Time to trade in your trade show?
Scott Briscoe posts some interesting thoughts about trade shows on the Acronym blog. A snip:
- Recently on ASAE & The Center’s Meetings and Expositions listserver, someone asked how to enliven a tradeshow so attendees will visit booths.
There really is only one good answer to the query: make sure the exibitors have products, services, or information that the attendees want to talk with them about. Anything else is a cheap gimmick that won’t do any long-term good.
There are some interesting comments, including one about knowing when it’s time to let go of something that doesn’t work, and another that posits a possible solution to the problem. I spouted off there, too, so I won’t here. But check out the conversation. I’d love to hear your thoughts on revitalizing trade shows. It’s one of those things we all talk about, but I haven’t heard of any real, lasting solutions yet.
January 4th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Sue, thanks for your comments. Fact is, there is no simple, enduring, eternal solution. There is no silver bullet, kemo sabe.
Associations, like everyone else, just need to use voice of the customer processes and better match their activities–programs, products and services, including events with exhibits–to the ever changing marketplace, year after year. Some activities fit well with exhibitors. Other activities never will.
Said differently, I’m suggesting that many associations (including mine) tend to do “what they’ve always done, the way they have always done it”. It’s comfortable. It doesn’t require anything new or different. And it ignores changing markets, and results–it focuses on inputs–not outputs.
Associations (and exhibitors) that simply make decisions on the total number of registrants of an event (the input) are risking a lot of advertising and exhibitor revenue turnover. Attention to the output (solid exhibitor leads, for example) ensures advertising and exhibitor participations and revenue consistency, year after year. What’s better: annual exhibitor crapshoots or annual exhibitor consistency?
I think someone said the definition of insanity is to do what you’ve always done, and expect that there will be a different result.
We associatons may have to pay more attention–every year–to better understand the voice(s) of our association customer(s) and match that with events that include appropriately matched exhibitors. Exhibitors will spend their advertising dollars (year in and year out) on associations that provide a good match. Who wouldn’t?
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