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Sales Promotion And Publicity
SETTING TRADE SHOw GOALS
Trade show goals can be set for seeing current customers, creating new customers and strengthening
relationships with the press. Goals should be set for each function; creating new customer goals may
include the number of leads, the number of sales and the number of visitors to the booth. Goals set for
current customers may include the number of current customers who attend a function or visit the booth.
Companies should also consider press goals, or goals for meeting members of the media. Set goals can
include the number of interviews given, number of people who attend press conferences and number of
media packets distributed. Set goals can also include the amount of press attention actually generated at
a show, and evaluation of the firm’s ability to actually get its story in print after the show is over. Setting
goals depends on the overall marketing strategy. For example, the firm’s goal may be the number of
mentions of the product in the trade media. The highest priority lead goal could be the number of leads
for that product. Then, based on these goals, the strategy for the trade shows is determined. Once goals
are set, the next step is to select shows. Show selection is like media selection in advertising, many of
the same issues such as reach, have to be considered.
SHOw SELECTION
One of the primary responsibilities of an exhibit manager is selecting shows in which to exhibit. Factors
that affect the decision include the expected audience at the show, the type of show and cost of exhibiting.
Selecting show is basically a process of comparing the number of potential prospects at the show with
the cost of exhibiting. Like advertising, choice may be made on the basis of cost per exposure. Two
measurements can be useful in predicting the number of prospects at a show as follows:
- Net buying influences
- Total buying plans
Net Buying Influence is the percentage of show audience that has influence in the buying process for
the specific product exhibited. A trade show audience may include students, job seekers, competitors,
members of the press and other non-buyers, as not every buyer in the audience buys for every exhibited
product category.
Total Buying Plan is the percentage of the audience planning to buy exhibited products within the next
12 months.
Data for both total buying plans and net buying influences can be made available from show management
for the most recent show and can be used to predict audience quality for the next show.