Why Trade Shows Are Still Important

If someone tells you trade shows are yesterday’s news, they are making a gross miscalculation.

There are no bad marketing strategies. Everyone is unique, and everyone needs a mix that works for them. “All you need is online marketing” is one of the world’s three great lies (the other two are “This won’t hurt as much as you think” and “I’m from the government and I am here to help.”)

In marketing, the magic is in the mix. When I ranked marketing tactics during a ten-year lead generation study I conducted, networking at trade shows finished in the top five. The best marketing tactics are educational in nature, and a trade show let’s you educate prospects face to face (or “belly to belly,” as one of my mentors used to say).

According to statistics compiled by the website spingo.com, “The cost of a face-to-face meeting with a prospect at a trade show is $142. The cost of a face-to-face meeting at a prospect’s office is $259. By displaying at an expo, you find a much more cost-effective way to have face-to-face conversations with potential prospects.”…[Read More]