Specialty Graphic Imaging Association Executive Summary March 2010 Too Many Shows SGIA Expo attendees: The SGIA manufacturers and suppliers need your support. You can help move the community forward by understanding the challenges exhibitors are facing. We all know there are too many shows in our industry, but exhibitors often feel forced to participate in a show because their competitor is exhibiting. And today, exhibitors are being pulled toward more low-return shows than ever before. We need to help them break this cycle. Our entire community will be stronger if exhibitors can focus on growing the most effective tradeshows for their markets. That’s where you can help — communicate with your suppliers by letting them know where you want to see them. Support their efforts to transition from too many shows to a focused marketplace. In today’s competitive market, exhibitors can’t afford to be pressured into shows where a low rate of return is expected. The cost of participating in all of the industry’s shows is detrimental to our community’s future. Instead, exhibitors who focus only on their best marketplaces should be congratulated for making good business decisions. They are protecting their ROI and increasing funds for new product development. Here’s an example: Last year, one of SGIA’s major exhibitors made a decision to focus on the SGIA Expo and let their distributors represent them in another important tradeshow. They focused on the SGIA Expo because the SGIA attendees are the best match for their products. This wasn’t an easy decision for them, but it proved to be a very good one. The manufacturers and suppliers in the community are feeling the same recession pains as the rest of the community; in many cases they have it worse. Give them the opportunity to adjust their market presence so that they can cost-effectively bring products to market and continue to develop new products for tomorrow. We have a strong, vibrant community and we have a great future, but we need to make our marketplace more efficient. Encourage your suppliers to maximize their best tradeshow opportunities.