Planning and performance assessment of industrial trade shows: An exploratory study

Abstract Trade shows are an important element of the promotion mix for industrial products. However, the assessment of a firm's performance at a trade show has been a difficult problem because data on key variables is usually not available. In this paper, the authors propose lead generation efficiency as an important index of trade show performance and examine the impact of several show related variables on lead generation. The results from an empirical application conducted on a pilot scale using data from 27 shows suggest that the quality of a firm's booth personnel, the total expenditure on the show relative to attendance and the show's narrowness of focus are critical variables that affect lead efficiency. Based on their model the authors discuss implications for trade show selection and assessment of a firm's current spending policy.

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