Here is the short answer on whether or not you should go to the next Trade Show or Exhibition. GO.
Without reservation the answer is you and your organization should continue to participate in those trade shows and events that are integral to your industry. First, it’s not always about you, your industry can use the support as well. To heck with the industry, I’m simply responding to the economy and the market conditions, might be your response. But think about that sentiment for a minute. If everybody did that and withheld attending the next show, sooner or later the industry would be diminished and this would hurt business for everyone.
Next, your attendance and participation allows those who do attend to gravitate toward your products and services and away from the competition that doesn’t attend. Also, your organization’s presence at trade shows means you have a story to tell about your products and services. By that I mean you have features and benefits about each and every product that needs to be extolled to not only prospects and suspects but to your existing customer base as well (you can’t tell this story to often).
Moreover, your organization’s presence at trade shows says, “We are a major player in the industry”; we are a competitor existing in this industry because we have products and services the marketplace wants. AND were here to see these products and services are demanded by your customers through you, our distributors/our customers.
Finally, your organization’s presence at your next trade show means you have committed your resources in time (the actual attendance time at the show), talent (your personnel who are manning the booth) and budget (financial resources for the space and the overhead to support the space at the show) to further your business. To do less, by deciding NOT to attend is not respecting that commitment. In the good years and the bad years, your organization can profit most by attending and participating in your industry’s next trade show.