1. Measuring efficiency of exhibition participation
Károly Nagy
Arad, March 31, 2005
CENTREX

2. Why we, exhibition organisers need to get involved?
We need satisfied, loyal and returning exhibitors
who are ready to invest in participation
pay us for our services
they must feel we are trustworthy, real assistance to their success
to show that their success is what matters
it also gives us self-confidence

3. Who needs to measure? Exhibitors Visitors (they pay us the most)
and
Visitors
(they are the most important)

4. Let exhibitors realise, that …
They must set their goals well before the show
they come without real goals
They must set measurable goals
Or transform their goals into measurable, quantifiable

5. Where to measure success?
Sales
Customer relations
Market research
Brand building, support of distribution channels
Media relations

6. Why to measure? To justify their investment
To help them to select the right exhibitions
To improve their activity
To promote goal-oriented activity

7. What will they know? (when measuring participation results)
Exhibition itself
Market situation and position
Own activity
Activity of competitors

8. Measuring methods, tools:
Exhibitors themselves must develop!
They establish their objectives, set their own actual goals,
They know possible measure points, indicators
They know how to measure them
They must measure it
They must evaluate it

9. What can we do? Tell them, push them that they do
Give them guidelines, assistance.
Only after
setting goals,
measuring results
can they say an objective, realistic evaluation of our fairs, exhibitions
Tell exhibitors (and visitors) what exhibitions are best suited for

10. Measurable, quantifiable goals
Help them to formulate what to do
Try to establish, set measurable even in quality matters
We must let them know
not advised to set and measure too many targets
clearly rank their goals, making priority

11. Ask questions at organisers
What kind of visitors are expected to the fair,
Where do the come from,
Why do they come,
What are the objectives of the visitors,
Their average purchasing power,
What other exhibitors have set as targets earlier
Set right, realistics targets

12. Their right follow-up Starts well before the show:
seting targets
modelling expected partners, visitors
developing measuring instruments
developing suitable tools
measure
do the follow-up
evaluate
Well prepared follow-up system and materials

13. Exhibition is the best To get to know what are the demand
personal expectations as well as
business demands
of the market,
of the visitors.

14. Categorising visitors
Large order. Ready to buy
Small order, ready to buy or large order, long time frame
Small order, long time frame
Need information materials or add name to database
Others (e.g. press

15. Measuring efficiency of sales
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Generating sales leads
Number of A, B, C leads, etc.
Use quality rating system; Use your sales conversion rate to measure value of leads
Direct sales
Orders taken / Revenue
At show, and in following weeks months
Don't forget lifetime value of new customers
Building contact database
Number of new contacts
Use quality rating

16. Measuring customer relationships (1)
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Building relationships with current customers
Number of customers met & recorded
You might pre-determine a desired action (e.g. a demonstration) for customers
Educating customers
Number of 'update' sessions held
Upselling / Cross-selling customers
Number and value of sales to customers
At show, and in following weeks, months
Don't forget lifetime value of new customers

17. Measuring customer relationships (2)
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Generating customer testimonials
Number and quality of quotes won
Regaining lapsed customers
Number and value of lapsed customers met
Follow & record successes

18. Market research Test marketing a new product or service
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Test marketing a new product or service
Number & quality of feedback sessions
Survey form? Questionnaire?
Test marketing campaign or offer
Test a different offer each day?
Researching brand awareness / perception

19. Brand Building (1) Building brand awareness
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Building brand awareness
Number of *gross impressions at, during, after show
Number and quality of seminar / demonstration attendees
Calculate equivalent value of these impressions if bought as advertising
Positioning / re-positioning brand
*Gross impressions of specified message delivery
Beyond 'logo viewings'

20. Brand Building (2) Demonstrating benefits
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Demonstrating benefits
Number and quality of seminar/demonstration attendees
Boosting financial analyst / investor perceptions
Editorial coverage in financial / business press
Developing new markets
Number/quality of leads from new market
Including new contacts sector or country

21. Channel Building Finding new distributors/partners
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Finding new distributors/partners
Number/quality of partners met or signed up
Consider likely lifetime value
Supporting current sales channel
Number of dealers/partners met
Building your reputation as a partner
Number/quality of prospective partners met

22. Public Relations Generating editorial coverage
Strategic Goal
Suggested Metrics
Notes & suggestions
Generating editorial coverage
Column inches / broadcast minutes gained
Pre-, during and post-show
Building relationships with editors and journalists
Number of editors / journalists met
Calculate equivalent value of these impressions if bought as advertising
Quality of interaction
AEO UK

23. UFI Workshop highlights
Some examples from
UFI Workshop highlights
(Munich, January 28, 2005)

24. Messe Berlin Matchmaking (ITB)
collecting business proposals from exhibitors
mandatory, to pay for it
collecting visitors interests (in advance)
computerised matchmaking before the show
between exhibitors and visitors and
visitors and visitors
method: Internet platform

25. Schott Glasswaren Management of key performance indicators
Industry captains need compact and quick justification to decide
Their exhibition department managers need support – from organisers as well (“We are in the same boat”)
Managing key performance levels
Tools to set / define exhibition targets
Tools to strengthen an argumentation pro exhibition
Developed a cockpit-version of indicators (key indicators)
Exhibition PromotoR (Balanced Scorecards)

26. VNU Return on investment with guaranteed business
Plus calculation tools

27. AUMA Cost efficiency measurement (vis-á-vis other media)
Calculation tools with (MesseNutzenCheck)
Input of goals
And input of costs of exhibition and other media
Results: projection of efficiency
Available at