New Concepts in Show Directories

Big business... big bucks!

By Nancy Klein

Remember when it was enough to simply list exhibitors alphabeticallyin your show directory? Oh sure, you threw in a daily schedule of events,and maybe a welcome letter from the show chairman, but that was about theextent of it. And didn't we all impress ourselves when we added anotherlist of exhibitors categorized by product type? How times have changed!

Today's show directories bear little resemblance to their early predecessors.Filled with ads, articles and maybe six or more cross-referenced exhibitorlists, some modern show directories are thicker than many small town telephonebooks. They're glossy, four-color publications that do much more than guideattendees around the floor. In fact, "show directory" is quicklybecoming a misnomer. Today, we produce "buyer's guides."

The evolution of the show directory mirrors the evolution of the industryitself. As expositions become more sophisticated, ancillary support materialssuch as prospectuses and show directories also increase in usefulness. Showmanagers recognize that they have a greater responsibility today to seeto it that both exhibitors and attendees accomplish measurable results attheir expositions. As sales support for exhibitors, and year-round referenceguides for attendees, nothing beats a good show directory for achievingthis goal.

Increased revenue is also a major driving factor in the development ofcontemporary show directories. In an age where new revenue sources can meanthe difference between 'profit' and "loss," directories areseen by most show managers as major revenue enhancers. By turning theirold directories into more significant publications, show managers can assurepotential advertisers of a longer shelf-life.

The role of advertising
Recently, the Institute of Food Technologists, the National Associationof Exposition Managers and Exhibit Surveys, Inc., conducted a survey ofall NAEM members to determine the latest trends in show directories (seeNAEM survey). Over 60 percent of those respondingsaid they accept advertising in their directory. More than 50 percent indicatedthat "additional revenue" motivated their decision to accept advertising.Over half of the respondents accept black and white, two-color and four-colorads. Rates for black and white display ads run the gamut from $75 to $5,000per page.

According to Dan Weber, Director of Marketing and Meetings at IFT, "Often,a show directory ad gives the small exhibiting company a chance to receiveexcellent exposure at an affordable price. Larger companies that run "showissue" ads in the association's magazine, also buy advertising in thedirectory. If you position advertising to be affordable to all, making itmarketable to the small exhibitor, the directory serves as a strong reinforcerwhich gives the exhibitor extra mileage from the show."

Occasionally, associations without their own magazine, and for-profitshows not owned by an association, will turn to an industry publisher tosolicit advertising and produce the show directory. Thanks to their publishingexpertise, existing sales staff and long-term relationships with industrysuppliers, these publishers can save time and money for busy show managers.Directory ads sell at a special set of rates, typically lower than the trademagazine's regular ad rates.

The HostEx show, owned and managed by the Canadian Restaurant and FoodservicesAssociation, has Canadian Hotel & Restaurant Magazine producetheir show guide. According to Sean Buckley, District Sales Manager forthe magazine, "We print 25,000 copies of the digest-sized directory,and in 1990 charged $1,440 (Canadian) for a black & white page, and$2,520 (Canadian) for a four-color page."

Ad rates are based in part, on the number of directories to be distributed.Advertisers often break down prices into "cost per thousand,"or CPM. Your CPM should therefore be "in the ballpark" with competingshows, unless you can prove a more qualified audience -- in which case youcan justify higher rates.

Directory size must also be considered when setting rates. Productioncosts for an 8 1/2" x 11" directory will be higher than a digest-sizeddirectory. Ad rates will therefore be higher on the larger book, which mayupset the CPM balance. If several shows in their industry attract the sameexhibitors, many show managers will make their publication the same sizeas the others. Not only does this balance the CPM ratio, but exhibitorscan use the same ad film for each directory.

The Super Show, sponsored by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association,and managed by Communications and Show Management, Inc., in North Miami,Florida, sells its full-page, black and white directory ads for $1,076.Special advertiser-supplied inserts are also accepted at varying rates."We add $852 to our full-page rate for four-color ads, with coverscosting extra," says Sales Director Rob Hedeman. "We also offerthe use of corporate logos within exhibitor listings for $125 -- no chargeif they're also running an ad."

