Exhibitions

[bidabooking]

Hi Guy's

Looking for a bit of advice and experience on this subject. Does anyone attend expo's? What's youe thoughts are they successful? Do you see a big enough return to justify spend?

Looking at a particular expo in Jan, that with the stand and marketing materials is pretty much going to wipe my budget but the foot fall from last year was 57,000 is it worth it? Or can anyone make any alternative suggestions on reaching the masses in a cost effective manner?

We're an online auction site in the holiday/travel sector.

Thanks

 

[bidabooking]

Thanks Danny, that is actually something my partner and me struck upon this afternoon was that a prize draw was probably the biggest way we could draw people to the stand and collect the most information

 

[bidabooking]

Thanks. I'll keep you posted. Expo is in Jan so I'll let you know how we do.

 

[bidabooking]

Lucky you! I partied a little two hard last night, as my other half just opened a new bar.... to many pink bubbles for me

We have safety functions in place so that owners don't find their availability selling for less than it may cost them to manage the booking. So yes is the answer to your question. Although it is at the sellers discretion as to whether they choose to use this option or not. We do also have a buynow option on the site as well. again it's the sellers choice if they use it.

 

[Willself]

HEHEHEHE!! bidabooking!! Just visited your excellent site!!LOL

Thought i would list!! May i ask what dates are you hoping to Exhibit!

in Jan.2010..Thankyou.

 

[bidabooking]

Hi, Sorry been a bit flat out with preparing artwork for marketing campaign haven't had a chance to log on to here for what seems like ages.

Dates for the expo are 15 - 17th Jan 2010, so am running against a deadline right now to get everything ready and off to the printers!!!

I believe you registered and uploaded a property am I right? What are you thought's? would welcome any feedback.

 

[Naughty Vend]

You went off topic on that thread fairly fast, hope your concentration and focus is better when operating the web business...

As an exhibitor and villa owner, with e:com experience you'll find that no exhibition ever offers good return upon investment 'on the day' unless you are selling a high profit product which is in demand and not preferable to be sourced online (etc) i.e. is a niche product. Your presence is that of brand awareness and many will tell you brand building is a long and difficult task, they are right but being online you must overcome the trust issue not being a physical business.

Your goal would be marketing yourself to industry professionals along the vein of a portal to offer excess inventory but as you are unlikely to be ABTA bonded, I'm not sure they will deal with you. At the moment the question is would an owner list with you and would travelers book, to both I answer "no" having looked at the website... your inventory is small and destination choices limited so immediately I go back to Ebay... game over.

I feel your monies may be better spent elsewhere and perhaps on building relationships with content providers, aka agents.

 

[bidabooking]

Thank you NVI for your input.
It appears that you have completely overlooked the entire concept of the site.
Having worked heavily within the UK travel industry for many years, I know all about ABTA and ATOL bonding, and that under such guidelines I do not actually qualify. That said I am looking at alternatives such as TTA and also AIPP.
I would like to make it clear, that I am not a tour operator or a travel agent I am an advertising portal marketed at direct owners of private holiday properties. I am not in any way associated in the given or receiving of monies relating to any rental period purchased on our site and any money from either party is exchanged directly between the two.
I also have a 24 hour customer service department should any assistance be needed.
As a villa owner you must also be familiar with the likes of owners direct or holiday lettings? All of these such websites receive millions of hits a year and have proved to be a very successful method of marketing for those offering something outside of the bulk standard "packaged holiday". I would also like to point out that not one of them is bonded.
Perhaps if you had taken the time to look around the site, you would have also discovered that we actually accommodate owners with properties worldwide and that the destinations listed at present are those that are or have had auction available on the site. I do not wish to market the company to large industry professionals for bulk inventory. The whole concept is for the privately owner accommodation direct from the owner, the exception being property management companies, who work on the owners behalf.
Also to attempt to compete with any portals such as the ones I have referenced or with the likes of Ebay would just be plan stupid at this stage! The site has only been live for 2 and half months! We are currently in the process of running campaigns to sign up owners and management companies.
Returning to the point of exhibitions.
As a business person you yourself must know that to put all ones eggs into one basket where marketing is concerned would be suicidal. We already have various marketing channels, and exhibiting is just added to this. I do not wish to nor intend to attempt to sell mass amounts of inventory through such an event. We are a start up company, we need to test out all methods of marketing, track and record what works. The exhibition is just another way for us to reach the general holiday public. I was in fact asking for the thoughts and feedback of others who had attended exhibitions in the past as to what worked and didn’t work for them, In fact my main aim of such an event is to do a search and find exercise to facilitate future marketing.
Perhaps if you had not wondered off the thread so much you may have been able provide me with some valuable input that could have been used in a productive manner.
Thank you again for your input, and as they saying goes, everyone has to start somewhere.
We are a start up company so we are on run one of the ladder.

 

[Display Wizard]

Hi,

If you need any exhibition displays, please check us out! We offer great prices and quick turnaround

http://www.displaywizard.co.uk/

Good luck and hope this helps!