Trade Fairs Marketing or sales tools Are Tools

Trade Fairs Marketing or sales tools? Are Tools of Corporate or project marketing?

CEE Outgoing situation • • Transformation completed Fewer new companies from abroad Local companies established Rearrange, streamline their operations

Foreign interests • Globalisation, concentration of capital – not only for higher efficiency • Rationalise production and marketing tools • Now: buy markets, market positions and customers. They know something !

Sources of market information • Trade associations, press, government • But, most of all CUSTOMERS!!! – both exhibitors and visitors • Demand growing on more and quality information on future

What We Need • Time – not only to sell but to develop contacts, personal and trustful • Suggest them only what they really need • Go out and meet them – well before they are able to express their wishes, demands • Go out and suggest them changes • Customer Relations Management

Role of corporate marketing • • Not only general communication Market strategy, positioning, CI Maintenance of corporate growth Developing new technologies, media, projects – Money making actions • Social sensitivity, PR – limited direct contact with project marketing and sales?

Mutual Resources of Corporate and Project Marketing • Transfering, boosting values – Corporate values – Good projects • Not only financial new projects corporate values

Dilemma 1. • Where to start a new show – Where to get the information from – How to overcome built-in resistance – Value of market, customer relations • From the existing project ?

From existing projects? Prerequisits • • To know what our partners want How to render best service? What content? Do they have the best opportunity to develop and/or update the show? • Are they motivated?

Corporate marketing? New projects department? • Nursery of new trade shows? • May have conflicting interests with existing project team • Excellent internal relations can help • Motivation !

Separated Sales & Marketing Functions versy • Contro • Profit

Danger of contentment • • • Not possible to repeat past year’s practice Brand strengthened Trust of customers preserved, but: Content of the show could not be the same We need to care, alter, modify and update the show • To tell them why and what advantage

Dilemma 2. • • Time? For customers? Wrong question !!! Say they have to work more with less results

Opportunities • • • Win full confidence of your customer Confidence only through real dialogue Listen to your customer Be the marketing advisor Advise them marketing solutions not only exhibitions • Educate them • Recommend your own company other profit making activities, services, media etc.

Thanks for attention Károly Nagy 2001