The benefits

BENEFITS FROM PARTICIPATION IN TRADE SHOWS

Comprehensive presentations:

• tailor made exhibitions
• spectacular presentations of new products
• demonstrations of product applications
• meetings with clients
• press conferences

Effective return on investment:

• survey of the Exhibition & Event Association of Australia revealed that average investment of 9% of the marketing budget spent on participation in a trade show help increase business by 23%

• according to CEIR (Center of Exhibition Industry Research and FEBELUX (Federations of Fairs and Exhibitions in Belgium and Luxemburg):

• • 76% of trade fair guests have definite action plans,
  • 48% of prospective transactions discussed at a trade show are completed successfully without any additional effort on the part of the seller
  • completion of transactions discussed at a trade show costs 56% less than traditional visits paid to prospective trade partners

Complete offer:

• assistance extended by professional personnel
• full arrangement of trade fair presentations – stand development, organization of exhibition and conferences, promotional and advertising campaigns
• extended service and quality

Formalities:

• application and order forms are available online on the websites of individual trade shows

Matchmaking:

• market research, sectoral reports
• search for prospective candidates for cooperation, investors and partners
• organization of meetings with short listed trade partners
• preparation and service of trade missions
• help in marketing and promotional campaigns
• organization of WTC Club meetings and International Cooperation Exchanges; in 2003 match-made meetings attracted entrepreneurs from 17 countries – Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine and USA

Hosted Buyers:
A few months before a given trade show, the Poznań International Fair (MTP) searches for potential partners and investors interested in cooperation with exhibitors. It then organises their visit to Poznań. A series of pre-arranged meetings takes place during the show. This increases the efficiency of a trade fair presentation and shortens the time to reach business partners. 

Benefits for visitors:

• complete, synthetic and neutral information
• excellent comparability of offers
• possibility of objective assessment
• 54% visitors visit trade shows to see new products or services
• 48% visitors look for information
• 40% want to be up to date with new technologies
• 15% visit trade shows to establish business contacts

Source: Exhibition & Event Association of Australia
Interactivity:

• trade shows create an opportunity for a dialogue and exchange of opinions
• new customers – first contacts with prospective customers are made at trade shows 
• existing customers – trade shows help refresh contacts and hold dialogues with customers during face-to-face meetings
• former customers – contacts with former customers are re-established at trade shows and new offers are presented to them

Synergy effect:
The synergy effect can be achieved through the simultaneous use of different services. Trade shows help to:

• acquire new customers
• compile a new customer database
• strengthen contacts with clients
• launch new products and services
• demonstrate and promote products
• sell products
• create the company image
• create and strengthen the brand
• increase media interest

Furthermore, trade shows are excellent venues to:

• learn about customer expectations
• get immediate opinion about company products
• find local product representatives and distributors
• present products using all five senses

Fair shows + Internet:

• in the opinion of 91% of 250 surveyed presidents of American corporations, the Internet DOES NOT replace trade shows:
• personal contact is indispensable (55%)
• a product must be seen and discussed (35%)
• answers given to questions asked at trade shows are more complete (10%)
• the Internet can be used as a source of trade show information:
  • company presentation in the online exhibitors’ catalogue
  • all year promotion of new products on the market on MTP’s websites

(Source: International Association for Exhibition Management)
Benefits for exhibitors:

• demonstration of company presence on the market (opinion expressed by 83% of the respondents)
• presentation of new products (79%)
• retaining contacts with existing customers (78%)
• exchange and acquisition of information (78%)
• acquisition of new customers (77,6%)
• increased knowledge and improved company image (76%)
• increased product knowledge (75%)
• recognition of customer expectations (70%)
• conclusion of sale agreements (64%)
• influencing customer decisions (63%)

• increased product awareness (58% companies)
• exchange and collection of information about the market (50% companies)
• recognition of customer expectations (50% companies), influencing customer decisions (33% companies)
• conclusion of sale agreements (29% companies)

(Source: Austellungs- und MesseAusschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft - EMNID Institute Deutschland)

Face-to-face:

• 87% of marketing specialists think that direct, i.e. face-to-face  communication with customers, trade partners and media representatives is a necessary element of the company’s marketing strategy

(Source: Association of Exhibition Organisers, Benchmark Research)