Trade fairs and a great source of leads and business opportunities.

There are many benefits to attending an international trade fair or a trade show and exhibition.

Some of them are:

•  International trade fairs can be of significant value in marketing new products,
•  International trade fairs are often resolving the problem of showing the products to the buyers and the public and give them first-hand experience of the same,
•  Attending an international trade fair helps the seller engaging with the right agent or distributor and speak to the candidates prior to selecting the one to enrol,
•  International trade fairs can facilitate meeting industry or political representatives who can hear direct voices from the sectors’ players,
•  International trade fairs are an opportunity for market research and to check out the competition, almost in real-time,
•  International trade fairs are an excellent opportunity to network and build contacts, engaging the correct players and understanding their needs, especially because the audience tends to be motivated and have a robust interest in the exhibits and topics.

Participating as visitors, and even more as exhibitors can be an economical way to reach a wide potential audience. It is estimated that well over eight out of ten people who attend trade fairs are good buying decision makers and prospects, and this is a very high-quality ratio under any perspective.

The decision as to whether to attend an international trade fair will usually depend on the strategy in place, the budget available, the skills and knowledge to convert opportunities generated at the trade show and the needs to coordinate international and national trade activities and networks. 

Exhibiting and participating only as visitor are a derived aspect of the above factors. Short term interests are usually fulfilled with playing the role of the visitor, whilst long term strategies are better addressed, usually, with an exhibitor role.

Is good to know that international trade fairs follow in the tradition of trade fairs established in late medieval Europe. It was already hundreds of years ago that products and crafts were put on show through peripatetic trade fairs that where visiting towns on recurring schedules just to sell and showcase products. 

From the late eighteenth century, industrial exhibitions started to be more focused on sectors and industries, as they are even more in our modern times. A long history that is still repeating itself just because it is effective and efficient.