Trade Shows

Using Trade Shows as a Marketing Channel in Aviation

In this month’s Marketing Master Class lesson, we’ll be working on making the most of your investment in trade shows. If you’re a Marketing Master Class member, you’ve received a packet in the mail and will see the video and workbook at the bottom of this page.

Are trade shows a good use of your marketing effort and budget? For many companies, the answer is a resounding “yes!”

For others, it’s a frustrating, exhausting experience that makes no discernible difference to their year’s sales figures.

What makes the difference?

First, determine if your prospective clients are likely to be in attendance.

One company I know builds their marketing efforts for the entire year around the NBAA show, and they make enough sales resulting from and subsequent to the show and follow up efforts.

On the other hand, I remember speaking with an aviation professional whose primary clientele are corporate executives, NOT aviation people. He planned to attend the NBAA annual convention and had high hopes for great connections and lots of sales. I told him he’d be better off attending a finance convention or other event that would have a higher concentration of HIS potential customers. I think his reason for attending was probably because “if you’re in Aviation, you have to be at NBAA.” While this sentiment is a credit to NBAA’s marketing, it is not necessarily true.

Granted, there is some value in attending to network with colleagues and other professionals, but don’t expect to make sales unless your target customers are among the attendees.

Take a clear-eyed look at your marketing budget, and estimate how many sales you will need to make in order to recoup your investment.

Of course, you may decide to go even if your prospective customers will not be there; but go with the understanding that marketing is not your primary purpose. And don’t use your marketing budget for show expenses!

If you do decide to use a trade show for marketing, understand that it represents a significant investment. To get results, you need to commit. Don’t just “kind of” do a trade show. The snowboarder’s term “Go big or go home” comes to mind; you will need to invest a significant amount of time and/or effort to get the most out of it.

2011 Aviation Trade Shows

(If you’ve missed this year’s show, check the website for 2012 dates. These will also be included in the 2012 Marketing Editorial Schedule.)

AAAE AVIATION ISSUES CONFERENCE
Jan. 9-13,Fairmont Orchid Hotel,Kona,Hawaii.
Info:(703) 824-0500;www.aaae.org.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE SYMPOSIUM &TRADE FAIR
Jan. 24-25,Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel,Vancouver,Canada.
Info:(604) 279-9579;www.pamea.com.

FUTURE OF BUSINESS JETS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Jan. 25-26,Mövenpick Hotel. Bahrain.
Info:+44 20 8531 6464;www.quaynote.com.

AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION CONFERENCE
Feb. 3-4,Naples Grande Beach Resort,Naples,Fla.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

MIDDLE EAST CORPORATE AVIATION SUMMIT
Feb. 7,Skyline University College,Sharjah,UAE.
Info:+44 20 8123 7072;www.aeropodium.com.

FBO LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Feb. 7-8,Savannah International Trade &Convention Center,Savannah,Ga.
Info:(800) 808-6282;www.nata.aero.

FUNCTIONAL FLIGHTCHECK SYMPOSIUM
Feb. 8-9,The Westin Bayshore,Vancouver,Canada.
Info:(703) 739-6700;www.flightsafety.org.

SCHEDULERS &DISPATCHERS CONFERENCE
Feb. 9-11,Savannah International Trade &Convention Center,Savannah,Ga.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

AERO INDIA
Feb. 9-13,Air Force Station Yelahanka,Bengaluru,India.
Info:+91 1244 0140 6067;www.aeroindia.in.

BUSINESS AVIATION REGIONAL FORUM
Feb. 17,Avitat,Boca Raton Airport,Boca Raton,Fla.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

INDIAN BUSINESS AVIATION EXPO
Feb. 21-23,Hotel Shangri-La,New Delhi,India.
Info:+44 20 8332 2211;www.miuevents.com.

U.S. CORPORATE AVIATION SUMMIT
Feb. 22-23,Wyndham Airport Hotel &Convention Center,Miami,Fla.
Info:+44 20 8123 7072;www.aeropodium.com.

NBAA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Feb. 23-24,Hilton San Diego Bay Front,San Diego,Calif.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

CYGNUS AVIATION EXPO
Feb. 23-25,Las Vegas Convention Center.
Info:(800) 827-8009;www.cygnusaviationexpo.com.

WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Feb. 24-26,Grand Sierra Resort,Reno,Nev.
Info:(937) 839-4647 www.wai.org.

AIRCRAFT TRANSACTIONS FORUM
Feb. 28-March 1,The Phoenician Resort,Scottsdale,Ariz.
Info:(888) 777-1707;www.insightinfo.com.

