Optical Trade Shows - Cont'd

[SuziBlueEyes]

Hello Board!

I haven't been to visit in a while and am missing out. This thread is just amazing!

There are some things to also consider about Optical Trade Shows

- Most exhibitors use them to promote their company (PR) rather than get leads.

-Continuing Education at certain trade shows is comprehensive: meaning your entire office can come for CE and professional development

-Many companies bring their entire collections to the Shows. Your sales representatives do not have everything available because if they did, they'd be lugging a small house around with them. Depending on the show and the particular market: Some companies target their products for the show. For example: I've heard of attendees going to two or more shows and being the only dispensary in their region with a particular frame - the company's regional sales reps didn't even have it.

-The costs involved with the larger Shows is in large part because of where they rent the hall. The Javits Convention Center and the Sands Convention Center are some of the most expensive to rent the facility, union labor, move-in/move-out, etc. Unfortunately these costs are passed on to the exhibitor. Smaller/Regional shows are usually held in much smaller facilities and their operational costs are far lower.

-The trade show industry in general - accross the board - has been downsizing and attendees are not as plentiful. People are re-evaluating why they go to shows (like this thread is doing) or instead of sending the whole office, send one or two. We've heard the "gloom and doom" of the future of Shows going on-line with Virtual Trade Shows. It sounds great but also consider that the virtual trade show lackThe face-to-face is too valuable. You can't possibly upload all of your products onto a website - which would be cost prohibitve for many companies. People like to see for themselves. I've gone to Best Buy to look at digital cameras, so I can talk to a sales representative and hear the pros and cons. Then I price check for the best deal. Trade Shows are "temporary malls" for a particular industry.

-VICA does not exist anymore. It merged with the OMA. We've been the Vision Council of America for a few years now. We co-own the International Vision Expo shows and developed the Check Yearly. See Clearly Campaign. Perhaps you've seen the smiley face?

If you have any questions or comments or ideas on how to make the Shows better for you, please let me know. I'm in a position to be of assistance.

[mikemo]

I agree with Gary. When ever I went to Vision Expo East,it was with my employer.I went because I needed CEC to keep my licence. After my course was done I would roam the exibits while I waited for the others to finish theirs. If you dont have the buying power your pretty much wasting an exibiters time. You can look but you can't touch! Thats probable true of 60-70% of attendees.

[Chris Ryser]

mikemo said:
I agree with Gary. When ever I went to Vision Expo East,it was with my employer.I went because I needed CEC to keep my licence. After my course was done I would roam the exibits while I waited for the others to finish theirs. If you dont have the buying power your pretty much wasting an exibiters time. You can look but you can't touch! Thats probable true of 60-70% of attendees.

Thanks that is another point for my original argument, that trade shows are super good for ORGANIZERS.

[Chris Ryser]

The sales ratio for an exhibition as Vision Expo East or West or in the middle, north or south is;

OMA is defunct and mergerd with VICA

Smallest booth available:

10x10 booth $ 2500 to $ 3000 for 3 days, + Hotel + Travel + Food , transportation cost of exhibition material and so forth.


Total cost is a minimum of $ 6000.00

An optical distribution (or any other) company makes a total NET profit of maximum 10%, and that would be high.

Therefore just to cover the cost of exhibiting the 10x10 exhibition booth renter would have to sell for:

$ 60,000 at the show................. multiply these figures for larger exhibits and imagine the sales that have to be made just to cover cost

[Jo]

If the variety of vendors declines, that will surely be true. Even if we don't buy that weekend, usually we make up our minds about wether or not we will buy a product after seeing it in person at Expo.

If you aren't in a position to buy, you can still get a ton of those unasked questions about lenses and equipment answered by the folks at the booths.

[Refractingoptician.com]

''

[Chris Ryser]

Gary said:
Years ago, we found the same was true of trade shows for boats (canoes and kayak manufacturing) . Question is ... what will bring a better return on your investment ? What is your alternative ?

For us , at the time , direct mail and cold calling salesman on the road worked and tended to reinforce any other means of advertising. The shows didn't work by themselves.

Gary,

YOU SAID IT........................................

This was and is the case forever...............

Large company large booth...........more sales...............more cost...... END RESULT ============ Same ratio


We are all psycologically pushed to go to these Shows because the competition could spread around that you might not able to afford it anymore.

