TRADE FAIR PLANNING
DEFINITION
Trade fair is an event in
which firms belonging to the same industry present their products and
services in a defined setting to prospective clients, end-users, retailers,
wholesalers, and distributors. Some trade fairs have a massive audience as they
can attract visitors and participants from every nook and corner of the world.
MEANING OF TRADE FAIR
Trade fair is a
massive stage that provides widespread exposure and interactions. It is one of
the most popular means of promotion and gaining recognition as participants can
meet customers and industry partners, examine opportunities and market trends, study
the activities of their competitors and showcase their latest services and products
to one and all.
Trade fair is commonly
also known as
·
Trade show
·
Expo
·
Trade exhibition
IMPORTANCE OF TRADE FAIR
The importance of
trade fair is as follows-
·
Helps to launch new products or services – The importance of a trade fair is that it is generally used
by organizations as a ground to launch new products and services and do initial
testing about them. Video presentations, product demonstrations, free trials, and free samples are some of
the best ways to lure in potential customers and gain a consensus about
the brand and its offerings
·
Helps to create lasting impressions – A trade fair offers numerous options of interaction with
potential clients, customers, and even rival companies. A well-designed booth
is one of the best ways to promote the brand image and encourage
others to view the products and services. When companies offer an enhanced
booth experience by drawing the attention of its target, it leaves a long-lasting impression on their mindset. This
promotional activity captures and increases potential client engagement so that
they can become actual clients of the company
·
It is a place for personal interaction – Personal or face-to-face interaction can influence the other
party very quickly. Trade fair provides this opportunity to the companies who have their stall or booth in it as
they can engage with potential customers and make them understand the value of
the goods and services on display. The presentation and subsequent
conversation matter a great deal as this is the time when the potential
customer tilts in your favor and becomes a client of your company. The personal
interaction helps in closing the deal with a minimum of fuss
· Lead generation potential – Most of the trade
fairs are very popular and have been able to account for a massive attendance.
Remember, every one of the people in attendance is a potential lead waiting to become a
regular client. Trade fair is one of the best places to make and develop
contacts, give business cards, make a presentation and get a viable opportunity
to impress others. Make sure to follow up by contacting them when the event is
still fresh in their minds.
·
Direct sales opportunities
– A trade fair is a specific industry-related market, and the people who visit
them are most probably on the look-out for relevant or related products and
services. It gives a company the chance to gain direct exposure for its
products and services in front of its target audience. Be ready with your
statement so that you can create a favourable impression. The personal meeting
is the best way to create opportunities for direct sales and make sure that you
are not going to let it go to waste
·
Cost-effective networking
– Renting a booth for a trade fair, travelling to and fro with a team, designing
your box and paying for meals might look like unnecessary and additional
expenses at the onset for a single event. Still, if you look at it from another
angle, it surely is an investment in the future. The business that a company
receives after the trade fair is generally far huge than the investment and
this fact is the reason why organisations love taking part in it. It is
cost-effective networking that can lure in potential customers and make them
your loyal ones
·
Levels the marketing field
– Trade fair is one of the most popular platforms for organisations belonging
to the same industry. You will find all sorts of business entities
participating in it from locally-owned entities to companies at national
and International levels. One of the most exciting things about a trade fair
is that it gives ample opportunities to every company so that they can explain
their viewpoint to potential clients irrespective of the size of their company.
Trade fair levels the playing field, and this is one of the reasons why it is
considered so important in industry circles.
FUNCTIONS OF TRADE FAIR
Trade fair revolves
around demonstration, discussions, and presentation in the booths to conduct
the following functions
·
Business-to-business
sales
·
Customer marketing
·
Industry marketing
ADVANTAGES OF TRADE FAIR
The advantages of the trade fair are as
follows-
·
One of the advantages
of participating in a trade fair is that it gives the company a chance to sell
their products and services directly to the customer
·
It provides personal
contact so that the company representative can interact with potential clients
directly without any middlemen or interference from others
·
Trade fair is
considered a cost-effective promotional strategy by the organizations because the initial cost of renting a
booth and related expenses is very less if you compare it with the amounts the
company spends as part of their promotional or marketing strategies.
·
Trade fair helps to
zero in on your target market, identify the target audiences and target them so that they
ultimately become customers of the organisation. Even if the fair is for a day
or a few days, it leaves a long-lasting impact on the mindset of the customers
·
Trade fair is a
perfect place to launch new products and services. Several representatives of
different companies visit these places to view and learn about new brands, new
products and of course, unique solutions that have been recently launched.
·
Trade fair is
beneficial as it provides more personal time with the client. It is a perfect
place to engage in real-time interaction and conversation with your target
audience
·
Trade fair is a
platform for personal interaction, and this direct communication helps to build
a one-on-one relationship that can prove beneficial in the long-run. If the
connection proves fruitful, it can help in establishing a widespread client
base that belongs to different parts of the country and sometimes even offers
global exposure
·
Strong and deeper
connections with potential clients can open several other channel. The new leads provide ample opportunity to tap the uncharted market that had been a distant horizon until now
·
Trade fair is
considered a hunting ground that helps to identify potential clients
·
It aids in the
networking process because you meet with numerous people who become impressed
with the offerings. This results in profitable alliances for the company
·
Trade fair allows
small business entities opportunities to make contacts and establish a market
base of their own. They can reach out to several clients at once that in the
typical setting would have been impossible for them.
·
Trade fair offers an
opportunity to hand out pamphlets and brochures, explain about their products
and services, provide promotional samples and increase product and service
awareness in the consumer market
·
Trade fair gives organisations ample opportunity to scope out the products and services of their
competitors and use the acquired knowledge for further gain.
·
Trade fair is open to
a broad audience of varied interest, and it gives the company a chance to
promote to a more extensive and diversified group who might not have been aware
or knowledgeable about its products and services
· Organisations consider
trade fair a good ground for testing out new products and services and
garnering general opinion about the offerings
·
Trade fair is one of
the best platforms to create brand visibility, loyalty, and credibility in the market. It results in higher sales and more significant
revenues for the
DISADVANTAGES OF TRADE FAIR
·
There are several
expenses involved in the trade fair that are not possible for new companies to
mete out at their initial stages. It is not only about the booth and design of
the booth along with travelling, lodging and food expenses. It is also about
time and effort that is involved before; during and after the trade fair long
comes to an end.
·
Another disadvantage
of a trade fair is that one organisation is judged against another because both
are placed at the adjacent corners, and it is easy to make comparisons of their
products and services
·
Sometimes things get
out of your control, and even if you have done everything right, it is not
possible to make a mark of your own. Companies should be prepared to face any
eventuality
·
Participating in the
trade fair is a lot of work, and it often proves hectic and stressful
·
With so many tasks and
responsibilities involved with the trade fair, it looks overwhelming for most
companies especially first-timers
·
Excessive frequency of trade fairs makes it difficult for companies to chose
which one they should attend and which ones to ignore. Sometimes the ones that
are ignored have the best footfall and thus proves disastrous for the company.