REVOLUTION OF TRADESHOWS

A trade fair (trade show, trade exhibition or expo) is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities.

ANCIENT AGE OF TRADE SHOWS:

Trade shows or trade fairs probably started with people simply displaying their wares in public places. They took time to talk one-on-one with potential buyers and explained why their offerings were better than others that were available. Then, sellers negotiated a purchase price (or bartered goods or services) until a mutual agreement was met with buyers.

At one time, exhibiting of sorts was one of the only ways to market or sell goods. It likely served as a necessary survival tactic to provide for the wellbeing of families. According to trade show expert Robert B. Konikow in his book, Exhibit Design, the exhibit industry can trace its roots to the ancient bazaars of the Middle East.

Trade fairs are also linked to late medieval Europe, during the period of merchant capitalism. During this era, farmers and craftsmen traveled to a variety of locales to display and sell their offerings at open-market trade fairs.  During the 1700s, exhibitions became somewhat commonplace in Europe and North America. 

21st CENTURY ERA:

Modern trade fairs follow in the tradition of trade fairs established in late medieval Europe, in the era of merchant capitalism. From the late eighteenth century, Industrial Exhibitions in Europe and North America became more common reflecting the technological dynamism of the industrial revolution.

In the 21st century, with the rapid industrialization of Asia, trade shows and exhibitions are now commonplace throughout the Asian continent, with China dominating the exhibitions industry in Asia, accounting for more than 55 per cent of all space sold in the region in 2011. In the U.S. there are currently over 10,000 trade shows held every year, and several online directories have been established to help organizers, attendees, and marketers identify appropriate events.

IBM stand during CeBIT 2010 at the Hanover fairground, the largest exhibition ground in the world, in Hanover, Germany.

Trade fairs often involve a considerable marketing investment by participating companies. Costs include space rental, design and construction of trade show displays, telecommunications and networking, travel, accommodations, and promotional literature and items to give to attendees. In addition, costs are incurred at the show for services such as electrical, booth cleaning, internet services, and drayage (also

known as material handling). Consequently, cities often promote trade shows as a means of economic development.

Exhibitors attending the event are required to use an exhibitor manual or online exhibitor manual to order their required services and complete any necessary paperwork such as health and safety declarations. An increasing number of trade fairs are happening online, and these events are called virtual tradeshows. They are increasing in popularity due to their relatively low cost and because there is no need to travel whether you are attending or exhibiting.

Hannover Messe

The Hannover Messe is the world's biggest industrial fair. It is held on the Hanover fairground in Hanover, Germany. Typically, there are about 6,500 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors. The Hannover Messe started in 1947 in an undamaged factory building in Laatzen, south of Hanover, by an arrangement of the British military government in order to boost the economic advancement of post-war Germany. The first fair was colloquially known as Fischbrötchenmesse (Fischbrötchen due to the exemptions in food rationing for the fair at this time. It proved hugely successful and was hence repeated on a yearly basis, contributing largely to the success of the Hanover fairground in replacing the then-East German city of Leipzig as the new major fair city for West Germany.

In the 1980s, the growing information and telecommunication industry forced the organizer Deutsche Messe AG to split the fair. The CeBIT is a successful spin-off of the Hannover Messe.

Fast forward to today.... An increasing number of trade fairs are happening online, and these events are called virtual tradeshows. Exhibiting is a dynamic industry that continues to change thanks to technological advancements and demand for goods from all corners of the globe. From humble, necessary beginnings, the history of trade shows demonstrates a dramatic evolution in field of tradeshows & marketing www.vtradefair.com .

VTradefair.com

Vtradefair virtual trade fair can be visited worldwide by anyone, at any time. Unlike a normal trade fair, its opening hours are not limited to a few days, but can extend to a longer period of time. But although this makes the access to exhibitors easier, the distinctiveness of the trade fair also gets lost

VtradeFair.com is next-generation website, a key development in hosting tradeshows on digital platform & making evolution in the field of marketing, branding & product pitching. VtradeFair provides a new Interactive & Virtual facility for corporate communications and demand generation. The Virtual platform introduces the decade’s most demanding and effective way of advertising. The website provides fully incorporated solutions in interactive Webcasting, Web conferences and Virtual exhibition shows for effective marketing, training and advertising purposes.

VtradeFair helps in providing integrated virtual event experience. We organize virtual exhibitions, virtual trade fairs, virtual job fairs, virtual education fairs or a virtual product launch event etc.

VtradeFair provides an interactive social environment with the primary purpose of branding and facilitating lead generation. VtradeFair even provides the digital marketing solutions covering social media coverage to their exhibitors.

V-Arena:

Virtual exhibition stalls give you a feel of visiting a trade show at your desktop and showcases the brand on virtual platform. Attendees can view the products & services online. This provides a platform for advertising with the use of cutting edge technology. V-Arena simplifies transfer of documents from the exhibitor to the visitor by giving downloadable content. Attendees can add relevant files to briefcase & later download it from there profile. This

in turn is a factor that minimizes costs, which is of course positive for the exhibitor. The exhibiting company also has other possibilities to save money when on a virtual trade fair. The “virtual set up” of the stand is actually the only cost factor for the exhibitor; whereas, in contrast to the traditional trade fair, the virtual stand can even last for a very long time.

Exhibitors will also profit from the fact that they can present their products in exactly the way they prefer on a vtradefair.

V-Link lounge

Virtual lounge helps you to get in touch with our keynote speakers, stall managers and visitors. The instant messaging so exhibitors and attendees can talk in real time. This helps you in easily connecting with product promoters and sales person online to speed up your business processes.

V-Concert

We provide you the best platform for your product launch and to promote your technology faster. V-concert provides Webcasting, Web conferences and Virtual exhibition shows for effective marketing, training and advertising purposes.

Virtual trade shows are definitely much easier to organize and manage. It has emerged as a proven and effective lead generation tool, which will help you to engage with customers, channel partners and employees cost effectively. The digital branding strategy leverages trending information for content development and two-way publishing context as well. It would zero

down expenses incurred on travel & stay, save time and also reduce carbon emissions. Virtual events reduce cost per lead (CPL), give superior and faster ROIs in comparison to physical events.

This gives advantage in “nationalizing” or “regionalizing” brands or products on a global basis.