Or if you go and want some real exposure in the show catalogue and banners of the show they charge you an extra few thousand dollars

AND

half of the cost is payable 12 month in advance of the show date and the other half 6 month prior to show time
'
:hammer:

Did you know that one. They have actually no cost outlay or risk whatsoever................everything is paid in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plus net profit for each show is in the millions..

Chris Ryser

[Chris Ryser]

Jo said:
If the variety of vendors declines, that will surely be true. Even if we don't buy that weekend, usually we make up our minds about wether or not we will buy a product after seeing it in person at Expo.

If you aren't in a position to buy, you can still get a ton of those unasked questions about lenses and equipment answered by the folks at the booths.

What you are saying is true...............you visitors go the the suppliers you work and deal with,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,do you ever browse around the suppliers you never heard of or have seen a sales rep.?

If I dont spend an extra $ 2000 to get more exposure you would not even know I was there and might just have what you need.

The show is in gerneral a money raking weekend for the organizers and payable 12 month ahead by the exhibitor.!!!!!!

By the way the thread Trade Shows in now split in 3 sections, maybe they should be combined

Chris Ryser

[Refractingoptician.com]

''

[Steve Machol]

Chris Ryser said:
By the way the thread Trade Shows in now split in 3 sections, maybe they should be combined

That started when you asked me to close the original one. ;) I've merged the latest two threads into one.

[Chris Ryser]

Steve Machol said:
That started when you asked me to close the original one. ;) I've merged the latest two threads into one.

Thanks Steve, I guess the topic is here to stay for awhile. Maybe some of the show people will get in and join.

Chris Ryser

[SuziBlueEyes]

It stands to reason in any given profession that the idea is to make money. Faulting one aspect of an industry for doing the same thing you wish to do is hypocritical.

It also seems that there are a number of falacies floating around about how trade shows do business.

There are a multitude of costs associated with planing and running a tradeshow. We rent the Hall. We contract the union labor (whose fees we have no control over - in NY everything is controlled by the State Legislature, Las Vegas and Chicago are just as bad). We contract with the hotels for the room blocks. We pay for the marketing of the Show to the ophthalmic community. We pay for the special events and programs on the show floor. We pay the speakers for the continuing education and work with the accredation bodies to ensure that the courses meet the requirements for credit - and pay those fees. We also have to pay for insurances and other permits to produce the show. To suggest we sit back and just take the exhibitor's money and provide nothing in return is ridiculous. It costs millions to produce a show that nets millions.

I don't know which show you're referring to Chris, but our Show requires a 20% deposit to reserve space 12 months prior to the show and offers discounts to exhibitors for reserving space early and provides discounts on Show services if your paperwork is turned in by a deadline (usually two-three months prior to the Show).

We're providing the overhead so that the manufacturers have the opportunity to market to the total ophthalmic community. Utilizing this marketing medium effectively can give you a better return on investment than cold calling. But, you can't expect to set-up a stand and expect to be innundated with new sales. You have to promote yourself. At the same time - this is the only marketing medium where your customers come to you. At our Shows that is over 12,000 people. How much time/effort/money would it cost you to direct mail/cold call 12,000+ people?

The reality is there is no way in a three day show are you going to see 12,000 people. Besides, you don't want the "tire kickers," right? Our Show has the highest percentage of buyers. And never underestimate the person, who may not have the buying ability for the practice, but is interested in your product. They may have the power to recommend or influence their buyer into coming to your booth. So many exhibitors do that inadvertently and create a poor image for themselves.

Our Show Floor is over 200,000 sq. ft. (East Show) with over 600 exhibitors. It's only open for three days for 9 hours the first two days and 8 hours the last day of the show. Conference begins the day before the Show Floor and classes run for the entire length of the Show. That is a lot to see and do.

I've been on both sides of the aisle carpet- attendee and exhibitor - and now I'm with Show Management. We come in before the show starts in the morning and leave after everyone else in the evening and still have the energy to go to dinner meetings and events in the evening. And we LOVE it. We love this industry.

I had also said in my original post (that re-started this thread) that I'm work for Vision Council of America (VICA and the OMA merged to become one association about 3 years ago).

The other issue with continuing education - we don't make that much money off of ours. Other shows depend on CE to make them their operational money. We don't. We provide continuing education in addition to a world-class trade show for our attendees. We're always looking to improve our continuing education program - for all segements of the ophthalmic community. All suggestions are welcome. We got the suggestion about free CE... and we have provided free CE at all our shows (VCA sponsors a lot of the free CE). :D

[Chris Ryser]

Thanks for the explanation and the comments from the other side of the discussion...............