About 70 percent of The Super Show's ad revenues come from repeat advertisers.In addition, non-exhibiting industry suppliers can pay $1,000 to join a"suppliers to the industry club," which allows them to advertisein the directory. Corporate show sponsors are allowed to advertise as well.

In contrast, the HostEx show does not allow non-exhibitors to advertisein the show directory. "We want to protect our exhibitors," saysPamela Knight, Director of Expositions for CRFA. "Since it's the officialshow guide, we don't want to give any free rides to non-exhibitors. Althoughattendees use it as a source all year long, our directory is mainly forthe show."

According to Hedeman, "You want to position the show directory asa year-long buyer's guide -- in our case, the official sports product guidefor the industry. We're really selling a 12-month ad, not just a show ad."

Magazine competition
Over half of the show managers responding to NAEM's survey said they publisha trade magazine, yet did not believe their directory ads competed with"show issue" magazine ads. In fact, according to Buckley, thereis no conflict even with higher-priced, four-color ads. "Our advertiserswant four-color available in the directory," he says.

Some organizations, leery of losing magazine advertising, establish "packagedeals" for advertising in the show directory. Often, discounts aregiven in the show directory if a magazine ad has been purchased. Some groupsrequire advertisers to buy space in the magazine before they're even allowedin the directory. Still others use directory advertising as a bonus foradvertisers on contract -- sign a contract for six ads throughout the year,and get a free ad in the show directory.

Most show managers, however, feel no need to offer such incentives, sincethe two vehicles are such different "buys. " According to Weber,"Directory advertising presents a terrific opportunity for exhibitorsto cost-effectively target market -- especially since the directory hasa life after death." In fact, the NAEM survey found that 75 percentof attendees take their directory home, and 70 percent of that group usetheir directory for six months to a year after the show.

What's inside?
The content of today's show directories is as unique as the shows themselves.They are elaborate and complex, simple and concise. Experienced show managersrecommend considering the needs of both exhibitors and attendees when decidingwhat to include. If previous show surveys have revealed that attendees comeprimarily to see new products, for instance, you might want to include a"new product" section.

Consider too, how you want the directory to be used after the show. Manydirectories, for example, will include a "Sales Rep Listing" inthe back of the book to help buyers locate salespeople covering their territory.

Organization is critical if your directory is filled with myriad information.Many directories have color-coded pages, tabbed sections and a variety ofpaper stock. The majority also include a table of contents, and some haveexhaustive indexes. Advertiser indexes have become commonplace. "It'sa quick sourcing reference for attendees," says Buckley. "Theindex allows easy access to advertised information."

Welcome letters still abound in most show directories. In fact, withthe trend toward increasing international attendance, many directories nowoffer these letters in several languages. According to Sandra La France,Production Director for The Super Show, "We have many internationalattendees and buyers. Our foreign language welcome letter is a nice wayto greet them."

Exhibitor listings have changed dramatically in recent years. The standardalphabetical list now consists of company name, complete address with phoneand fax numbers, key personnel names and titles, booth number and productdescriptions. Other typical exhibitor lists include: company name and boothnumber in numerical order; company name and booth number alphabeticallyunder product types; company name and fax numbers, company name and toll-freenumbers; company name and booth number by geographic location.

An accurate, clearly labeled floorplan is a basic element still includedin most directories. Smaller floorplans are typically printed in the centerspread, while larger shows, or shows with multiple halls, use special fold-outpages to help attendees orient themselves.

The Super Show, comprised of 14 individual "shows" -- suchas The Tennis Show and The Golf Show -- features a separately bound setof floorplans, color-coded to match exhibit hall colors. "It's a partof the show guide that attendees refer to constantly," La France remarks."Our floorplans are so extensive, due to our multiple-show layout,that we need something convenient. The directory just got too large to accommodateeasy access to the floorplans."

Another new twist in contemporary show directories is the addition ofeditorial material. Articles on "how to get the most from attendingthe show" appear alongside magazine-style features on hot industryissues. Veterans warn however, don't just write "fluff" piecesto balance your ad pages -- only if an article is relevant and interestingwill it increase the directory's value as a reference piece.

