As in any industry, tradeshow exhibit professionals are constantly faced with justifying the value of participating in shows. The cost of exhibiting, the travel, diminishing show attendance and the economy has turned up the heat.
One basic test that helps answer these challenges is to pose a simple question to any bottom line accountable executive. The question: if you were given 2 minutes to explain the advantages of dealing with your company to a person who regularly buys the same products and services from a competitor, do you think that you could convince them to give your company a try?
If the answer to this question is no, perhaps they should consider working for the competitor or at least reexamining your product or service offering.
Most confident executives would gladly accept this challenge. The best place to set the stage for this scenario is at a tradeshow or convention. Couple this amazing opportunity with the fact that the buyer has paid their own way to the show and that they are receptive to this pitch in the show environment and you can easily see the value proposition that tradeshows create.
Over the years the most successful are those that have put together an integrated tradeshow marketing plan that will result in producing the maximum number of these opportunities.