Trade Shows of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Marketing is changing.  Businesses are relying on internet marketing and social media marketing more and more, and sadly some businesses are cutting out traditional marketing avenues like trade shows altogether.  However trade shows are changing too and marketers should be mindful to consider the evolution of the trade show in history and for the future.

The Great International Exhibition of 1851 was the first international trade fair.  From the late 1800s to the early 1900s the United States hosted a “rash” of world and state fairs.  These offered companies the opportunity for face to face marketing with may prospects without having to draw them into their business or storefront.  Over time, entrepreneurs and businessmen developed their own industry specific trade shows. Trade associations added exhibits to convention programs and the trade show industry as we know it was born.

Trade shows remain a lucrative method of marketing. They allow for focused attention on building customer relationships and the opportunity to meet with decision makers. In fact according to the Exhibit survey Inc. 2006 Annual Study, 8 out of 10 show attendees have the influence to recommend or make final purchasing decisions and a whopping 70% of show attendees are there with the intention of making a purchasing decision.   Attendance and exhibitors have declined slightly over the past year, due in part to the struggling economy.  But seasoned exhibitors have found continued qualified leads and less competition as a result.

What does the future hold for the exhibiting industry?  With the new environmental initiatives and green exhibiting practices, it seems certain that trade shows are here to stay.  With the integration of social media into the trade show industry, (ie  attendees “tweeting” and blogging from the show sites) exhibitors should be in for a prosperous future.  The merger of the old and the new opens up event marketing to a whole new generation.

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