Getting people to stay through the last day of a trade show: Some ideas

Hi Richard, the UK Toy Fair dis something quite dramatic, moving the dates and cutting the last day off the show (in conjunction with moving back to central London). Previously Toy Fair had run over an entire weekend, and then just a Saturday. This year, in order to keep the show busy, and ensure major buyers all attended, the show ran from Tuesday to Thursday, a day shorter than normal. Ahead of the show opinion was divided whether three days was enough for both visitors and exhibitors, but post show everyone has been positive about the change. One comment overheard in this office - 'It's amazing how focused you can be when you're short of time'... Andy Myall www.Toysnplaythings.co.uk

I actually like Jeff's idea, crazy as it may be and unlikely to happen. From a media point of view, so many reporters who cover the show live in the NYC metro area, and Sunday is their personal day off. Monday, the last few years, has been President's Day, another holiday for them. So by the time Tuesday rolls around the show is half over, and it's difficult to get them to come! And the beginning of the week is harder for them to be away from the office. I think if the show started on a Thursday, media turnout would be much higher! Great column, Richard. I do think some incentives or creativity toward making the end of the show more impactful are in order.

While the last day is normally slower, this year at New York, the last day was still busy. Wishing it was a 5 day show again.

Richard: I don't think any or all of those ideas would change the mindset of enough people. We'd need thousands of people to alter their schedules to make this meaningful. I've learned that sometimes small incremental changes have little effect. If you want major changes, oftentimes, you need to kick over all the furniture in the room. So in that mindset I'm going to posit a radical idea. Of course, this probably isn't feasible or cost-effective from the TIA's point of view, but here goes anyway: What if we reversed the Toy-Fair schedule and ended on a Sunday? So, we would make the 4 day event start on Thursday. I say this because I think many people view Sunday as a "free-day". They might not normally work on Sundays. They look at Monday-Wednesday as 3 days away from the job. If Toy Fair ran Thursday to Sunday they would be getting 2 free days and only lose 2 work days. A Wednesday to Saturday Toy Fair might also work. You don't get the free day unless you stay to the end.

Richard, I rarely comment on your blog but I do read each and everyone as they do get me to think in different directions. With your suggestion today of a public hanging to attract attention on the last day of a trade show, I must say that I was shocked enough to respond. Since I have met you in person, I believe you were only using that suggestion to wake people up or maybe just to see if anyone was reading your blog. I have been exhibiting at Toy Fair for 12 years now and even though the last day of the show has fewer attendees it has always been a productive day for us. Even if one account shows up, be it a new or existing account, the cost to see that one account by traveling to their store is still great than the last day cost at the show. We simply plan accordingly by sending ½ of our staff home early. That allows then to get back a day sooner as we save some hotel and food costs. It is also our policy to never break down a show even a minute before the show ends. There have been several shows where we still had people in the Out of the Box booth, playing our games and giving us orders after the show was over. When the carpet guys come to roll up the carpet, the customers usually get the message it is time to leave. Abraham Lincoln said, “A man is about as happy as he makes his mind up to be”. Depression is a state of mind and I have always found plenty to keep my mind stimulated at Toy Fair! And other trade shows. For those brief moments between appointments I can always check emails on my phone:-)

Personally, I was still shopping on the last day. Toy Fair is so large that it takes everyday available to get my buying done. I agree with the "depressed" vendors...many did not even acknowledge my presence in their booth or greet me. They lost out!

These are all great ideas, Richard. It's funny, after 10 years of staying to the end, I left a day early this year. It felt a little funny to do it, but as you pointed out, my business was complete and I didn't have a good enough reason to stay the extra day. Here's one more suggestion: Allow the manufacturers explicit permission to sell their goods on display at wholesale prices or less...It's such a treat to bring home some new games and toys to the family from Toy Fair!