Julian just wants….a return on investment

What happens when an organisation chooses to get out of step with its customers, misjudges what the customer wants, or simply applies selective hearing? I think you know – there are numerous examples. All dead.

In a recent THIIS bulletin, the importance of visitor numbers to exhibitions was mentioned. I'll paraphrase your note which spoke of the "need to ensure adequate numbers of well targeted visitors to ensure a good return on investment and how a simple thing like weather can make the difference between profit and loss”.

All businesses, large or small, private or public or third sector have a fiduciary duty to balance their books and use funds wisely to get a return on investments. Therefore, an exhibition, advertisement or other promotional activity which costs much more than it delivers has to be reconsidered and possibly culled.

A famous person once said two things in life are certain "death and taxes”. I'd like to add change to that and make it three things which always happen. The market is changing, our business is changing, the world is changing and we sincerely hope that organisations which organise promotional activities (publishers, exhibition and conference organisers etc.) change too..... they (like us all) must change – or they will die away.

We need adequate numbers of relevant visitors to exhibits and adequate readers of media promotions to make it worthwhile investing – it's our duty.

What do you think?