International Trade Show Directory 

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Business directory of global trade shows for a variety of industries.
XLERATOR Fast Hand Dryers
Try it at IAAM Booth #331 and Meet New England Patriots Cheerleaders!
www.ExcelDryer.com
Exhibiting at Trade Shows
Booths for upcoming trade shows Your passport to trade show success
www.catalystexhibit.com
2009 Mammoth Festival
Come See Gavin DeGraw & Other Great Performers at the Mammoth Festival
www.MammothMountain.com
Meetings & Conventions
Reno-Tahoe, Where Business and Adventure Share a Common Address
www.VisitRenoTahoe.com/meetings
International Trade Shows
The Industry's Largest Buyer/Seller Marketplace for International Trade Shows
www.Conventions.net
Los Angeles Caricaturist
Trade Shows/Events/Parties The Artist of the Stars/Greg Dohlen
www.dohlenstudios.com
International Trade
Free Report - The Secrets of Highly Successful Exporters - Download Now
ExportIntelligence.com
Trade Shows and Exhibits
Looking for trade show displays? Media Works Inc has what you need.
mediaworksinc.net/trade_shows
Eco-Items from Japan
Japanese eco-friendly products that will change your lifestyle.
www.eco-friendly-japan.com
Trade Show
Check Out Local.com To Find Trade Show In Your Area!
Local.com
Shows International
Looking for Shows International? Find exactly what you want today.
Yahoo.com
International Trade Show
Fast & Easy Find. All Info About International Trade Show
www.essayedge.com
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Guide author

Guide to International and Export Trade Shows

Don't know where to start selling abroad? Go to a show!

By Greg Brown

Convention centers around the world buzz with business deals getting done, from local morning meet-ups to week-long extravaganzas featuring rock bands, celebrity speakers and international press roaming the halls. Event experts know why: They calculate that it takes twice the resources to close a cold call from the office compared to a hot trade show lead.

No surprise there. If you meet a potential customer on the show floor, they were already shopping, right? Getting business through international shows is no different than in the United States and, in some ways, more common since industries abroad can be spread across challenging geographies.

To get in on the deals, you should:

  1. First decide if shows will work for your small business
  2. Budget for the opportunity
  3. Then hit the road.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done


Calculate if your business can benefit from attending trade shows

Understanding the economics of show budgeting and selection can make or break your plan. Go to irrelevant shows, and you waste time. Overspend, and the return won't be there.

I recommend: Exhibitor Online, an industry portal, has specific articles on show selection and budgeting written by experts (some are free, some cost $5), plus an online buyer's guide.

Find a show in your industry and target country

There are hundreds of shows and new ones all the time. But, usually, every industry has one big shin-dig no one misses, often in the same town each year. If you export basketballs to Brazil or cheese dip to China, there's a show.

I recommend: Exhibitor Online, TSNN.com and the U.S. government's exporting agency Export.gov have detailed directories, sortable by industry, country and date.

Strength in numbers (aka Team USA!)

The U.S. government provides booths for U.S. companies at many international trade fairs. This can take a lot of the hassle out of show logistics in foreign countries, and you'll be co-branding with your own country.

I recommend: Get market counseling and become part of organized trade delegations through the Department of Commerce U.S. Pavilion program. The government also does matchmaking via an International Buyer Program.

Track your leads

Trade show veterans quickly learn that the problem isn't meeting people, it's remembering them! Turn those contacts into sales with software, or the investment in attending a show might not materialize.

I recommend: Newleads and SellsWare make products that promise to simply your life, while customer-relationship management giants like ACT! and Salesforce.com offer subproducts that knit trade show leads into your existing systems.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • •  Big foreign shows are often held at peak travel times. If you buy an exhibit space, make sure you can get air tickets and hotel space for your people on show dates — before sending the check.
  • •  Is the show right for your company? Call up the management company and ask for a list of attendees from the past few years. Are your competitors and suppliers at this show? If not, why not?
  • •  If you don't have the language skills, hire local help. Many public relations and events companies will 'rent' bilingual young people, usually college students, to man the booth and handle logistics. Customers likely speak English, but event organizers might not.
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Guide author

International and Export Trade Shows

Don't know where to start selling abroad? Go to a show!.
Convention centers around the world buzz with business deals getting done, from local morning meet-ups to week-long extravaganzas featuring rock bands, celebrity speakers and international press roaming the halls. Event experts know why: They calculate that it takes twice the resources to close a cold call from the office compared to a hot trade show lead. No surprise there. If you meet a potential customer on the show floor, ... Read more
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