Disconnect in trade show staffing: A comparison of exhibitor emphasis and attendee preferences

Christophe Haon; Trina Sego; Nancy Drapeau; Shikhar Sarin

doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.03.016

Disconnect in trade show staffing: A comparison of exhibitor emphasis and attendee preferences

Christophe Haon, Trina Sego, Nancy Drapeau, Shikhar Sarin

Marketing Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

This research explores how and whether staffing at trade shows by exhibitors is consistent with attendee preferences for staffing in this channel. Using secondary data from 9215 attendees and 885 exhibitors, we observe that relative to attendee preferences, exhibitors significantly understaff with technical personnel, while overstaffing with executive/upper management and sales/marketing personnel. Additional comparisons between attendees who are decision-makers vs. influencers in the purchase process, between attendees from different kinds of firms (B2B vs. B2C, large vs. small firms) and between attendees to trade shows that differ in geographic scope suggest that substantial inconsistencies persist between preferences of attendees and staffing by exhibitors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	581-595
Number of pages	15
Journal	Industrial Marketing Management
Volume	91
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.03.016
State	Published - Nov 2020

Keywords

B2B Marketing
Business-to-business marketing
Exhibitions
Promotions
Trade shows

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10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.03.016

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title = "Disconnect in trade show staffing: A comparison of exhibitor emphasis and attendee preferences",

abstract = "This research explores how and whether staffing at trade shows by exhibitors is consistent with attendee preferences for staffing in this channel. Using secondary data from 9215 attendees and 885 exhibitors, we observe that relative to attendee preferences, exhibitors significantly understaff with technical personnel, while overstaffing with executive/upper management and sales/marketing personnel. Additional comparisons between attendees who are decision-makers vs. influencers in the purchase process, between attendees from different kinds of firms (B2B vs. B2C, large vs. small firms) and between attendees to trade shows that differ in geographic scope suggest that substantial inconsistencies persist between preferences of attendees and staffing by exhibitors.",

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AU - Sarin, Shikhar

PY - 2020/11

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N2 - This research explores how and whether staffing at trade shows by exhibitors is consistent with attendee preferences for staffing in this channel. Using secondary data from 9215 attendees and 885 exhibitors, we observe that relative to attendee preferences, exhibitors significantly understaff with technical personnel, while overstaffing with executive/upper management and sales/marketing personnel. Additional comparisons between attendees who are decision-makers vs. influencers in the purchase process, between attendees from different kinds of firms (B2B vs. B2C, large vs. small firms) and between attendees to trade shows that differ in geographic scope suggest that substantial inconsistencies persist between preferences of attendees and staffing by exhibitors.

AB - This research explores how and whether staffing at trade shows by exhibitors is consistent with attendee preferences for staffing in this channel. Using secondary data from 9215 attendees and 885 exhibitors, we observe that relative to attendee preferences, exhibitors significantly understaff with technical personnel, while overstaffing with executive/upper management and sales/marketing personnel. Additional comparisons between attendees who are decision-makers vs. influencers in the purchase process, between attendees from different kinds of firms (B2B vs. B2C, large vs. small firms) and between attendees to trade shows that differ in geographic scope suggest that substantial inconsistencies persist between preferences of attendees and staffing by exhibitors.

KW - B2B Marketing

KW - Business-to-business marketing

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KW - Promotions

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Disconnect in trade show staffing: A comparison of exhibitor emphasis and attendee preferences

Abstract

Keywords

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