The importance of exhibitions was highlighted in a Forbes online article by Consumer Electronics Association President and CEO Gary Shapiro titled: Want Innovation? Go to a Tradeshow. He outlines the imperative for face-to-face that takes place at a show:
They come to test the mettle of the people with whom they are doing business, to shake their hands, look in their eyes, and assess whether a company’s product matches a company’s hype. Perhaps most important, they come because relationships matter in business and, despite the worldwide reach of the Internet, a relationship cannot only be electronic. It must be personal.
This personal component to International CES – or any trade show, for that matter – is what makes it a living, breathing entity. It’s an experience that requires five senses. Some may scoff and wonder why in the age of technology and the Internet live face-to-face events even exist. Yet they not only persist, they also prosper because people, relationships and first-hand impressions matter. Five-sense interaction beats the Internet for creating a big picture view, allowing serendipitous discovery, developing trust, and evaluating people and products.
At Expo! Expo! I had the chance to interview Francis Friedman of Time & Place Strategies. We started talking about the five consecutive quarters of growth, as reported by CEIR. I asked if these numbers indicate that we are out of the woods. Francis believes we are not since the CFOs are continuing to squeeze every marketing dollar, including the ones allotted for trade shows. He continues by saying:
“I don’t think we can start jumping up and down anywhere soon relative to things getting better. They are improving directionally because we have an entrepreneurial society and people are thinking how to be more innovative and productive but right now cash is still king. Right now things are still tight in terms of the questions…”do I really need to be at that show?” I also think it is incumbent on our industry to ask the question – are producing products that people want to buy…another entire subject.”
Listen in on our discussion:
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