Software Marketers Spending Less On Trade Shows?

Steve Johnson at Productmarketing.com offers some sobering thoughts on reduced spending on trade shows that should alarm organizers of IT events.

Here's the nub:

In the 2004 study on Marketing Practices by softwareminds, trade shows are the most utilized marketing communications tactic -- used by over 75% of us. We use shows primarily to generate leads (69%) and build awareness (29%). While shows were rated as one of the top three most effective tactics by half of the vendors responding, almost one-third plan to reduce their expenditures in the future.

We're realizing that trade shows can rarely be justified by the leads generated. And too often, we burden the show with secondary objectives such as meeting press and analysts, trying to close big deals, gathering competitive intelligence, and so on. But in retrospect vendors wonder if the money was spent wisely once show costs including shipping, travel, printing, and tchotchkes are added up -- not to mention the opportunity costs of using the time and money for other purposes.

Although Steve is writing from a software standpoint, the same points could be made for most products and many shows. Can't say it enough: As organizers, our value propositions have to be clear and measurable.