Industrial trade shows : a study of related activities

Trade shows are events that bring together, in a single location, a group of suppliers who set up physical exhibits of their products and services from a given industry or discipline. For many companies, trade shows provide low cost access to new markets and markets that would otherwise be unapproachable. Because they attract thousands of attendees, trade shows have become a powerful marketing medium. Many companies have recognised their power as a vehicle for shortening the sales cycle. In fact, trade shows rank second after on-site selling in influencing buying decisions of industrial purchases. Furthermore, while it takes only 0.8 sales calls onaverage to close a sale initiated by a trade show, estimates place the number of visits required by a sales person on his or her own at five.