59 Reasons to Exhibit at a Trade Show

Review the list and circle your top reasons for attending.  Then rank the areas to ensure that they are included in your pre-show and post-show measurements.

1. Sell products & services
2. Gather qualified leads for post show follow-up
3. Introduce yourself to marketplace
4. Introduce new products or services to market
5. Demonstrate new products & services
6. Demonstrate new uses for existing products & services
7. Give your customers an opportunity to meet you outside the office
8. Meet buyers face-to-face
9. Open new markets
10. See buyers usually not accessable to sales personnel
11. Find the decision makers
12. Get insight into your prospects decision making process
13. Support the decision makers
14. Be compared to the competition
15. Gather competitive intelligence
16. Solve customers problems
17. Conduct local market research
18. Reinforce brand awareness in local markets
19. Create a prospect database
20. Support your industry
21. Reinforce your marketing plans
22. Distribute product or service information
23. Showcase new products & services
24. Introduce a new promotion
25. Educate your customers 
26. Introduce new techniques
27. Learn new industry trends
28. Introduce a new service 
29. Network with colleagues
30. Network with industry professionals
31. Demonstrate your committment to your local market
32. Influence customer attitudes
33. Create high ROI opportunities
34. Uncover hidden market opportunities
35. Determine the effectiveness of marketing & promotional campaigns
36. Direct influence on decision makers
37. Distribute promotional tools
38. Influence industry trends
39. Build a database 
40. Showcase multiple uses for your product or service
41. Interact with a highly targeted audience
42. Give your prospects an opportunity to experience your product or service
43. Open doors for future sales calls
44. Achieve immediate sales
45. Present live product demonstrations
46. Introduce support services
47. Find other exhibiting opportunities
48. Meet with industry spokespersons
49. Develop new marketing techniques
50. Shorten the buying cycle
51. Train new staff
52. Generate excitement for new products and services
53. Increase profitability
54. Enhance word of mouth markets
55. Reach out to customers and communities
56. Meet competitors
57. Develop new people skills
58. Talk to customers
59. Build a professional network