Selling no longer the priority at fairs

Today, there is practically no difference between the meaning of the words “trade exhibition” and “trade fair. Though deals are rarely signed, these events have become very important marketing tools. According to a recent survey by AEO, 29 per cent of visitors only attend product presentations at trade exhibitions and 80 per cent are persuaded on the spot to buy a product or service.
While big companies attend such event less frequently than in the past, these provide an excellent opportunity for smaller enterprises to grow. – Hungarian small enterprises are very timid and often have language problems – says Márta Kakuk, head of the Hungarian representative office of Köln­messe. Organisers of other trade events also have representative offices in Hungary and all can help potential exhibitors with their problems. Processes in the market of trade events are similar to those which take place in other sectors of business life. Small events either act jointly or fuse with larger ones, or try to focus on a specialised field. According to Szilvia Máté, head of the representative office of Messe Düsseldorf, IGEDO Co. and Veletrhy Brno, the German market of trade exhibitions has been divided with geometrical precision. This is why ANUGA is held in Köln, while Messe Düsseldorf organises the fair for fresh products only 40 kilometres away, every second year. In Hungary, similar events are often held in the same city in the same year, which is not only bad for revenues, it is also bad for exhibitors, who see less visitors than they would expect to. Specialisation is not feasible in Hungary, as the market is small, which means fusion is the way to go, like Montgomery International and HUNGEXPO Zrt. have demonstrated bringing IFE and Foodapest together. – As long as commerce will continue to exist, a relationship based on trust will be needed between seller and buyer, which can most easily be established through personal meetings – says – Márta Némethy from the Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Personal contacts are especially important for Asian businessmen, who attend the trade events held in Düsseldorf and Brno in increasing numbers, since many Asian products exist which are not targeted at people looking for cheap merchandise.