CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1   AN OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

Trade fair is a form of promotional strategy that enables companies or manufacturers to show case and demonstrate their products to both middle men and ultimate consumers. For many years, different companies have integrated trade fair successfully with their other elements of the communication mix. there are many reasons behind this strategy, the most important one relates to the fact that trade fair plays the role of a catalyst to economic productivity both on home markets and abroad. In the vast literature, although academics refer to trade fair in different ways, such as exhibitions, fairs, trade shows event where companies meet their customers and other important parties of their industry. specifically, Kirchgeorge and Kastner (2010) defined trade fair as events that are held at specific days, where a large number of companies present their new products and sell them to already existent customers and or to potential ones. Trade fairs are time-method of bringing buyers and sellers together mutually while exhibition and books are featured at trade fair which is designed to attract immediate prospect and to create awareness. As previously mentioned, trade fairs are defined as organized market events which are held at specific periods and places where a large number of companies present their offers and their consumers get informed or buy goods Pantano 2011. People participating in trade fairs have privilege to physically examine, make comparism and learn about the new products, market movements, competition and new sources (Ahmed 2003). These shows are usually designed by a special group in a particular geographical area (as made in Nigeria Trade Fair). Individuals who participate in the fairs are always interested and inquisitive about the new trends in a particular field and probably may want to know whether there are any slight changes in product features. When the exhibit is well published, managed and targeted, this results in increased sales volume for exhibitors. Ability to staff is considered to be the most essential factor of these shows because it is those staff who will attend to the customers by informing, educating and persuading them to buy and use their newly introduced products. Trade fair help in attending companies and enterprises get in touch with their customers and getting many inquiries from serious minded enterprises and company executives who end up placing prodders. Trade fair is a good venue for sales promotion and sales. The role of trade fair in marketing of goods is to increase marketing patronage and also to create a forum for physical interaction between manufacturers and their potential customers. Manufacturers use this medium to know how much interest buyers and consumers show in their products both for new product that are introduced and old products that have been existing in the market and terms, also how many express purchase intention or place order, since the participation vendors expected several benefit which include generating new sales lead, maintain new customers’ contacts (through the public relations officer at the trade fair stand), selling more to present customers introducing with publication motion pictures and visual materials. Trade fair is organized at regular interval mostly at the same location and period of the year. It usually lasts for seven to ten days (7-10). These are basically two kinds of trade fairs organized in Nigeria. The international trade fair is in three zonal regions in this country (Nigeria) are Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu. Lagos serves as a venue for any international trade fair that is listed in the western region while Enugu and Kaduna serve in the northern regions.

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