The Effectiveness of Trade Shows in Global Competition

Trade shows industry has experienced a rapid growth during the last years. They are considered as a vital communication technique especially for those companies that operate in international markets and that aim to reach specific audiences. Making them an integral part of the marketing communication strategy enables companies in: developing customer relationships; offering possibilities for sales and sales promotion; undertaking and maintaining good international business relations; monitoring international competition as well as minimizing entry barriers in new markets. During the last years, many Albanian companies that operate in foreign businesses have started to engage in trade shows. Face to face meetings with their potential customers and direct competitors are among the most important reasons for investing in this marketing tool. Even though the literature regarding trade shows effectiveness is increasing constantly, research on its effectiveness is still limited. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to study the effectiveness of trade shows as a marketing communication tool. More specifically, it is focused in studying the usage of trade shows by Albanian companies when competing on international markets.