Assignment Questions: 1. What is the role and importance of trade shows in marketing strategies? How could the IBSS help Birch achieve his goals?

A trade show is an event where companies that are involved in a certain industry gather to exhibit their products, learn about current trends in their industry, and gain knowledge about their competitors. Trade shows provide opportunities for selling, reinforcing existing business relationships, and launching new products. These events can range in size from a small regional show featuring fewer than two dozen participants to massive national shows, which may draw hundreds of exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors over a period of several days to a week.

During the early and mid-1990s, business analysts, consultants, and participants alike debated whether the surge in electronic commerce and Internet purchasing options might soon render the trade show an irrelevant relic of a bygone business era. But by the beginning of the 21st century, the continued importance of trade shows had been reinforced. In fact, Tradeshow Week reported that the number of commercial exhibitions in the United States grew at an annual rate of more than 4 percent during the 1990s, with more than 4,500 exhibitions in 1998 alone. These trade shows accounted for more than $100 billion in annual direct spending and attracted nearly 125 million individuals. "In many industries, the trade show has become a must-seize marketing opportunity," stated Business Week. "It's a time to meet prospective customers, get valuable feedback on your product or service, and close sales."

The continued vitality of trade show exhibitions provide small businesses with excellent opportunities to stand on equal footing with far larger competitors. For small companies with limited marketing budgets, trade shows can serve as an economical and effective