Valuing trade shows: key to maintaining a diverse marketing program.

• Author: Mihalik, Sharon Pulte
• Position: Trade Shows & Exhibitions

Hamilton Exhibits, an Indianapolis-based exhibit design and marketing company, has found that to track trade-event effectiveness and get senior management to understand the importance of trade shows, company marketing managers must:

EVALUATE THE AUDIENCE

The most important reason for participating in trade shows is to gather sales leads. It is important to understand and evaluate the potential audience well before signing up for a show. Evaluation relies heavily on research. Examining information from past shows and determining the show's estimated attendance and attendee demographics are essential. It is also important to determine if a competitor has previously exhibited.

A number of companies in the industry conduct very specific surveys of individual trade shows. These surveys are commissioned by either the show management company, individual exhibitors or both. The objective is to learn about the audience that is attending the show so that companies can judge how well the audience matches their product.

Once this research has been conducted, only then can trade-event managers make a more informed decision on whether or not their company should participate.

IDENTIFY STRENGTHS

By identifying an exhibit programs' strengths and weaknesses, trade-event managers are able to effectively achieve their marketing objectives and make changes that best reflect those objectives. The marketing message that is conveyed to target audiences at the trade event should be consistent with all other elements of a company's marketing-communications program. It should address the same "top-of-mind" wants, needs and concerns of the target audience. Communicating these messages is done before, during and after a show.

According to a survey conducted by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, the two main objectives of any successful exhibit are: 1) attract the audience to the booth, and 2) convert visitors into qualified leads. Making sure the exhibit achieves these goals is paramount in getting the best return on a tradeshow investment.

MEASURE THE PERFORMANCE

Exhibiting by objectives requires that the program be directed by a marketer who is oriented to think in terms of product application, potential market, marketing and selling strategies, objectives, implementation of strategies and...