Assessing Trade Show Functions and Performance: An Exploratory Study

Though trade shows are an important marketing tool, as evidenced by their frequency of use and expenditure level, little research has examined this activity. The authors document the selling and non-selling roles of trade shows and identify marketing and trade show strategy-related variables that affect performance. Their study is a necessary first step in understanding how trade shows are used and identifying factors that should be considered in the management of this promotion medium.