Let's improve on a Good Idea

Trade shows are significant components in the marketing business, from automotive aftermarket to wedding attire. For sales, lead generation, and networking, they are invaluable when done right. When things go wrong, they can be a costly drain on both financial and personal resources, especially for smaller companies.

Within these parameters, I believe our Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas is headed in the right direction, but still has a long way to go.

In an ideal world, qualified buyers visit a show comprised of enthusiastic exhibitors showing the latest and the best in their field. Show management, who has brought these buyers and sellers together in a convenient forum, makes a handsome profit. Everyone goes home happy.

The four associations that have combined to sponsor trade shows during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week, SEMA/AI and APAA/Big I, are definitely on the right track and the numbers show it. Some 53,000 attendees descend on Las Vegas, potentially bringing exhibitors the exposure they are paying for and buyers the opportunity to examine the best of the marketplace.

However, because there were two shows set up at different locations rather than one show at a single site, much of this potential benefit was lost. Some larger exhibitors solved the problem of deciding which location would be more beneficial by taking booths at both shows. Realistically, this is not feasible for small — to medium-sized companies like Deves and many, many others.

Nor were buyers all that pleased with the arrangement. Who wants to waste time shuttling around Las Vegas? We heard plenty of justifiable complaints as people visiting our booth discovered that another company they wanted to see was at the other site. Consequently, only the most dedicated attendees investigated both shows thoroughly. If you guessed wrong about where your customers were going to go, you lost business.

Furthermore, distinct membership criteria among these sponsoring associations are no longer clear cut. For example, after being a member of SEMA for 30 years, Deves switched its affiliation to AI a few years ago because this association was designated as the appropriate group for companies that manufactured parts and accessories for imports. SEMA, of course, is set up for accessory vendors. Now that the lines between import and domestic parts are blurring, it's really not as important for companies like ours to be in an import section in a show as it is to be with other parts manufacturers.

It's been my observation that hard parts buyers will frequently spend time looking at accessories either for fun or to discover a new line for profit. Why reduce the number of potential customers by making access difficult?

Next year, why not stage both shows at the Las Vegas Convention Center, including the South Hall if needed, plus the adjoining Hilton Hotel. The Consumer Electronics Show does this quite successfully.

Why not organize the show to suit the marketplace rather than along association membership lines? Buyers really don't care about a vendor's association; they care about having their needs met. With all their monitoring expertise, it's logical to hope that the associations will keeping steering toward a goal that need not be elusive — happy buyers, sellers, and show owners.