Huckster or Exhibit Presenter?

The history of patent medicine shows and “hucksters”

The strongest contributor to exhibiting success is in the power created from a face to face engagement. In person, eye-to-eye communication can be more effective than any other form of communication because it allows people to use both verbal and nonverbal cues to convey meaning. Face-to-face communication is having the ability to physically engage with another person, an experience that cannot be duplicated. It's an opportunity to exchange more than just words because both the speaker and listener(s) can observe and adjust based on body language or expressions.

Be it an exhibit presenter or a one on one discussion at a trade show, in person discussions enhance emotion. Emotion is the one component that supercharges a decision to buy, provided that there is a need from the buyer and is rationalized to be positive.

A live presentation at a trade show can be a powerful tool to attract attention. Most often, the attraction to stop and listen has nothing to do with a product/service being sold. The initial attraction is entertainment that then evolves into a sales pitch. Gifted presenters can deliver effective results.

Before trade shows, one of the earliest forms of live selling in America was the Patent Medicine Show. Hucksters promoting potions and lotions from the back of small wagons. They always provided an entertaining bit of shtick to gather a crowd before they launched into their pitch. Most of what they sold was harmless although it seldom, if ever, delivered on the curative promises extolled by the pitchman.

Medicine shows came about as a result of patent medicine companies. These companies would hire show people and pitchmen to sell their medicines in towns and villages throughout the US. The main purpose of the patent medicine show was to sell the crowd that gathered for the entertainment the patent medicine.

The premise was simple; offer a free show, which gathered the crowd. Entertain the crowd with acts such as singers, comic sketches, jugglers, acrobats, music, magic, ventriloquism, card sharks, and dancing. Once the crowd had been entertained the pitchman (often called Doctor or Professor), would be announced.

The concept of incorporating a live presentation into a trade show exhibit was done at many of the early World Fairs to attract attention. In the early 80’s Fred Kitzing in Chicago pushed the idea that “Exhibits don’t sell, People do”. Fred believed exhibits were intended to be “selling machines." He thought they should be designed to attract attendees into the booth, engage, and then make your pitch to a sale. But in order to do that, he believed the salespeople had to be energized, passionate, and authentic.

Unlike other exhibit design firms at this time, Fred Kitzing employed marketers, script writers, actors, and magicians to support his philosophy for exhibit marketing. In time, other companies were formed that copied the concept of having a live presentation incorporated into the exhibit design.

A company who followed Freds lead, and dedicated their entire service offering to live presentations, was a disciple of Fred’s named Elaine Cohen. She started a company named Live Marketing that remains successful to this day. Others have followed.

Freds wife, Llona Kitzing, conceived the concept of integrated trade show marketing. This concept has now been embraced by marketing managers, exhibit designers, and trade show industry associations.

According to Llona, there are seven major components to marketing. The rule of thumb for exhibiting companies planning a budget for trade shows, is that 5 percent of their business revenue should be earmarked for marketing. This of course depends on the business you are in. A consumer product company would spend more than a machine tool company, so 5 percent is a fair starting figure.

This 5 percent marketing budget is then divided among the seven components in the mix to then collectively support a specific marketing strategy. Each component is not independent of the other. Each component must be integrated to compliment a single marketing goal.

The pie chart illustrates a likely assessment for many companies. For exhibiting companies, the trade show/event portion of the budget will be the biggest cost. With that said, measuring the impact of the trade show, to include other marketing components, is key to continuing this level of marketing investment.

"It’s not about the exhibit structure, but what the structure is doing to enhance a message, and to reach a targeted audience,” says Llona Kitzing.

"When setting a marketing budget, no one component of the seven is more important than the other. The formula for which components you combine is up to you with each working to compliment the other. The mix together creates an integrated marketing strategy. Collectively, all components should contribute to creating a selling situation.

The internet and human influences can steer us in a direction to make a decision to buy, but the final decision to buy must be based on a predetermined criteria to support a true need.

Professional exhibit marketing, along with professional human presenters, are powerful tools, but must be designed and diligently orchestrated and blend to be effective. A booth stage area will be required in the exhibit design and the exhibitor staff must be in full cooperation with this sales concept.

The internet, and trade show marketing, will not continue to be successful if viewed as huckster tools to attract without a sensitivity about the buyer experience, or their true needs. Trade shows are not a magic act to wow a visitor into buying. Trade show exhibitors must engage tactfully to earn trust and open opportunities for a sale - live presentation or not.

THE POWER OF EXHIBITING AND THE COST TO DO SO

The main purpose of any trade show is to connect buyers and sellers, of any industry, to create selling, and telling, opportunities that benefit both.

The secondary purpose of any show is for industry related education and peer networking. For the medical industry, the main purpose for attending a trade show is to fulfill educational requirements (CEU’s) for their medical occupation certifications. That is not to say that learning something new from the trade show floor, or engaging with industry peers, is not important to this group, since this is achieved as well.

The power of face to face marketing is being questioned by some. The power of emotion is the difference maker. Steps need to be taken to support trade show marketing.

Associations…All industries have associations dedicated to the specific needs of the people within the industry niches. Similar industries have associations that are dedicated to specific parts of the same industry—FMI, Fancy Foods, ACS (Convenient Stores), etc. In previous years, many of these industry association niches have merged to form a single trade show serving the needs of both industry specialty groups.

Multi show costs matter. It must be noted, among all the services that associations offer to their members to generate revenue, the trade show component has the greatest financial benefit to the bottom line of the association groups.

If this is the case, the trade show event must deliver measurable results for both attendees and the exhibitors who pay to make this benefit happen.

Exhibitors… When corporate marketing budgets are evaluated each year, companies better be ready to demonstrate and measure the benefits for their companies marketing investments. Alternatives exist.

The two year Covid period has forced trade show events to be re evaluated re their investment in face to face vs digital alternatives. In many cases, the digital alternatives