Resource Center » Guide to Trade Shows, Expos, & Conferences
Trade shows are events that allow companies to showcase their latest products or services, usually within a certain industry. Trade shows (also known as expos or conferences) are mostly held in the bigger cities around the world. Some trade shows are open to the public and some are only open to members of the trade and of the media. The major trade shows are recognized as world events and become glitzy affairs with elaborate setups, high turnouts of visitors, and varieties of trade show giveaways.
The most popular and important trade shows include:
- Cairo International Book Fair: Held annually at the Fairgrounds in Cairo, Egypt, this is the largest book fair in the world. It has become a cultural highlight in the world of literature since it started in 1969; it drew more than 3000 exhibitors and 3 million visitors in its 40th session!
- Foire de Paris: The Foire de Paris is an expo that combines the themes of House and Environment, Well-being and Leisure, and World Cultures. This expo features furnishings, kitchen appliances, gardening trends, fitness products, fashion accessories, tropical islands, ethnic treasures, exotic holidays, and more! The Paris Trade Fair almost has it all.
- International Furniture Fair of Milan: This expo showcases the latest trends in furnishing designs. It attracted about 270,000 visitors in 2007. The International Furniture Fair of Milan is the largest furniture fair in the world.
- IETF India: The International Engineering and Technology Fair is one of the most anticipated trade fairs in the world. Some of the shows in the 2009 fair include Robo Expo, IETF Global, Manufacturing, and Auto Parts. It has been held once every two years since 1975.
- Tokyo Motor Show: This biennial trade show is a showcase of the latest innovations and designs in the automobile industry. The expo is as famous for its Tokyo Motor Show Girls and its groundbreaking cars and motorcycles. It was attended by more than 1.5 million visitors in 2007.
- Canton Fair: Started in 1957 in Guangzhou, China, the Canton Fair is held twice in each calendar year. It is the largest fair in China and exhibits a wide variety of consumer goods including toys, office supplies, clothes, and machinery.
Trade fairs represent a sizeable amount of investment for participating companies. The time and cost of setting up booths, of demonstration techniques, and of promotional ideas can make or break a company's venture in expos. To meet the growing demands of exhibitors, there are companies that offer trade show services:
- Exhibé: This company provides expert services in trade show displays and
exhibits, and they help to design and set up exhibit booths on a
project basis.
- TSEA: The Trade Show Exhibitors
Association helps its members to become more successful in event
marketing. They have served approximately 2,000 trade show
professionals and suppliers since 1966.
- Trade-Show-Advisor:
A company that provides essential promotion and marketing ideas for trade
fair success.
- Trade Show Marketing: Resource site with lots of tips on trade fair marketing and promotion.
Since most companies exhibit in the same trade fairs every year or two, it's a good idea to implement a long term marketing strategy to reap the fullest benefits. A successful trade fair plan involves cultivating strong ties with customers as well as with competitors.
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