Editorial coverage of convention highlights has increased as well. Forthose show managers needing to increase attendance at various functions-- seminars, award banquets -- strong copy can often spur last-minute registrations.Devoting space to luncheon times, hospitality suite locations and shuttlebus schedules is especially appreciated by busy attendees. "Listingspecific shuttle bus pick-up times and locations saves our attendees a lotof confusion," says La France.

Special sections
In survey after survey, exposition attendees list "seeing new products"as a principle reason for visiting the show. It's not surprising then that"new product" sections seem to be gaining popularity in modernshow directories. These sections typically allow exhibitors one paragraphto describe the new product and list their booth number. Many show managersallow photos to accompany the text, and most have stringent rules on whatis considered a "new" product.

Not all show managers like new product sections, however. "For us,a new product section in the directory is too cumbersome," reportsBuckley. "We distribute pre-show issues of the magazine on-site, whichhas a feature on new products. This way, the new products section doesn'tinterfere with our directory's main function -- to quickly guide the attendeethrough the show."

For show managers trying to encourage on-site buying, "show special"sections have stimulated a good response in their directories. Organizedmuch like the new product sections, exhibitors have one paragraph to describetheir show special -- 10 percent off, free freight -- and list their boothnumber.

Listings in either the new product or show special sections are sometimesprovided free to all exhibitors. Other show managers provide them free toadvertisers, and at a nominal fee to other exhibitors. Still others chargeeveryone equally. If you are considering a price for your special sections,think of the listings as "classified" ads, and price them accordinglywith your display ad rates -- much like a magazine or newspaper.

There are a variety of other lists and special sections included in today'sshow directories, such as: listings of all hotel names and phone numbers;general information such as badge colors and show rules; city informationincluding maps and restaurant guides; names of all association and/or showpersonnel; association membership lists; pre-registration lists; appointmentcalendars; expense records; times of in-booth exhibitor demonstrations;an overview of the show sponsor; a list of the languages spoken by exhibitors;lined note space next to each exhibitor listing; merchandising aids availablefrom exhibitors; and a "bulletin board" with manufacturers whoare looking for sales reps in specific territories, and reps who are lookingfor new lines.

Compiling the data
Most exhibitor lists are compiled from information on the space contract.Many exposition management software packages offer programs which will createa variety of cross-referenced lists from basic exhibitor data. Convenienceand significant cost-savings result when these programs produce a file whichcan be printed on a laser printer, or sent directly to the typesetter.

For more detailed directory information, such as new product descriptionsor times of in-booth demonstrations, show managers rely on questionnairesand forms in the exhibitor manual. Most forms limit the number of wordswhich can be used, and have early return deadline policies. Exhibitors whodo not return forms in time are simply not included in special sections.

Compiling the data for your show directory can be an overwhelming task,especially given the fact that production comes so close to show time. Makedecisions early about what you will and won't include. Be realistic aboutyour priorities and your time limitations. Consider how much time you haveto gather and check information. What sections or articles are not time-sensitive,and could be written in advance? What will it take to project the right"image" in your directory?

The presentation of your directory will enhance or detract from yourshow's overall image. The packaging will also create a "comfort factor"among attendees which will guide their impression of the show. The moresubstantial and attractive you make the book, the higher the possibilityis that attendees will keep them as reference guides for several months.

While glossy, four-color directories make a strong impression, productioncosts alone can be staggering. "The Super Show '90 directory cost usover $125,000 in printing alone," La France notes. "With over200 additional pages expected in 1991, we anticipate printing costs above$160,000. Other production costs for this directory easily run into thethousands."

Experienced show managers recommend starting conservatively if you'venever accepted advertising in your show directory. Set ad rates high enoughto cover production and a reasonable profit. Decide in advance what sectionsor lists could be dropped if ad sales are not meeting projected revenues.

With a plan tailored to the needs of your show, your directory can becomea vital source of information for attendees -- and an excellent profit centerfor you.

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