It should come as no surprise to you that I am an advocate of trade shows and public expositions as an effective means of bringing products and services to the attention of the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time frame.

For centuries, shows have been meeting the needs of all kinds of businesses from the huckster to the legitimate marketer. Why is it then, that many senior executives have been slow to embrace shows as a serious component of the marketing process? Let me offer a couple of suggestions:

1. Most business schools treat tradeshows as an appendage to the marketing plan. Few if any textbooks give more than a cursory look at shows, and many fail to mention them at all.

2. Many senior executives have come up through the financial ranks and do not understand the dynamics of marketing. Ever notice how many companies cut back on advertising and marketing during slow times. (Heaven forbid we should encourage people to buy our products in tough times.)

3. Many executives have had less than stellar results from past show experiences. (Usually the result of poor planning or execution.) "Times are a changin", as they say. The message is beginning to reach those who control the purse strings and the number of converts is overwhelming evidence that a new day is dawning.

   A recent study by the Center of Exhibition Industry Research offers substantial evidence that once executives recognize the positive impact tradeshows can have on the bottom line (ROI) they are restructuring budgets.

   A poll taken by Tradeshow Week revealed that tradeshows received the lions share of the marketing budget of the respondents. Here's the breakdown:

   • Tradeshows 42%
   • Direct Mail 24%
   • Print Ads 12%
   • Internet 10%
   • Event Marketing 10%
   • Telemarketing 2%
   Why the change of heart? Education! CEIR's Exhibit Industry Promotion Campaign (EPIC) is reaching executives and schools with proof that shows offer the greatest return on investment (ROI) for the marketing dollar. As with every pompous pronouncement there is a caveat... tradeshows produce great returns only when executed by people who realize that, like any other media, careful planing and a commitment to stated objectives are necessary for success.

   Is it time to review your market plan? Are you giving shows the consideration they deserve in your budget?

   ---

   Next Previous Contents