Case Study: Feedback Spurs Show Launches
By Gary Tufel -- Tradeshow Week, 10/4/2004
Recently, dmg world media announced that it would launch its third home-related consumer show in suburban Washington, D.C. At first glance, the Capital Remodeling Expo's debut at the Dulles Expo & Conference Center in Chantilly, Va., Jan. 28–30, 2005, would appear to be overkill. But dmg insists the move makes sense, due to a strong local housing market and the trend of homeowners remodeling rather than buying new homes.
But with several similar shows already in the market, on top of dmg's other two, wasn't dmg afraid of over-saturation? Since there are a finite number of exhibitors and attendees for this kind of show, what gave dmg the confidence to launch it?
The impetus came from what dmg considers the best indicator of success: exhibitor feedback. And there were other good signs. Exhibit space for dmg's spring home show sold out, the January dates were available and exhibitors said they wanted a remodeling show. Dmg already knew the D.C. market, and had media contacts there. So, company officials felt they were in a position to go against conventional wisdom and launch without much of the usual advance research.
The Capital Remodeling Expo is being positioned as a home improvement show featuring products and services needed to remodel: windows, doors, flooring, siding, roofing, fireplaces, kitchens and closets.
"Greater Washington is an extremely strong housing market, with average housing prices increasing by 21 percent in the last 12 months," explained show manager Kim Giordano. "In addition, residents conducting home renovations as opposed to purchasing new homes remain at a very high level throughout the region."
Giordano noted that the Dulles Expo & Conference Center is a very successful exhibition facility, normally booked solid with both consumer events and tradeshows during its prime season. An unexpected cancellation of another show made attractive dates available.
She added that while dmg focuses its marketing for the Capital Remodeling Expo on the suburban Northern Virginia market, it's part of a larger, dynamic metro area with a population of 7.6 million, and where home improvement spending is at record levels.
As a result, Giordano said, homeowners have been flocking to home shows, including dmg's existing Capital Home & Garden Show and Capital Fall Home Show, which attract more than 55,000 and 33,000 homeowners, respectively. Potential exhibitors for the sold-out Capital Fall Home Show must go on a waiting list and the Capital Home & Garden Show, which occupies both of the Dulles center's exhibition halls, is now more than two-thirds filled and is expected to be sold out.
"Both of our other home shows at the Dulles Expo Center are sold out of exhibit space, which presents challenges for us in trying to accommodate all of our home improvement and remodeling exhibitors. As a result, our customers asked us to consider producing another show so they could reach more customers who are making plans for remodeling projects," said Giordano.
Tom Stafford is president of TJS Productions, which has produced the 800-booth Washington Home & Garden Show since 1982. Stafford said that there are a half-dozen additional smaller home shows in the D.C. market. But the metro market is tremendously healthy, as are the area's home construction and remodeling industries.
Kass Kassraie, owner of Decorating USA, said he thinks the D.C. market can support another show, and he plans to exhibit in it. Another dmg home show exhibitor, Shelly Shaplin, owner of Annapolis Spa Works/Softub, is still undecided about exhibiting in the Remodeling Expo. She said that it remains to be seen whether or not the market really can absorb another show.
Paul Schweitzer, dmg vice president of business development, said the Remodeling Expo was put on an unusually fast track — less than six months from conception to fruition. "This is because our customers kept telling us they needed an additional show," he said. "There is so much potential home improvement-related business in this market that our customers wanted another opportunity to reach homeowners who are about to embark on major home improvement projects."
The usual scenario for launching a consumer show involves 12 to 18 months of planning, much of it spent building positive relationships with the exhibition facility, customers, vendors, professional associations, media and, of course, the competition.
All of these groups need to be comfortable dealing with producers of a brand new show, Schweitzer said. "Often our staff does not live in the market where the show will be launched," he explained. "Positive relationships can be difficult to cultivate when the show staff is not local. This requires constant travel to that market for face-to-face meetings with customers, suppliers, facility, professional associations and the media."
