DO TRADE SHOWS PAY OFF

The authors report on the effects of a trade show on incremental sales and profits for a manufacturer of gas chromatographic equipment. Their analysis indicates that the show provided positive economic returns to the firm. They also provide evidence that the show had positive effects on generating product awareness and interest. Although their research studies a single firm and the effect of a single show, the authors' results indicate that, under carefully controlled conditions, the returns from trade show investments can indeed be measured and quantified and that extensions of their approach may have broad applicability.