Tradeshows can be an effective way to market a brand and grow sales. The great thing about these events is they all attract a target audience in a concentrated environment, making it efficient to connect with many customers in a short period of time. In general, there are a few different types of tradeshows that range from industry events to local distributor shows (Table 1). Each type serves a different purpose and requires specific resources, but the key to success in any event is being prepared.
Industry Tradeshow
An industry tradeshow usually captures a national or international audience. An example of this is the National Confectioners Association “Sweets & Snacks Expo,” in which candy and snack manufacturers from around the world exhibit their latest and greatest products and services. While some exhibitors will market promotional discounts (“show deals”), it has become more common for them to use the event to showcase new offerings and meet with as many customers as possible for follow-up later. Whatever your objective is, make sure to have a detailed plan in place before committing to exhibit, as your booth size, design and marketing will all stem from the plan.
Preparation for industry shows starts over a year in advance; be sure to reserve your space as soon as possible. Most show websites have pictures from previous years to give you an idea of the look and feel, and will also provide guidelines and tools for setting up your booth.
Trade Association Tradeshows
Trade association shows capture a wide audience of association members – as opposed to industry shows that capture an entire industry. For example, the Midwest Petroleum and Convenience Tradeshow brings together upwards of 5,000 leaders in the petroleum and convenience industry from the Midwest every year. Since most trade associations rely on vendor support, they encourage vendors to write orders and offer promotional discounts at these events to improve their return on investment. Generally, these shows are held at smaller venues than industry shows but require a similar level of planning. Be prepared to speak with owners and senior management of retail and wholesale customers, who will likely gather information and bring back to their team for follow up.
Retailer Tradeshows
Retailer shows are designed for marketing to stores managed by a specific retailer. Hudson News – the stores in nearly every airport – hosts a show for their managers annually. These are order-writing shows with a heavy emphasis on educating store managers on the product they are carrying. Our example, Hudson News, has to cater to different regional preferences, so guiding store managers to products that work best in their area can have a huge impact on sales for exhibitors. Usually the retailer’s staff is leading the coordination of the event, so be sure to collaborate with your category manager and get to know the project managers to achieve your desired outcome. Preparation for retailer shows should include having a list of items authorized by the retailer, promotional plans, information on available racks and merchandising vehicles, as well as feedback forms you can fill out and recap for follow-up conversations with the corporate contact.
Distributor Tradeshows
Some retailers prefer to buy products from a distributor due to the breadth of products they offer, consolidation of vendors, and ability to negotiate large-scale pricing with vendors. As an added benefit to their retailer partners, distributors host their own tradeshows in which they invite all of their retailers to shop promotions, discover new items and network with vendors. KeHE Distributors hosts several tradeshows in different formats. These events can be for a specific territory, region or national depending on the size of the distributor. For the vendors, these are order-writing shows. Similar to retailer shows, these events are commonly coordinated internally, so stay in constant contact in your planning process. Be prepared to present tradeshow deals, upcoming promotions and provide a list of active items – along with distributor item codes.
Sampling
There are many ways in which you can showcase your product at a tradeshow. Generally, food products need to be tasted, services need to be demonstrated, general merchandise needs to be compared, and supply items need to be analyzed. There are myriad combinations of show types, categories, product values, classes of trade and showcase options; go back to your objective and bring the appropriate amount of samples. Keep in mind that some shows encourage sampling. If you want to showcase samples for display only, take measures to prevent samples to be taken such as locked shadowboxes or other deterrents. Prepare return shipping services for remaining samples and displays before the show so you can focus on breaking down your booth quickly at the end.
Return on Investment
Regardless of the type of tradeshow, it is important to evaluate your return on investment (ROI), and ROI should be driven by your overall objective. For instance, if your focus is to sell promotional offers, the ROI = cost of tradeshow/promotional offer sales. If your objective is to gain everyday distribution, ROI = cost of tradeshow/annualized sales of new distribution. Commonly vendors already have business with tradeshow attendees and want to grow their business with them. In this case, it is more accurate to consider existing business in the ROI calculation (cost of tradeshow/total annualized sales). Conversely, some manufacturers value feedback on a new item launch and, while they still calculate an ROI on show sales results, also consider part of the tradeshow cost a marketing expense. One way to defray some of the cost of a tradeshow is by participating in a “broker booth,” in which you can cost share space amongst several of the broker’s clients.
There are a lot of tradeshows at your disposal. Prioritize them based on you go-to-market strategy, budget and projected ROI, then vigilantly prepared to maximize your desired outcome.
Table 1
| Type | Scope | Objective | Example |
| Industry | National | Display new items and programs. Connect with industry contacts, exiting customers and potential customers. | National Confectioners Association “Sweets & Snacks Expo” |
| Trade Association | National or Regional Memberships | Display new items and programs. Offer “show deals.” |
Midwest Petroleum and Convenience Tradeshow |
| Retailer | Covers stores managed by a specific retailer |
Present offers available to stores. Pre-sell promotional items. Gain feedback from store managers. | Hudson News |
| Distributor | Covers stores supplied by a specific distributor |
Pre-sell new and promotional items. Network with store owners and managers that are supplied by distributor. | KeHE Distributors |