MEXICAN BUSINESS AVIATION EXHIBITION/HELIMEX
Feb. 28-March 2,Toluca Airport,Toluca,Mexico.
Info:+33 3647 1139;www.mbaeexpo.com.

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW
March 1-6,Avalon Airport,Geelong,Australia.
Info:+61 3 5282 6500;www.airshow.net.au.

HELI-EXPO
March. 5-8,Orange County Convention Center,Orlando,Fla.
Info:(703) 683-4646;www.rotor.com.

AIR CHARTER SAFETY SYMPOSIUM
March 15-16,NTSB Training Center,Ashburn,Va.
Info:(888) 723-3135;www.acsf.aero.

AVIONICS EUROPE
March 16-17,M.O.C. Convention Center,Munich,Germany.
Info:+44 19 9265 6623;www.avionics-event.com.

INTERNATIONAL OPERATORS CONFERENCE
March 21-24,Sheraton Hotel &Marina,San Diego,Calif.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW
March 30-April 1,Reno,Nev.
Info:(816) 373-6565;www.aea.net

AL BATEEN PRIVATE AVIATION SYMPOSIUM
March 29-30,Al Bateen Airport,Abu Dhabi,UAE.
Info:+44 20 8332 2211;www.miuevents.com.

SUN ‘N’FUN ANNUAL FLY IN
March 29-April 3,Lakeland Linder Regional Airport,Lakeland,Fla.
Info:(863) 644-2431;www.sun-n-fun.org.

ARSA ANNUAL REPAIR SYMPOSIUM
March 31-April 2,Ritz Carlton Hotel,Pentagon City,Va.
Info:(703) 739-9543;www.arsa.org.

NATIONAL AIRCRAFT RESALE ASSOCIATION SPRING MEETING
April 6-8,Ritz Carlton Golf Resort,Naples,Fla.
Info:(866) 284-4744;www.nara-dealers.com.

BOMBARDIER MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS CONFERENCE
April 12-14,Chicago.
Info:(514) 855-7627;www.bombardiermo.com.

SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION SHOW
April 13-15,Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Center,Hongqiao Airport,Shanghai,China.
Info:+86 021 5196 1180;www.sias2011.com.

AERO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
April 13-16,Messe Friedrichshafen,Friedrichshafen,Germany.
Info:+49 75 4170 8404;www.aero-expo.de.

BUSINESS AVIATION REGIONAL FORUM
April 14,Business Jet Service,Dallas Love Field Airport,Dallas,Texas.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

CORPORATE AVIATION SAFETY SEMINAR
April 19-21,Sheraton Hotel &Marina,San Diego,Calif.
Info:(703) 739-6700;www.flightsafety.org.

NBAA MMC,
April 5-7,San Diego;
e-Military (Spring Issue) RO,April 12-14,Miami;

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON AVIATION PSYCHOLOGY
May 2-5,Wright State University,Dayton,Ohio.
Info:(937) 255-8769;www.wright.edu/isap

NATIONAL AIRCRAFT FINANCE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
May 3-6,Harbor Beach Marriott Resort &Spa,Fort Lauderdale,Fla.
Info:(410)-571-1740,www.nafa.aero

AAAE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPOSITION
May 15 –18,Georgia World Congress Center,Atlanta,Ga.
Info:(703) 824-0500,www.aaae.org

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION
May 17-19,PalExpo,Geneva.
Info:(202) 783-9000,+32-2-766-0073;www.ebace.aero

EBACE,
May 17-19,
Geneva,Switzerland

RAA
May 16-19,
Nashville

BUSINESS AVIATION TAX SEMINAR
June 3,JW Marriott San Francisco.
Info:(202) 783-9000,www.nbaa.org

BUSINESS AVIAITON REGIONAL FORUM
June 8,Panorama Flight Service,Westchester County Airport,White Plains,N.Y.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS/FLIGHT TECHNICIANS CONFERENCE
June 16-18,Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel,San Diego,CA
Info:(202) 783-9000,www.nbaa.org

PARIS AIRSHOW
June 20-26,Le Bourget Airport,Paris
Info:www.paris-air-show.com

EAA AirVenture,
July 25-31,Oshkosh,WI

NBAA ANNUAL MEETING &CONVENTION
Oct 12-14,Las Vegas Convention Center,Las Vegas Nev.
Info:(202) 783-9000;www.nbaa.org

ADMA,
Oct. 23-27, Marco Island,FL

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