1. Are Trade Fairs Marketing or sales tools?
Tools of
Corporate or project marketing?
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have been speaking about changes, in many ways. In this context I raise these questions Marketing or Sales with the intention to try to show that any change demands lot of infornation beforehand and also these changes demand internal solutions and responses as well as competences and tasks. We can speak about how to handle, manage these changes within the companies.

2. CEE Outgoing situation
Transformation completed
Fewer new companies from abroad
Local companies established
Rearrange, streamline their operations
I go out from the fact - or at least from the assumption – that the transformation of our economies is almost completed – lesser new companies wanting to enter directly from abroad, the local companies also become more and more established and started to rearrange, rationalise, streamline their operations.

3. Foreign interests They know something !
Globalisation, concentration of capital
not only for higher efficiency
Rationalise production and marketing tools
Now: buy markets, market positions and customers.
They know something !
Globalisation, concentration of capital – now it goes not only for higher efficiency. First they rationalised productions and marketing tools. But more often they buy markets, market positions and customers. They know something.

4. Sources of market information
Trade associations, press, government
But, most of all CUSTOMERS!!!
both exhibitors and visitors
Demand growing on more and quality information on future
For the changed we have to handle, manage sources of market information – like trade associations, press, government – but most of all customers – both exhibitors and visitors.
The demand is growing on getting more and better quality future information.

5. What We Need Customer Relations Management
Time – not only to sell but to develop contacts, personal and trustful
Suggest them only what they really need
Go out and meet them – well before they are able to express their wishes, demands
Go out and suggest them changes
Customer Relations Management
For this we need to have time – not only to sell but to develop contacts, personal and trustful. We need to show that we suggest them only what they really need – to save unnecessary expenditure, to justify their investment. We need to go out and meet them – well before they are able to express their wishes, demands. We need to go out and suggest them changes – (what they want and what we can not avoid, postpone)
I think the real essence of the Customer Relationship Management lies in this way of working. And these changes are a sensitive point for instance when to decide and introduce the annual or biannual term of the show, or when we plan (or need) to diversify, extract certain segments of the show into separate identity.

6. Role of corporate marketing
Not only general communication
Market strategy, positioning, CI
Maintenance of corporate growth
Developing new technologies, media,projects
Money making actions
Social sensitivity, PR
limited direct contact with project marketing and sales?
Role of corporate marketing – is not only general communication – there is relatively little direct contact with project marketing and sales – this is market strategy, positioning, CI, to care for corporate growth, development of new technologies and media, projects, money making moves and actions, social sensitivity, PR.

7. Mutual Resources of Corporate and Project Marketing
Transfering, boosting values
Corporate values new projects
Good projects corporate values
Not only financial
There is a mutual interest and advantage from both from corporate and project marketing – it is for instance transfering of values – for a new project the corporate identity and support is essential as a green house – and also from a well going show the company can also gain – not only financially but also for strengthening corporate image thus assisting other shows as well.

8. Dilemma 1. Where to start a new show From the existing project ?
Where to get the information from
How to overcome built-in resistance
Value of market, customer relations
From the existing project ?
We can speak about a dilemma - who is in charge within a company to start a new show – where to get the information from – how to overcome built-in resistance to start a new show – knowledge of market, knowing and basing on customer relations. Shall we believe that the start of a new show (or a majorly overhauled project) should come from the existing project –

9. From existing projects? Prerequisits
To know what our partners want
How to render best service?
What content?
Do they have the best opportunity to develop and/or update the show?
Are they motivated?
and we need to know what our partners want – how can we render the best service (with what content) to our customers. They have (or they should have) the best opportunity to develop and/or update the show – if they are motivated.

10. Corporate marketing? New projects department?
Nursery of new trade shows?
May have conflicting interests with existing project team
Excellent internal relations can help
Motivation !
Or if we believe that off line market research (corporate marketing or new project department) can be the nursery of new trade shows it may have conflicting interests of the existing project teams. In both cases excellent internal relations can help to handle the changes.

11. Separated Sales & Marketing Functions
Controversy
Profit
If we maintain the distinction of sales and separate marketing functions this point of controversy will grow and profit shall decrease

12. Danger of contentment Not possible to repeat past year’s practice
Brand strengthened
Trust of customers preserved, but:
Content of the show could not be the same
We need to care, alter, modify and update the show
To tell them why and what advantage
If we maintain the distinction of sales and separate marketing functions this point of controversy will grow and profit shall decrease

13. Dilemma 2. Time? For customers? Wrong question !!!
Say they have to work more with less results
Projects often claim they do not have time enough for customers. The market conditions are getting worse, the acceptance of trade fairs as a good marketing tool is being often challenged, so they say they have to work much more with much less results

14. Opportunities Win full confidence of your customer
Confidence only through real dialogue
Listen to your customer
Be the marketing advisor
Advise them marketing solutions not only exhibitions
Educate them
Recommend your own company other profit making activities, services, media etc.
But, if you have the full confidence of your customer and you will know what problems they face – and you are capable to advise them marketing tools not only exhibitions – you can be sure they will not completely abandon your show and you shall be able to recommend your own company to develop into other profit making activities, services, media etc. But this full confidence will come only through real dialogue and it is not sufficient to send out more letters more frequently, with more fancy design and price advantages. You surely know that marketing budgets are the first target to cut when cost savings are demanded. Be sure you can be the marketing advisor to your client. Listen to your customer and educate them. And you will be in a position within your own company to recommend points of diversification, starting new services, launching new media, on how you can make more money while perfectly serving your clients.

15. Thanks for attention
Károly Nagy
2001