Tad Ishizumi, president of Reed Japan, discusses how organisers and venues are ensuring exhibitors perform to the best of their ability at exhibitions, through exhibitor training or briefings, to improve the visitor experience.
I believe it is very important that organisers help exhibitors raise their ability to obtain good returns, especially considering the unique environment in Japan.For a long time, exhibitions in Japan were predominantly organised by influential official bodies like governments, industry associations, or big media companies. Exhibitors participated mostly to keep good relationships with those powerful organisations. They recognised little value in exhibitions, and thought of them merely as annual festivals.
One of the things I created was a seminar for exhibitors that we would hold three months before each exhibition. We would bring 500 top executives of the exhibitors to the two-hour seminar, where we educated them the importance of conducting business at show, and how to do it. Our staff members also made individual visits to senior managers of exhibitors to advise them the same. It wasn’t easy, but through many years of perseverance, we have totally changed the scene of our exhibitions, from festival-like to business-like.
In recent years, we have developed a variety of activities, for instance, appointment-making service, match-making party, exhibit guidebook prior to fair etc, to help increase exhibitors’ business at show.
I believe the organiser’s job is more than just bringing exhibitors and visitors together; we must also make things happen. Exhibitors must make money.
This was first published in issue 4/2013 of EW. Any comments? Email exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
