For the Small, Minority Business: A Trade Show May Be your Best Marketing Alternative

Abstract

Small, minority businesses faced with budget limitations have traditionally avoided trade shows as a marketing alternative. However, close examination of factors such as cost-per-contact, large audiences, immediate reaction and competitive product comparisons, suggests that a trade show offers a small, minority business greater latitude in its marketing effort despite a limited budget. A trade show combines effective personal selling techniques with a shopping mall atmosphere. Probably, the greatest problem to solve before participating is obtaining adequate background information about a trade show and its operation. This paper is an attempt to initiate the interest of small, minority businesses in trade shows as a marketing alternative.