Study: Technological Progress Good for Shows

According to a recent national survey of corporate exhibitors, technological advances over the past three years have increased – not hindered – the need for face-to-face marketing. That may be one more indication that the tradeshow industry's current slump is coming to an end, according to findings in the Corporate Exhibitor Trends Study conducted by Tradeshow Week and exhibit marketing firm Exhibit Works. Of the 336 exhibitors that responded to the survey, 63 percent said they plan to exhibit at as many shows as three years ago or more than three years ago.

"Equally important is that more than two-thirds of the respondents indicate that tradeshow marketing is equal to or more important than it was three years ago, an indicator that perhaps the worst is over," said Michael Hughes, Tradeshow Week associate publisher and director of research services.

Distributed to corporate exhibitors in the manufacturing, health care and technology industries, the survey indicated several major trends. For starters, most exhibitors consider private exhibiting events to be an addition to, but not a replacement for, their marketing at tradeshows. Secondly, corporations find shows effective not only for improving sales and customer relations but also for learning about new products their competitors have to offer.

"The fact that the one-to-one relationship-building continues to grow in importance, underscores that even in a technological age there is no replacement for face-to-face interaction in building customers and trust," said Hughes.

According to Dave Pitcher, president of the modular division of Exhibit Works, cuts in marketing budgets over the last three years have forced companies to study their return on investment at tradeshows like never before, allowing them to understand the importance of those events.