This should liven up this thread, and I hope you stay on to counter all the Optiboarder's argument.

[SuziBlueEyes]

It would be my pleasure to assist in any way I am able.

I did come out in the open at this past Vision Expo West. I was the redhead handing out the Check Yearly. See Clearly. t-shirts and other goodies. There are even pictures of me with the OptiBoarders that met in the Live Eyewear Booth. And a good time was had by all!

:cheers:

[Chris Ryser]

SuziBlueEyes said:
It would be my pleasure to assist in any way I am able.

I did come out in the open at this past Vision Expo West. I was the redhead handing out the Check Yearly. See Clearly. t-shirts and other goodies. There are even pictures of me with the OptiBoarders that met in the Live Eyewear Booth. And a good time was had by all!

:cheers:

We will take you by your word...............................

In the meatime you got to handle this issue ..........
and defend the show, the 100 different unions at the javits, (the that only uses the hammer and the one that only uses the screwdriver, (like them a lot)

I am sure you are doing your best, but still think that Trade Shows are slowly dying Dinosaurs

[SuziBlueEyes]

Trade Shows are not dying, nor are they in any danger of doing so.

Our industry (optical) like so many other industries are consolidating. Where there were once dozens of shows to choose from - there are much fewer now. One example of this is the recent merger of the EyeCare and EyeQuest events in IL. The new conference and expo is called the Midwest Vision Congress and Exposition (Rosemont, IL in May 2003).

It's survival of the fittest. And only the strong survive.

Trade shows are going to have to reinvent themselves and prove they are still viable and relevant to the industry they represent.

And that's what we are doing. :idea:

It's an extremely utopian concept that we should get all our information on the internet, or that paperless offices will come into existence, or that one day all our commutes will be in bunny slippers. Although I would love to see interplanetary travel and moon colonization.

There are too many people (and not just the money-grubbing show organizers ;)) that have a vested interest in the status quo. And while we constantly hear there are too many shows, no one else is saying there shouldn't be any.

[Chris Ryser]

Many Optiboarders will be boarding into Indianapolis this weekend for the

OLA Show

It would be very interesting to hear the latest news, on visitor attendance at the exhibition, on the Optiboard by Optiboarders first.

[RT]

Preliminary registration numbers for OLA were significantly higher than last year, but still lower than 2 years ago. One vendor I spoke with in the airport said that this show was easily the best and most productive in the past 6 years. This same vendor had been fairly vocal the last several years about poor turnout, so this represents a change, at least for them.

Even though attendance in terms of registrants was lower than 2 years ago, the venue (Indianapolis) lends itself to better focus on the trade show aspect than the last 2 years (San Diego, New Orleans). Thus, the show floor was busier, and vendors were able to do their job of presenting themselves. It will be a challenge to maintain that focus next year in Orlando.

OLA also made more of an effort to upgrade the educational aspect of the trade show, and that seemed well received.

[Optical Plumber]

I have to agree with SuziBlueEyes on most of the points.

I did the Optical trade show grind 3+ times a year for 10+ years, and although we hardly ever closed a sale during the exhibits, we never doubted the value of attending, because of all the follow-up business that we always did.

The thing that strikes me now as I look back on it is the high percentage of repeat exhibitors. Year after year, we would see the same faces, and many of us became friends simply because of our long association through VICA or the OLA. The point I am getting to is that we all survived year after year, and I don't think it was a co-incidence that we were also regular attenders of these major trade shows. Look at some of the most successful companies and you will find that they also attend the European shows.

If you do your marketing homework correctly, you should have a pretty good idea how much of your business is generated through trade show contacts, and then make your decision how to spend your marketing dollars accordingly. The idea that one must attend in order to avoid the 'greatly exaggerated rumors of one's death' simply does not wash. If it costs you $6,000 to attend a trade show and the only gaol is to perpetuate the 'rumours of your good health', then it seems to me you could get the same result far more cost effectively in many other ways.

It is true that there are many frustrating aspects to the whole ordeal of preparing for and attending trade shows, but you can't blame the organizers for most of that (unions have been around a lot longer than trade shows!), after all there are tons of ways to spend your marketing dollars and if trade shows were not an effective marketing tool, they wouldn't survive.

In the last couple of years we have started to be a bit more selective in the shows that we attend and this is an indirect result of the recent trend towards consolidation of the optical industry in general.

