Abstract

Keys to effective exhibiting are a clear-cut company goal, complete records, and quality audience breakdowns. Problems of measuring the effectiveness of any promotional media are legion. The trade show, an old and well-established medium of sales promotion, is no exception. Including the expenditures of those who attend trade and industrial shows, these events generate expenditures of about $2 billion per year. The lack of progress in trade show evaluation is not because the problem is tougher than evaluating mass media, this lack of progress results from the nature of the medium. Trade shows are most important for small, specialized producers, usually in industries where professional society and trade association activity is great. Actually, trade shows are easier to evaluate than mass media advertising. The complexity of the evaluation problem and the economic constraints involved in a comprehensive evaluation program in no way preclude the usefulness of a carefully constructed program of limited analysis for even the smallest companies participating in trade shows.