Trade show participation should be viewed as a key marketing strategy. The following statistics indicate the marketing power of trade shows.
· The cost of a face-to-face contact with a qualified prospect at an exposition is $142. The cost of a face-to-face sales call at a prospect’s office is $259.
· Roughly 54% of all qualified sales leads obtained at expositions are closed without an additional person visit. In contrast, if the first contact is made at the prospect’s office, an average of 4.3 visits is required to close the sale.
· Over one-half of all exposition attendees come to see and learn about “what’s new.” The medium is ideal for introducing new products/services or new applications and enhancements of existing products.
· On the average, over 50% of the exposition attendees are there for the first time. Since new players in the industry emerge each year, an exposition is an ideal place to meet these people.
· Between 11 and 23% of a show’s audience comes specifically to see at least one product or company.
· Attendees spend between six and eight hours viewing exhibits during the course of an exposition. On the average, they visit 26 exhibits.
· Over 80% of exposition attendees are final decision-makers or influence the purchase of products and services exhibited.
· Between 20 and 37% of the average exposition audience is identified as “top management.” These are the people hardest to reach using other sales and marketing mediums.
· Over 50% of the audience at a regional exposition travels less than 100 miles to attend. At national expositions, 64% of the visitors come from at least 400 miles away. This may influence the exposition selection process.
· Over eight out of ten exposition visitors have not been called on by a salesperson from exhibiting companies in the 12 months prior to the event. In addition to new potential customers, exhibitors can meet the key management executives from their current client companies whom they had been unable to see before.
· Visitors are attracted to booths for a number of reasons, but most often because of the products displayed or demonstrated, or by company name recognition. However, what prospects remember most is what they are told by sales people.
· Some long-term business relationships start with an exhibit contact. On the average, company sales are influenced for two years after the show by the contacts made at that show. Expositions work because they fill the information and purchasing needs of those who attend the event. From an exhibitor’s point of view, these pre-screened audiences are the key to selling success.
* The above statistics provided by the Center for Exposition Industry Research.
Casey FitznerExhibit Services
