Kate comments…..on supplier decision to not show at Naidex

It's a shame to see a supplier that had such a high profile decide to pull back from Naidex but you have to respect the decision after what I would imagine was a good deal of debate and discussion. Naidex has developed well over the past few years, in a difficult trading period of many sectors. It is to be hoped that we don't see the show start to reduce in size as that could impact on future visitor numbers.

It is a terrible shame all round when it is the financial impact of not going to exhibit that is discussed rather than the financial impact of how much it costs to exhibit in the first place.
When there was just one Naidex we all knew where it was and when it would be. The cost to an exhibitor was an easy calculation to do by comparison to the calculations required to exhibit at three Naidex shows. Now I may be called cynical but I suspect it may have just as much to do with exhibition organisers maximising their trading profit potential as it is with making exhibitions more accessible. Interesting to see, therefore, that the organising company (who do organise exhibitions in other trades) are doing very nicely. http://companycheck.co.uk/company/00537204

I fully agree with Alistair, I'm not surprised more and more suplliers back away from shows with both the cost of staffing and the show itself. I'm sure though if you asked most suppliers would they attend one major British show a year where they could virtually guarantee good attendence, they would. However all this pressure to do Naidex South, Scotland and the main one in Birmingham are pushing them to drop out of the lot rather than upet one area of the country. I attended Naidex South once and that was a mistake, in the main I will now only attend one show a year, Naidex Birmingham but will be disappointed that not all major suppliers will be there and there won't be one day when only Manufacturers, Retailers and Professionals are invited.

The cost of Naidex is becoming too expensive, doing all three is prohibitive especially in the current economic climate. When you consider that my company is charged, £2638 for electrics and £1200 to lift eight boxes off a lorry and put them back on at the end of the show a task that takes the fork truck driver 40 minutes each way, this is just a straight forward 'rip off.' I think Emap need to seriously look at costs and charges, all they have done is diluted what was a great show.( if it aint broke, don't fix it) Like Mangar we are looking at differnt ways of spending our budget and not just being there because that's what we have always done. I suspect there are a number of Companies thinking exactly the same thing.

I think that there is another angle to this. Companies are quite rightly keen to develop their show presence and that means bigger and better stands. That’s good for the show and the visitors too as it looks better and gives the visitors more to see with interesting and visually stimulating spaces.

However, is there sometimes there is a temptation to spend more than a show can return to you? Very few shows are growing attendances these days and many are seeing falls. There is a limit to what an exhibitor can expect to get out of their time at a show. Yes, you can make attendance more effective by getting better at promoting and working the stand, but there is going to be a limit to what you will see as a return.

I remember years ago one company had a massive stand at the Medtrade show in the USA and along with it, there were, apparently, some 110 (yes 110) team members on the stand and doing various things in and around the show for 3 days. That’s a lot of hotel rooms, meals and time out of the office or on the road.

The company eventually suggested that the show wasn’t working for them, but maybe it would never have worked for them with the level of expenditure?

I agree with many of the comments. I have a product which is so cheap to buy and so useful to use and yet the price for it has not been inflated so as to pay me money. It is the "WheelEasier", and it does just that ! - makes it easier to wheel your wheelchair and it does it for me anyway. The cost is £39.99 - it should have been invented years and years ago, and I cannot show it at Naidex because if I do- then the price will have to go up ! That is not fair on the purchaser - should I give up the other ideas I have for the disabled - I think not ! I want to exhibit it at Naidex and other shows and they wont even allow me to exhibit it on their brochure. I have worked within the business community for many years, I understand only too well the need for Naidex to cover their costs.
I can only suggest that the Government should step in to alert people to new inventions and indeed support mine (you can see on www.ablequip.com)
ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE WARMLY WELCOMED.

Like Kate I'm an OT in private practice and I'll be honest and say that I haven't been to a Naidex for about 7 or 8 years, mainly due to seeing virtually the same products every year for the previous 7 or 8 when I attended religiously after first qualifying. I'll be making up for Mangar's absence though and attending the south-east event next month so it will be interesting to see if much has changed. I can see why they have decided to pull out though - how many tangible sales does it actually generate for them in relation to the overheads it incurs....especially with everything moving more online?

Interesting to read Matthew's comment about not being to the main show for so long after being a regular attender. He clearly felt that it was too 'samey' and then maybe after taking one year off just never seemed to come back. Making a show feel and look different is a huge task for an established event. Even the exhibitors tend to want to be in the same place every year. However, organisers of all events are going to have to think harder and come up with more radical plans if they want an event to grow year on year.

Good to see that Matthew is going to the ExCel event. Let's hope that he has a worhwhile visit.

E-Map is in the business of producing exhibitions and, just like a rock or theatre production, it is their job to promote and attract exhibitor and visitor attendance. I happen to believe that, as organisers go, E-map under the direction of Liz Virgo and her team, do a pretty good job of managing the various Naidex exhibitions. Given they have to put up a non-refundable investment of around £150,000 to lay one on, it could be argued, it’s an expensive “gamble” for them as much as it is the exhibitors.

The secret to whether or not to invest in an exhibition lies with the marketing strategy of the businesses. If done properly, exhibitions can play an intrinsic part in a business’s promotional activity. Just as there are scores of magazines and publications to place an advertisement, it’s not the quantity of the exhibitions but whether the marketing strategy is right for the business, the sales channel and the market they are in.

I can sympathise with many companies that feel, after much hard work and investment, they have seemingly not received a quantifiable return for their efforts. However, it’s important that the company researches the market and their channel strategy to ensure that it is the right venue, the right visitor mix and the right promotional medium to realise a specific marketing or promotional outcome.

Also, just as important as getting the marketing strategy right is the performance of those running the exhibition. If booth staff don’t have the right attitude, are indifferent, skeptical or just see it as jolly then it will impact on the success of the event. How many visitors have been ignored by stand staff too busy to attend, as they are texting, talking on mobiles or just can’t be bothered? Let’s not forget either, those put off by the tried and disheveled, reeking of stale booze and curry from the previous nights indulgence.

Thank you for all your comments, its interesting to hear other peoples views.

I attend Naidex every year, as I run the CPD seminars for Emap, but it also informs my clinical knowledge and there are the same products year in year out, but there are also some fantastic new products which I have used e.g. Such and Such commode or N&C Freespace shower doors. Also I have used products that are 'old' designs that just meet my customers needs now, so recently seeing Gainsborough Baths at National lead to me recommending 6 of their baths.....I may well of gone to another supplier if I hadn't seen them.

I personally think that more professional will attend in the future as training budgets are being cut and there is some excellent CPD sessions at Naidex and the professionals do wander around the show after a session.

One challenge that Matthew mentioned was the products are very much the same (white plastic) it would be great to see new innovation and good design in new products.

PS The wheeleasier is excellent, it should be marketed to parents with young children as well, to save parents backs from injury when pushing children into the table!