The Advantage of Exhibiting in a Down Market

I came across a great article in The New York Times online this week that talks about the benefits of advertising during a down market.  The articles address five ways to advertise effectively so that you get the most out of your investment, and I thought the same principles apply to trade shows, which is a similar marketing activity in many respects.

• Aim for your target audience – integrate your marketing efforts (i.e., advertising, newsletters, email campaigns) around your biggest events.  Go after them in a big way, and don’t concern yourself with others that will waste time and valuable energy.

• Strengthen your image — carry your image forward with a custom exhibit design that enhances your brand and reinforces its value to businesses and/or consumers.

• Highlight your competitive advantage — focus on what sets your products and/or services apart from the competition, and make sure the message is consistent throughout your booth space.

• Spend money to make money — like advertising, trade shows aren’t an area where you can afford to cut corners.  There’s always other areas where you can save money.

• Exhibit at the right shows — only exhibit at the events that provide the highest return on objectives (ROO), which includes ROI.

Point number four is key here because growth rarely occurs without investment.  But let me know what you think by posting a comment.

Until then…

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   Heidi Thorne says:

   December 23, 2009 at 2:49 pm

   Maintaining visibility in all markets is so important. The biggest advantage to participating in tradeshows in a down market is that you have the opportunity to stand out. Why? Because all your competitors have left the building… literally.

   Thanks for the great post!

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     Eric Lukazewski says:

     January 6, 2010 at 9:31 pm

     Thanks for your comment Heidi. It’s easier said than done to spend money in a down market, but a rebound is on the horizon and inevitable. What better to position yourself in front of the wave, instead of trying to catch up to it.

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