Issue link: https://tradeshowexecutive.epubxp.com/i/58649
ReadySetGrow Independent Show Organizers Share their Growth Strategies for 2012 BY DANICA TORMOHLEN, contributing editor IT'S CLEAR THAT TRADE SHOWS have weathered the economic storm, and most are growing again. According to the latest stats from Trade Show Executive's Dashboard of Monthly Trade Show Metrics, all three key metrics — attendance, exhibit space and number of exhibiting companies — increased at a modest pace in 2011. Not to mention that revenue is expected to grow 8.0% in 2012, according to Trade Show Executive's Trending & Spending Forecast. Despite the onslaught of new media channels, face-to-face events still hold sig- nificant value for exhibitors and attendees, and trade shows continue to emerge as an essential element of a successful market- ing program. According to a recent survey of 300 industry executives by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), nearly 40% of B-to-B marketers' budgets in 2011 were spent on trade shows. Not only that, B-to-B exhibiting dollars garnered a much higher share when com- pared against all other channels. Trade magazine advertising, the next biggest channel, received only one quarter of the money that exhibitions collected, with a market share of 10.5% in 2011, accord- ing to the CEIR research New Insights on Trends in Marketing Spend on Business-to- Business Exhibitions. What does that mean for independent show organizers when it comes to growth in 2012? Trade Show Executive talked to in- dependent show executives across a vari- ety of industries to find out. Despite these positive numbers, most independent show organizers said they are cautiously optimistic about growth in 2012. Tey are closely watching the unem- ployment numbers and the economic instability in Europe. But even with these concerns, some major exhibition organizers are predicting double-digit growth, and several are actively launch- ing new shows and looking for strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Here, we offer insight into how independent show organizers are planning to grow their businesses this year. www.TradeShowExecutive.com | March 2012 39