“Fairs are an opportunity for a large number of buyers and sellers in an industry to be in direct contact with each other at the same time. It also provides a unique and ideal opportunity to promote products and services to target audiences. Fairs are a proactive platform for buyers. Potential customers can review and discuss the products they are interested in at the same place, as well as compare one product with the products of the other company and return for review again within a short period of time.”
Fairs are defined as big exhibitions opened at certain times, in certain places to display commercial goods and services. Expanding markets and competition increasing with globalization have made it an inevitable part of marketing. Fairs offer a magnificent showcase and opportunity not found in other marketing channels.
Fairs serve as an effective platform for companies, professionals and industry experts to come together, share information and establish long-term business relationships. In established economies, fairs are a vital part of product marketing with direct sales, advertising, direct mail, and the Internet. They serve as a major incentive for industrial and commercial development in new and emerging markets.
The global exhibition industry, which mediates more than $325 billion in business worldwide, continues to grow. While more than 32 thousand fairs were organized worldwide last year, 450 fairs in Turkey brought producers, buyers, and visitors together. Continuing to serve as an industry growing every day, fairs make great contributions to almost all sectors you can think of such as food, automotive, textiles, furniture, milling, bakery products, chemical products, defense industry, home testers, mobile communications, agriculture, and precious stones. Turkey holds approximately 500 trade fairs every year under the scope of 49 product groups and services.
GIVES CUSTOMER TO REVIEW AND COMPARE THE PRODUCT
Fairs are an opportunity for a large number of buyers and sellers in an industry to be in direct contact with each other at the same time. It also provides a unique and ideal opportunity to promote products and services to target audiences. Fairs are a proactive platform for buyers. Potential customers can review and discuss the products they are interested in at the same place, as well as compare one product with the products of the other company and return for review again within a short period of time.
Maintaining the position of the most effective tool in marketing their products and services for companies, fair organizations offer opportunities for companies in the same place in a limited time, and lay the ground for possible sales that may occur later. It also inspires companies to examine their competitors' products and create innovation and new inventions.
Product research is another dimension that can be discovered by prospective buyers. Expert opinions on new developments and ideas for improving the already existing products are priceless. The suppliers participating in the fairs can display their products that attract the attention of visitors, buyers and the press.
New products can be easily introduced to the market through fairs and the applicability of a new product can be tested in such organizations. Fairs are one of the most effective tools for establishing and maintaining customer relations, especially for exhibitor companies. Fairs offer both buyers and sellers the opportunity to update their information about others. Newcomers to an industry often benefit from fairs to get used to other companies and their products. Fairs offer face-to-face customer contact and this is the best way to build relationships and get in contact with potential customers. By contacting customers directly, businesses can find exactly what is necessary and what is needed. Thus, they can develop products by producing new solutions for their needs. Each fair also acts as a mirror for exhibitors. You can see your wrong and correct points by finding the opportunity to compare your competitors' products with your own products.
Fairs are a very important part of marketing activities in many business types, from the largest multinational companies to small family businesses. It is considered as an incredibly valuable tool for companies to meet face-to-face with old customers and potential customers and to develop new business. Especially the fairs addressing the food industry witness many innovations and visual feasts. Today, even in the era of multi-channel marketing and internet-based communication, which has reached an exciting dimension, the need for personal interaction increases its significance for companies.
There are many fairs organized for our industry in Turkey. Organizations such as International Bread, Pastry Machines, Ice Cream and Chocolate Technologies Fair (IBAKTECH); International Flour, Feed, Semolina, Rice, Corn, Bulghur Milling Machinery & Pulse, Pasta, Biscuit Technologies Exhibition (IDMA); International Food Products and Technologies Fair (WorldFood); and CNR Food Istanbul Fair (CNR Food) contribute greatly to the development of the industry. In addition, local fairs are also being organized for the sector. In provinces such as Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Konya and Gaziantep, prominent fairs are being held.
CHINA TAKES PLACE ON THE TOP
Although China is on the first rank in the world in terms of the number of fairs held, Germany, America, Italy, France, the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil shine out in the fair organization field. Fairs organized in European countries are the ones that attract the most visitors. Approximately 120 million visitors followed the fairs held in Europe last year. Fairs in the USA hosted more than 90 thousand visitors.
According to the data of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) shaping the exhibition industry, 22 million 854 thousand domestic and foreign visitors have been hosted within the scope of the fairs that took place in 2018 in Turkey. The same year, the total number of fairs organized in Turkey has reached 449. 370 out of these fairs were national and 129 were international. According to TOBB's data, 450 fairs will be organized in 2020, 314 national and 136 international. While 193 of these fairs take place in Istanbul province; İzmir, Antalya, Bursa and Ankara share the top 5 in the list with 32, 27, 25 and 23 exhibitions respectively.
The thoughts of a young entrepreneur who attaches great importance to the fairs is as follows: Fairs are developing companies and providing great convenience and experiences for them on becoming a brand. A company that produces machinery needs at least 4-5 years to become a brand. If they have not participated in the fairs within the first four or five years, they cannot become a brand. Fairs serve as "showroom" for the companies. You will prove yourself there. Customers from home and abroad should see your substantiality. That's why we try to attend all major fairs in the country. When you participate in the accurate fair, you reap the benefit of it.
