Important Trade Show Trends: Some of These May Surprise You

Planning to attend an exhibit? If so, it's important to be on top of the latest trends. Your idea of who attends a trade show and what attendees are looking for may be out of date-and if it is, your competition will have the edge. Here are seven trade show trends you should know if you want to get the best results from your next exhibit appearance.

Attendees are influential. According to Exhibit Surveys Inc's annual Trade Show Trends report], an average of 82% of trade show attendees are people who have the power to make final purchasing decisions in their companies. This isn't new; according to the survey, this statistic has held steady, averaging about 83% since 1998.

But they're not necessarily in a purchasing mood. The good news is that you're getting access to the people who can make purchasing decisions. The bad news is that only a little more than half actually plan to buy within the next year. The statistic here is 55% for all trade shows, which is slightly higher than the average for the past six years.

Globalization. Thanks to a more mobile workforce and global business trends, your next trade show might be in Dubai, Japan, or the United Kingdom. Trade shows are going global, and it's not unusual for exhibitors to travel to different time zones to access an important segment of their market-especially if they operate globally. India, China, and other Asian marketplaces are becoming particularly popular for trade shows.

The soft sell. While it's often assumed that businesses will make money selling their goods directly to trade show attendees, this type of exhibit is becoming more and more unusual. Many exhibitors are now concentrating on "soft sell" tactics that include creating a great impression, giving away excellent free gifts that encourage attendees to remember the company, and attention-getting entertainment that really makes a splash on the exhibit floor. Many exhibitors go to trade shows with the goal of making connections with influential buyers and following up to land the sale, rather than selling goods and services directly from the booth.

More competition for fewer attendees. While trade show square footage has grown recently, with more companies exhibiting, the amount of attendees has declined slightly. That means you'll be facing more competition for fewer visitors-and you'll have to work extra hard to make an impression and attract traffic.

Attendees on a time crunch. The average trade show attendee isn't just browsing. There are more demands on attendees' time, and that means they're trying to get as much from the trade show in as little time as possible. Today's trade show attendees spend less time wandering the booths and looking for something interesting, and more time planning which booths to visit and what information to look for to compare products. To take advantage of this trend, it's important for companies to market to attendees beforehand-you'll want to be on their lists of booths to visit, which many decide on before they arrive. You'll also want to make sure the information these visitors need is clear and well-presented. Give them all the information they need to compare you to the competition, and you're likely to do well.

Professional staff. 92% of attendees in 2007 described staff at exhibit booths as "excellent" in terms of performance. That means a lot of companies are investing in the best staff for their booths, and you'll need to make sure your own employees are up to the challenge if you want to make a good impression. The competition is setting the bar high in terms of exhibit staff performance.Trade shows are still an important way to reach buyers-particularly those who have the power to make purchasing decisions. If you're planning a trade show appearance, it's important to be aware of the latest trends in trade shows. Plan an effective pre-show marketing strategy that reaches your audience on many levels; create a display that caters to high-level visitors who are deliberate in targeting the booths they want to visit; and soft-sell your company effectively with professional staff, an interesting booth, and reasons for attendees to visit and stay. If you do, your next exhibit is likely to be a success.