The trade show paradigm has provided the industry with the kind of critical mass of marketing and technical fodder to fuel many of the innovations and much of the expansion that the vision-care industry would not have experienced otherwise.


Terry
:)

[John R]

Look at some of the most successful companies and you will find that they also attend the European shows.

Wonder why. Oh yes the optical world is such a small one...
But even the likes of Sola have pulled the plug on these shows as they say they can get better value by other means...

[SuziBlueEyes]

It's all about perception.

We had sponsored an Exhibitor University seminar in New York (Nov. 14, 2003) and time and time again it was said:

"My company can do better with my sales staff in the field than at the trade show."

The actual numbers - once you crunch them - show a completely different picture.

In terms of face time you have with a customer or potential customer:

In the field (on the average): Two, three a day? So, that equates to about 15-20 a week. Multiply that by 50 weeks (52 - 2 weeks vacation) and you get 750 - 1000/year. Not bad.

Trade Show: Our show is nine hours the first two days and eight on the last day = 26 hours.

One 10X10 with two staff (also a rule of thumb - no more than two staff per 10X10 at any given point in time) having the same number of interactions per hour would equal 156, that's almost 8 weeks worth of outside sales calls in three days! Now, say you had a 20X20 with four staff, which would be 312 - that's almost a full quarter of sales!

If you're only getting 2-3 interactions per hour - that's horrible! I would suggest some pre-show marketing to attract the right customer to your booth.

Pre-Show Marketing - Fishing Example

If you go fishing - you go to where the fish are (lake, pond, stream, etc.)

You choose the body of water by the desired type of fish that are in it.

You choose the fishing rod, bait, lures, etc. that would attract the appropriate fish.

Chances are good that if you follow these steps, you'll get the fish you're looking to catch.

If you do not spend the time/effort/energy to prepare properly, you shouldn't be surprised if you don't catch any fish.

It's not the pond's fault if you don't catch the fish. :finger:

Just like if you exhibit at a trade show and set-up a stand and expect the attendees to jump into your exhibit. If you plan and do your pre-show marketing, you will have a lot more leads and sales from the show and feel much better about your experience and the costs associated with it.

[John R]

"My company can do better with my sales staff in the field than at the trade show."

Mmm, but its not just about shows V Sales reps is it...
A lot of companies though are moving to just plain advertising. They think they can hit the right people who make the buying decisions buy selective targeting....Find the buyers and hit them with mail shots or Mag adverts...
Its no good having a stand when the only people visiting are the freeloaders looking for goodies and have no buying power...

One thing you forgot in your figures Suzi is £££ or $$$....Sure you maybe hit more potentol customers at a show but does the total costs work out...
A rep not selling gets the boot ergo a show not covering its costs is not worth the effort...

[SuziBlueEyes]

Ok... I crunched some imaginary numbers...

Booth Space (for our show): $2950 for 10X10
Additional for booth (furnishings, labor, etc.): $3000
Staff = 2
Five days (Travel, Lodging, Meals, etc. in NYC): $4050

Roughly $10,000 budget, right?

Using the same figures - interactions per/hour (2-3) = 156

Cost per lead = $64.10
(Average for trade show lead is $40)

Full Page Ad in 20/20 or Eyecare Business: $6500 - $8500
-- Have to figure out how much business came as a direct result from the ad to find Cost per lead.

Compare with sales calls...

[Live Eyewear]

It is the opinion of our company that nothing, not print, television, radio or direct mail comes close, not even remotely close to the cost of Trade Shows.

The cost per lead at trade shows is not worth arguing, because optical trade shows are the most expensive, bar none, and always have been. We are currently engaged in many different avenues in alerting both consumers and eyecare professionals to our products, and have had fantastic responses, including the trade shows.. but the cost of the trade shows is much, much higher per lead, prospect or cusotmer than anything else we do. In fact, after 7 Vision Expo's, our last showing at West was the best ever. But, I guaranatee you if we took the money spent at West alone and put it into print or television, we would get 5 times the return. - Arguing that tradeshows are cost effective seems a little crazy.

It would be more palatable if one would just admit that tradeshows (optical) are over priced and be done with it. If one considers the drayage, the union, the price of building a booth, advertising the booth, shipping the booth, storing the booth, building the booth, staffing the booth, it just goes on and on....

[Optical Plumber]

Then why does your company continue to attend trade shows rather than spend the money on the more effective marketing methods?

Terry