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Added value at exhibitions

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Time and research have shown that exhibitions are an important part of the sales and marketing mix, however they do involve a considerable investment and it is imperative exhibitors choose the right ones.

According to the International Tourism and Trade Fairs Association (ITTFA), this decision has never been more important as businesses struggle through a period of recession.

With so many exhibitions to choose from, event organisers have to work hard to ensure they are among the chosen ones.

So how do organisers retain those important exhibitors, attract new ones and add value to the cost of exhibiting?

An ITTFA spokesman said: “Exhibitors need to know the visitor quality and mix is appropriate for their product or service.  Visitor numbers are not necessarily an indication of success, far better to have one visitor who is the decision maker and key to your business, rather than three who are not.

So drawing in the top buyers and decision makers is a must for successful trade events.

“A good organiser will find out all about his exhibitors’ businesses, how they function, understand their product and customer base, what their future goals are. They will build a relationship with each client and prove they are targeting visitors on the exhibitors’ behalf.” 

ITTFA member, TUR, the leading Scandinavian travel trade fair held in Gothenburg each year goes that extra mile.

Exhibition manager Johan Lundberg said the exhibition takes part in onging analysis and aims to become increasingly close to exhibitors’ businesses. TUR has also built up its webpage to provide news and topics for the business rather than only providing information about the event, thus extending the life of the fair.

For 2010 TUR will give its customer base an opportunity to comment on certain topics from its webpage using the event’s new Facebook facility.

It has also started ‘BookTUR’, a webpage where exhibitors can promote their best offers and is working in collaboration with other organisations in the business to carry out seminars, galas, dinners etc providing additional opportunities to market the show and build its network.

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