“The Importance of Exhibitor Education” by Marlys Arnold

Marlys Arnold, from Trade Show Insights, wrote a terrific blog this week about The Importance of Exhibitor Education. She based her comments on the recent CEIR Report, “How the Exhibit Dollar is Spent.”

I encourage you to read (or listen to) her post. Here’s a snippet:

“Earlier this month, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released their report, “How the Exhibit Dollar is Spent.” This in-depth analysis of more than 200 exhibit budgets indicates that of the $24 billion spent on trade show marketing, the largest expense is space rental (36 percent), followed by show services including electrical, furnishings, union labor, etc. (17 percent). Combine that with exhibit design (11 percent), and you’ve eaten up more than 60 percent of the budget!

“Granted, some expenses aren’t easily reduced because of outside influences, but what seems like a tragedy is that many exhibitors still refuse to trim in other areas to allow for more spending on the “Key 3″ that actually relate to marketing: promotions, training, and lead management. These three things — which can really make or break your trade show experience from a results standpoint — come in with the lowest percentages, with staff training coming in dead last at a measly 1%.”

Continue to the full article