crowded marketplace.

So Many Booths, So Little Brain Space

But very quickly, we all became so overwhelmed among the sea of sameness we found ourselves filtering out the majority of booths to focus on a few that broke through our noise filters and truly captured our imagination. 

We circled up afterwards and these standout exhibitors shared common traits:​

Thoughtful Design

Naturally as designers we gravitated towards booths that were clean and visually pleasing, strategically designed with plenty of free space to invite visitors into their experience and learn more about their services without feeling overwhelmed with too much information up front.

Interactive Engagement

We especially enjoyed exhibitors who offered interactive demonstrations and hands-on experiences to interact with their products. The most memorable connection was with a supplier firm who provided a fun lesson comparing the different textures of their engineered wood products.

Clear Value Proposition

One booth really stood out to us because you could easily tell they did their homework about who was attending and what they were looking for. Everything from the overhead banner to the displays, website promoting their construction services, narrative from the sales people to the brochures they handed us reinforced the company’s core value that inspired and motivated its visitors.

From the first second on, we were able to grasp their competitive advantage, why they would be an asset to me (if I were a contractor looking to fill my units with smart appliances, that is), and, most importantly, I still remember them over their thousands of neighbors.

Stand Out in a Convention of Countless Choices

And again, the enormity of the crowd was the thing that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so crushing it was almost claustrophobic. I guess the recent notion that trade shows were a thing of the past is not a thing anymore!

As my team and I stood in the middle of the blur, it struck me—this was a perfect metaphor for what building businesses navigate every day. Witnessing first hand the sheer complexity and scale of the competitive landscape, no wonder keeping a steady stream of project opportunities is such a challenge. When you see just how many similar businesses are out there, all aggressively battling for the same customers, the need to rethink your marketing approach becomes crystal clear.

Time to Get Real About Marketing

And yet, a majority of leadership teams I work with in the building business shrug off the urgency to rethink your approach to business development. There will always be one more round of RFP’s out there and sticking to the status quo doesn’t require any brain power. Especially when it appears that’s what everybody else is doing anyways.

But if you map our takeaways from the Builders’ show over a strategic marketing approach, here’s what I suggest you consider:

Build Trust

Providing helpful tips and insights rather than sales materials can position you as a trusted advisor they can reach out to long after the show is over. This breaks you free of the appearance of being just another vendor in a sea of vendors.

Slow nurture campaigns

Consistent engagement that is patient and not pushy will help you stay in their brain space so when it comes time to make a decision to find a good partner for their next project, you will be top of mind.

2-Way Loyalty

Provide ongoing value after the show by providing referrals or opportunities they might not be aware of if they are across the country from you. If you are more thought of as a peer than a salesperson scrambling for their business, you can eventually become their preferred partner.

Innovation and Education

Education is the best form of marketing in the building space. It was refreshing that the event featured over 120 education sessions covering topics from artificial intelligence to sustainable building practices. I was only able to sit in on a few sessions but I look forward to the bonus of being able to view their presentations online in a few weeks. You should sign up to view them too!

The 2025 International Builders' Show was more than just an exhibition; it was a testament to the building industry's vastness, dynamism and resilience. We returned to the office inspired, energized and, yes, a little spellbound - ready to apply what we learned to help our building industry clients stand out from the crowd. If you’re down for sharing your IBS2025 takeaways please don’t hesitate to reach out and start the conversation. ‘Til next year!

Written by Rusty George, with no help from Artificial Intelligence. Well, maybe he ran a few sentences through the rinse cycle to check grammar from time to time, but he's only human.

Rusty George leads a branding, website design and marketing agency serving Seattle and Tacoma area construction companies, subcontractors, manufacturers, material fabricators and suppliers. His goal is to help the building industry become more attractive to the skilled workforce of the future. Reach out to us at any time, and we can compare notes on building trends and topics, and how we can help you stand out of the crowd.

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