As we’re heading towards Xmas (and the CES), I thought of an analogy you might like.

How do trade shows sell themselves?

Like a Xmas market.

Let me explain the analogy.

If you take a few steps back, or take a birds eye view of a convention hall, you’ll see a trade show is nothing more than a market place.

Aisles of products and services being exposed, potential buyers walking up and down these alleys, comparing goods, services and who sells them, to eventually make a choice and “put it in their – at least – mental cart”.

Forms will be different, from specialized supermarket to festive fairs (see our post on the differences between fairs and trade shows), but the principle remains.

But one element can change the game : timing.

And the king of all markets is the Xmas market, I’m sure you’ll agree.

But what makes a Xmas market different than any other market?

Is it the content?

Is it the people?

A trade show advantage could be his time in the calendar

What if it was its timing (and the settings that goes with it)?

What if the craze behind the CES, was not the WHAT happens in Vegas, but the WHEN it is happening.

If you look at the distribution of shows and conventions across the year, you’ll notice that there are two seasons Spring and Autumn, where most of the 30 000 shows of the world happen, and two off periods, December/January and July/August.

By fitting in one of the most empty period for shows, the post Xmas/NYE period, the CES manages to steal the show of the show industry.

And if you dive a bit into its history, you’ll learn that the CES was held twice a year until 1998, but that the summer one was facing increased competition and lost attraction…

It’s been now 27 years it’s standing like Celine Dion, as the main attraction of a pretty empty period for shows otherwise.

Without any major competition it’s getting all the attention as people come back to work after the high holidays.

The CES has become an evergreen beacon for sellers of technology across the years, or, excuse my french; a chestnut for a post Xmas consumer electronic present partum.

As long as we’re in this analogy with the Xmas market together, I let you figure out the return on investment/cost of such a show for your company if you’re thinking of going.

Cause if you bought your presents just now, you know you probably paid them more than you would have in a week from now.

So if you brace yourself for the next CES in a couple of weeks, remember that Santa Claus doesn’t exist, even if we human love to fall for the group effect, whether it’s for cryptocurrencies or trade show participation.

Trade shows do count on it to sell you a booth space, so how to judge if it’s money well spent?

If you’re asking yourself this question, you might be in for a treat. As a Xmas gift, shoot me a message or a comment and we’ll discuss, for free, your trade show strategy regarding the CES, or any other trade show Festivus for that matter.