Trade Shows Definition:
An exhibition for companies in a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their new products and services. Generally trade shows are not open to the public and can only be attended by company representatives and members of the press. Also, an exhibition of businesses offering franchises and/or business opportunity packages for sale.
Trade shows are sponsored by trade associations for specificindustries, and there are thousands of associations running showsevery year. Generally trade shows aren't open to the public and canonly be attended by company representatives and members of thepress. To find an appropriate association for the industry you'reinterested in, look through the Encyclopedia of Associationspublished by Gale Research. You may also want to check magazinesand newsletters such as Tradeshow Week or go through the TradeshowWeek Data Book. These publications should be available at yourlocal library.
To find out when the next trade will occur in your area, contactyour local convention facility. The space for such shows must bereserved well in advance, and if there's one planned during thenext year, the facility manager's office will be able to give youthe dates. You can also check with your local Chamber of Commercefor information about trade shows in your area. And don't forget tosearch the web for shows outside your area.
Exhibiting at a trade show is an excellent way to find customersto help your business grow. According to a study conducted by theCenter for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), 86 percent of showattendees were the decision-maker or influenced buying decisions,yet 85 percent had not been called on by a salesperson before theshow.
Trade shows are also economical ways of getting sales. The CEIRreports that closing a sale that begins with contact at a tradeshow runs about half the cost of closing a sale that doesn't havethe exhibition advantage: $550 and 1.4 sales calls compared to $997and 3.6 sales calls.
Finally, trade shows are popular, and it's easy to find one thatfits your industry and your company's needs. Tradeshow Week listsmore than 1,700 annual trade shows in its directory, from theAmerican Bankers Association Convention to the World AlzheimerCongress. You can search for exactly the show you want at Tradeshow Week'sonline directory.
You'll improve your trade show experience by planning ahead.Obtain a map of the exposition floor and make notes of the boothsyou want to visit. The most important things at any trade show arethe exhibitors and the attendees. Of these two, the more importantare the exhibitors. You want to pick a trade show that has lots ofexhibitors to draw attendees. Equally important, you want them tobe the right kind of exhibitors.
Exhibitors without attendees aren't of much worth. High-qualityattendees are the lifeblood of any successful trade show. Keep inmind that sheer number of attendees is not the only issue. A showthat attracts a relatively small number of attendees who happen tobe exactly the type of people you are looking for might easily bemore successful at helping you grow than a bigger show with abroader group of attendees.
As part of advance planning, you should decide on an objectivefor the show. For instance, you may be attending to generate salesleads. You may be interested in testing or introducing a newproduct. Conducting demonstrations, identifying new applications,obtaining customer feedback, even studying the competition-thesecan all be legitimate reasons for attending or exhibiting at atrade show. And don't forget the opportunity to recruit newemployees, distributors or dealers for your products.
You should also do some training to make sure you get the mostfrom your booth or your interactions with exhibitors. You may go sofar as to write a script for people staffing your booth to presentto visitors. Qualifying is an important part of speaking to peopleat trade shows. You can spend a lot of time talking to the wrongpeople. So make sure you know who you want to talk to, whether it'sa potential customer, supplier, dealer or other contact, and makesure you spend as much time as possible interacting with the targetpeople.
Once you're at the show, you'll have to make some importantdecisions about how you'll spend your limited time investigatingwhat may appear to be a nearly infinite spectrum of prospects. Inaddition to floor plans, most shows provide booklets withdescriptions of the exhibits, as well as a listing of the times,topics and featured speakers of any seminars or panel discussions,so that attendees can better plan their time.
Don't take anything you see at face value. Check references andcontacting the Better Business Bureau in the state where aparticular company's headquarters are located. If a company has hada history of customer complaints, for instance, you can eithereliminate it from consideration or ask more pointed questionslater. If you feel hesitant about asking questions, remember what'sat stake: If you avoid asking a question now, you might be sorrylater.
If you don't want to wait in line at a crowded booth, you canleave a business card. Most exhibitors encourage attendees to dropoff their cards by leaving a box or bowl out for cards, and manyeven hold drawings, offering prizes ranging from food baskets tocomputer systems.
Because exhibitors pay a lot of money to participate in tradeshows, they want to get the most for their money. That means theywill take the time to contact you later. By waiting for them tocontact you after the show, you'll be able to ask questions withoutfeeling rushed or on the spot.
