The Phoenix Chamber holds several shows a year and the next one is coming up on Monday December 3rd at the Biltmore Resort.  There should be about 125 exhibitors (be sure to stop by my booth for Exhibit Experts and introduce yourself).  The event starts at noon then at 5 pm the Chamber mixer begins.  Lots of food and plenty of networking.  Not to be missed.  This is a great opportunity to see what a nicely run, business expo looks like.  They do a good job and pull several thousand attendees.  It’s the perfect opportunity to find new business services and see who supports the Chamber.  I hope to see you there.

Susan

The Center for Exhibition industry research compiles some pretty impressive statistics that convince me that exhibiting in trade and consumer shows is one of the most cost effective ways to market your business.  After reading their findings below I am sure you’ll agree.

And if you don’t agree, let me know why.  Maybe I can analyze why your experience did not produce results.

Susan

There are 10,000 tradeshows and 3000 consumer shows a year

Attended by 100 million people who spend 120 billion dollars

Who attends tradeshows?

36% are first time attendees

78% have buying influence

38% are the final decision makers

81% are looking for new products and services

79% have not been contacted by your company in the last 12 months

What do they do at the show?

76% arrive with an agenda

83% buy something

43% Will buy something within 12 months

77% Will select a new supplier or vendo

94% will compare competing products

66%  come to network

87% will share what they learned with 4-6 other people

If you are ready to get down and dirty with what’s going to make you money when you exhibit, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether you are in a business expo, a craft fair, a recruiting show or consumer selling, event image is everything.  Unfortunately it won’t matter much if you don’t execute. 

It amazes me how much money companies waste throughout the entire exhibit planning process and how much opportunity is lost at the booth when the staff is not prepared or held accountable for their productivity.  How about a little planning ahead people. 

Thousands of dollars can be saved by reading the exhibitor kit the moment you get it.  Attention to details is the key to savings.  Don’t wait until the last minute to inventory your existing display for problems.  Order your graphics early.  Ship advance to the warehouse to avoid hassles with I&D. 

I’m going to keep it short and encourage your questions and comments about what bugs you about the tradeshow business.  I will elaborate more on how to stand out from the crowd and keep expenses down.  In the mean time take a look at the attached flyer offering 20 Tips to Trick Out Your Tradeshow Booth or Customize Your Consumer Show Exhibit.