Keeping Trade Exhibitions Alive is Like Marriage

Keeping Trade Exhibitions Alive is Like Marriage

This post written by Nancy Drapeau, PRC, Research Director of CEIR

I am a fan of Traci Browne’s #ExpoChat. In her most recent session, the topic of the week was “Defending Trade Shows.”  Being someone who likes to ask such existentialist questions, I thought the topic was provocative, worthy of reflection. The topic suggests that exhibitions are under assault. I would say that trade exhibitions or trade shows always have the pressures of remaining relevant to the audiences they serve, just like a couple needs to work to make sure a relationship remains alive, vibrant, something you want to remain committed to, relevant. As is the case for any business venture, there has been and never will be a guarantee of success. Events come and go, with the peaks and valleys of the performance of the industries they serve or as a result of good or bad decisions made by event management. Bottom line, an event needs to pay attention to their audiences, to what exhibitors want to achieve at their events, how well they enable companies to meet their marketing and sales objectives and how it integrates with a company’s overall marketing and sales tactics. As well, exhibitions, and their exhibitors need to assure they are delivering what attendees want at trade exhibitions.

Trade exhibitions that evolve with their audiences create a solid foundation. And those who ignore their audiences, well, we know what happens then.

Here are a few CEIR reports worth reading that address this topic. There are many more though I just want to point out the one’s that come to mind. For anyone who wants more info, feel free to contact me at ndrapeau@ceir.org .

Factors that Drive the Decision to Exhibit

Exhibitions Offer Unique Value Not Provided by Other Marketing Channels

Exhibitions are Highly Valued in Achieving Marketing & Sales Objectives

Marketers Find Exhibitions an Essential Marketing and SalesTactic

What Attendees Want from Trade Exhibitions

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