(AI-free post)

So, you’ve finally made up your mind, you’re going to this next show because you don’t want to miss out on opportunities?

(check my post about why FOMO is the biggest trade shows sales argument)

Should you bring your butt with your country’s trade show delegation or get an independent booth?

Should you join the pack or go as a lone wolf?

For those who wonder “what’s a country delegation to a trade show?”, you have two kinds.

The visitor delegation (hi Barbier), where you basically go to visit a show. I’ll do a post on that later.

And an exhibitor delegation, where you basically gather your compatriots, and buy together a chunk of the trade show space and exhibit next to each other.

You usually do it under a country banner (see pictures).

Here’s my stake on it.

It depends.

On what? Your development stage and your marketing strategy.

The bright side of delegations

👍These delegations tends to reduce the costs of going to a show, they usually offer discounts, travel packs, services like translation or logistics, and networking opportunities.

So you get a cheaper price, lower the effort plus you get the chance to meet at least other countryman business people.

Nice right? Great, now here’s the flip side.

The dark side of delegations

👎When it’s free (or half the price), you’re the product. Let me explain. Let’s take France for example. When French government sponsors, with taxpayers money, a delegation to go to a show, what’s THEIR objectives? Promote France on the international market as a business friendly destination (using taxpayers money, see the irony here?).

🤔 So ask yourself, am I here to help my country promote itself or my business?

If you answered both my captain, think about the following:

Which marketing will prime on your booth? Are you free to advertise about what you sell the way you want? Can you choose the location? DO you have any control over the marketing of your country? Is it what visitors will see first? Or is it YOUR marketing?

That matters because it can play both ways. You sell cheese and wine for example, the banner FRANCE will be helpful or detrimental? What’s your country’s reputation for these goods? You sell AI? What’s your country reputation in this matter?

Last, what’s the location strategy of your country? Are halls thematic? By country? I’ve seen that last year at Cosmoprof Bologna, a French company selling soap, locked in the perfume hall within the french pavilion. Was it wise and money well spent? Where do you think visitors looking for soaps went? Especially when there are 15+ halls…

So, you’ve got it by now, the answer is always ✌️two questions, a tactical one, and a strategical one:

1. Let’s start with the tactical: is forced location and marketing good, or bad for my business?
2. And now the more spicy one: why am I delegating my trade show strategy to a government body?

Don’t fool yourself thinking you’re doing your country a favor, or getting a free meal.

All you’re doing is called transfer of competence, like delegating your business trade show strategy to public workers.

Normally, you should be minding your business and let them mind theirs.

Yours is to promote your business and what it can do for your customers, not be a poster child for your country’s brand identity.

Theirs is to promote what they (are supposed to) do best for their citizens : create a society in harmony where people are happy and taxes spent wisely, not using taxpayers money for helping private businesses.

Now, the world is not ideal, so be pragmatic

If you’re early stage and you need your government floaters to help you swim in the business world (how good are public workers at entrepreneurship again?), go ahead, use your countrymen taxes to push your business forward, don’t forget to pay it forward.

If you’re ready to compete on the trade show floor without the help of your buddies, I would be you, I will not delegate my trade show marketing strategy to another organization, unless they do it better than you can do it.

The best way to be a good swimmer is to dive in the pool, and swim with the swimmers.

You think I’m harsh?

Taxpayers money might not be spent efficiently

Hear this one : wonder if taxes are spent efficiently? Like paying for these trade shows delegation ?

Ask yourself why are your taxes paying for walls around public cemeteries.

Seems like the ones inside can’t go out, and the ones outside don’t want to go in, unlike in Berlin in 1961.

That’s all for today, and if you’re looking for the right strategy, spending efficiency and a good return on investment for your next show, you’ve got my contact info.