"The direct customer approach is the best"
Trade fairs play an important part as a direct sales tool in B2C communication.
Well-known direct marketing companies are coming to realise that they can reach a large number of customers more directly than otherwise at regional fairs. Indeed, for some businesses such shows are the key tools in their marketing mix. Even if their stands do only average 24 m2, in total that still adds up to a lot of square meterage. To go with the flow and to make sure they respond swiftly to developments, direct marketers, many of whom are organised in the Bundesverband Direktvertrieb Deutschland, scrutinise tradeshows very closely as a sales tool. Detlev Dittmar, chairman of the working group Fairs and Exhibitions at the Bundesverband Direktvertrieb and head of marketing at AMC Alfa Metalcraft Corporation Handelsgesellschaft mbH, recently set out the association's vision of communication between exhibitors and organisers in Nuremberg, where the members of FAMA, the association of private and local-government organisers of mainly regional fairs, gathered for their summer conferenceWhat do you see as the biggest advantage of general consumer exhibitions? There are many arguments in favour of using regional industry fairs as a marketing tool. There is the wide range of themes and products, the high attendance relative to the size of the regional population, the chance to reach the market area-wide if you choose the right shows, and the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face that you will not find so massively anywhere else. For us, consumer fairs are the right place to combine exhaustive product publicity with concrete practical aids. Our customers can experience the products at first hand, and they benefit from the best advisory services available: personal, individual and at leisure.What other events does AMC exhibit at?We only take part in fairs open to the public. Strictly trade fairs are of less interest to us.Do you also organise events of your own? If so, which?Besides consumer fairs we organise around 280 regional customer parties for our regular customers, whom we invite in mailings.A question to you in your capacity as a representative of the Bundesverband Direktvertrieb: What objectives do you and your colleagues pursue with your consumer show participations? The immediate sale is naturally very much to the fore - that's why we go to fairs in the first place. Also important, of course, is the opportunity to make appointments to visit our customers. The third important goal is to gain new addresses. Recruiting new staff or raising our awareness level are also important factors, but direct sales are way out front.What criteria must events meet to be worthwhile for you?First comes the length of the show and attendance; stand rentals are of secondary importance, although value for money is naturally important. Another factor swaying our decision is the organiser's membership of an association such as FAMA, where the figures are audited.What do you mean by the length of the show?After all, we want to put in an adequate appearance, and good stand construction does not come cheap. With a show running for only four days we have no chance of recouping our costs. Events of this kind are simply not economical.Back to the subject of value for money.We do have some concerns at the moment. There are too many hidden costs. There's electricity and water - the many extras on top are gradually coming to resemble a second stand rental. Most of my colleagues now judge this cost ratio "fair to middling", with middling in the majority. Things looked a lot different two years ago. Even in comparison to last year, the value for money has continued to deteriorate in our opinion.But for that the service is good, isn't it?In this respect, too, doubts sometimes start to creep in. Once an exhibitor has signed the registration he seems to turn into a kind of "routine case" that has to be "worked off". We miss personalised attention and services. More could also be done in the customer relationship management department. You are also approached by event organisers. Are there any differences in the sales pitch between them and exhibition organisers?Event planners prepare talks much differently. They know who they're dealing with. And they know what their target group is. They offer us very clear concepts.Is there anything else you'd like to see organisers addressing?They still have a long way to go on communication, there's ground to be made up - particularly in pre- and post-exhibition communication. What we find surprising is that even big companies/exhibitors are hardly ever approached personally any more. That suggests room for improvement in the sales department, too.How do the direct marketers rate the importance of trade fairs in the marketing mix moving forward?We asked about this, too. 58 % direct marketers see no change in their importance, but 25 % see trade fairs becoming more important. Interview: Christiane Appel
m+a report Nr.5 / 2006 vom 14.08.2006
m+a report vom 14. August 2006