Trade Shows
Gordon Dalgleish led his January 16 blog entry (click on the headline above, "Trade Shows") with a note about the upcoming (Jan 27-30, Orlando) PGA Merchandise Show. I commented on his blog. Here's what I said:
Regarding the PGA Merchandise Show and trade shows/exhibits in general:
My company had the occasion recently to make a presentation to the High Point (NC) Market Authority, the promotional body for the furniture industry's twice annual International Home Furnishings Exposition, aka the "Furniture Market." I told the Market Authority's communications committee that their show was at risk for several reasons: (1) Las Vegas is building its own merchandise expo and vying to compete. (2) High Point has a tradition of gouging its Market visitors. Hotel and rental car rates double during the shows, and Market visitors aren't pleased about it. (3) The town's infrastructure can't support the demand for dining, parking, etc. Needless to say, these three things are inter-related.
Worse, I continued, shows like the "Furniture Market" are on the wane anyway. (By the way, we didn't get the business.) The traditional reasons for buyers' attending such confabs aren't necessarily valid any longer. And this is where I see a parallel to the PGA Show.
1. Networking. Members, buyers, exhibitors, et al. - they used to catch up with one another, restore, rejoin, replenish their relationships and friendships and all that sort of thing.
2. New products. The PGA Show, the Furniture Market - heck, all shows, for all I know - used to provide a platform for introducing new products. Buyers felt they almost had to go in order to see and get in line to buy the latest and the greatest.
3. Distribution exclusivity. And being first to see often allowed a buyer to not only be the first, but also be the only seller on his block offering the latest and the greatest.
The first of these reasons remains valid. But #'s 2 and 3 - not so much anymore. No one holds new introductions for a show. The cycles for new product launches have changed. They're shorter and for some brands, launching outside the show cycle gives them a brief window of advantage. And almost no one can afford to offer exclusivity anymore.
Not to mention the cost. For the exhibitor the cost to be at one of these shows is astronomical, and increasingly they're asking themselves, is there a return?
So as long as the PGA Merchandise Show allows PGA members to network with one another, the show will go on. But one has to ask: How long will the networkers come if there are fewer and fewer exhibitors with a need to be there?
Regarding the PGA Merchandise Show and trade shows/exhibits in general:
My company had the occasion recently to make a presentation to the High Point (NC) Market Authority, the promotional body for the furniture industry's twice annual International Home Furnishings Exposition, aka the "Furniture Market." I told the Market Authority's communications committee that their show was at risk for several reasons: (1) Las Vegas is building its own merchandise expo and vying to compete. (2) High Point has a tradition of gouging its Market visitors. Hotel and rental car rates double during the shows, and Market visitors aren't pleased about it. (3) The town's infrastructure can't support the demand for dining, parking, etc. Needless to say, these three things are inter-related.
Worse, I continued, shows like the "Furniture Market" are on the wane anyway. (By the way, we didn't get the business.) The traditional reasons for buyers' attending such confabs aren't necessarily valid any longer. And this is where I see a parallel to the PGA Show.
1. Networking. Members, buyers, exhibitors, et al. - they used to catch up with one another, restore, rejoin, replenish their relationships and friendships and all that sort of thing.
2. New products. The PGA Show, the Furniture Market - heck, all shows, for all I know - used to provide a platform for introducing new products. Buyers felt they almost had to go in order to see and get in line to buy the latest and the greatest.
3. Distribution exclusivity. And being first to see often allowed a buyer to not only be the first, but also be the only seller on his block offering the latest and the greatest.
The first of these reasons remains valid. But #'s 2 and 3 - not so much anymore. No one holds new introductions for a show. The cycles for new product launches have changed. They're shorter and for some brands, launching outside the show cycle gives them a brief window of advantage. And almost no one can afford to offer exclusivity anymore.
Not to mention the cost. For the exhibitor the cost to be at one of these shows is astronomical, and increasingly they're asking themselves, is there a return?
So as long as the PGA Merchandise Show allows PGA members to network with one another, the show will go on. But one has to ask: How long will the networkers come if there are fewer and fewer exhibitors with a need to be there?
posted by Mark Burris - BURRIS at 1/23/2005 02:13:00 PM
1 Comments:
Best quips from 2005 PGA Merchandise Show:
1. If any other large exhibitors drop out of the show and they use the extra space to increase the demo area, you'll be playing a full par 5. (Howard Derkay)
2. Let's dispense with the first 5 questions ("how's business?"; "what are you working on?", "when are you headed home?", etc.) and get straight to what's new. (Blair Leburn)
3. I've found that business partnerships too often feel like I'm driving a one way street...and I'm at the cul-de-sac. (yours truly)
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