According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), U.S. companies spend nearly $24 billion annually exhibiting at industry trade shows.
Trade shows help companies achieve their sales and marketing objectives and provide access to important industry communities. They also provide attendees with information on new product innovations, product education and networking. SmithBucklin offers client organizations the unique opportunity to grow their shows, while at the same time assisting exhibitors and attendees to realize their objectives.
Associations benefit from SmithBucklin's experience as one of the most respected and active participants in the trade show industry, managing more than 55 shows ranging in size from 1,000 to nearly 750,000 net square feet (100 to 70,000 square meters), including five trade shows that have been designated in the top 200 largest by Tradeshow Week magazine over the years. We also offer client organizations significant experience in managing "heavy equipment" shows involving intense, unforgiving logistical issues.
Top 10 SmithBucklin-managed Trade Shows* (in net square feet)
*Includes biennial and triennial shows
Overall, SmithBucklin's team of dedicated exhibit and trade show professionals helps client organizations to manage more than 3.0 million net square feet (275,000 square meters) of exhibit space each year.
The fact that SmithBucklin is an association management company also provides our client organizations with results-generating advantages as compared to companies that focus on show management alone. We offer organizations deeper overall resources and an unmatched understanding of the comprehensive needs and requirements of volunteer-governed organizations. These differences have helped us drive increased—and sustained—exhibitor participation for our client organization trade shows.
With our efforts carefully customized to meet client organization requirements and goals, our professionals manage all facets of the trade show effort, including:
- Strategic show assessment
- Convention facility searches and selection
- General service contractor negotiation and selection
- Sales plan development
- Trade show, exhibit and sponsorship sales
- Exhibitor/attendee marketing
- Exhibit space management
- Online and onsite exhibit space selections
- Onsite exhibit hall management
- VIP care
- Onsite exhibitor customer services
- Event budgeting/financial management
- Ongoing and wrap-up reporting
- Future show recommendations
Above all, the success of any trade show can be traced to up-front planning and preparation. Therefore, our professionals thoroughly review our client organizations' previous shows and become familiar with their culture and mission, event objectives, and operating policies and procedures. Through this deliberate approach, we ensure success. And at the conclusion of each show, SmithBucklin also provides the necessary audits, event recommendations and reports to measure return on investment.
