Global Sales and Organization

Activity 6: International Trade Fairs/Shows (100 points)

This Activity is comprised of three (3) parts. Your Activity responses should be both grammatically and mechanically correct, and formatted in the same fashion as the Activity itself. If there is a Part A, your response should identify a Part A, etc. In addition, you must appropriately cite all resources used in your response and document in a bibliography using APA style. (100 points) (A 2-page response and one (1) Excel spreadsheet are required for the combination of Parts A, B, and C.) 

You are the person on your new global marketing team that is in charge of trade shows. Until now, your work has focused on exhibiting at trade shows within your home country. You have recently been informed that your company has decided to explore selling in markets outside your home country. One of the first sales strategies the company has decided to focus on is to exhibit at as many international trade fairs/shows as possible to learn about the international market and to hopefully make a few early adopter sales. (100 points)

Part A Your initial task is to research and list the major trade fairs/shows held inside your home country in your industry (or an industry of your choosing) that attract international exhibitors and attendees. Your list should cover the upcoming 12 months. In addition, you need to research the industry trade fairs/shows held outside your home country. You should find a minimum of one (1) home country trade show and two (2) trade shows held outside your home country. (55 points) 

1. Briefly summarize the industry/company for which you are researching trade shows. 

2. Create an Excel spreadsheet to organize your findings. Provide a description or “key” explaining each column heading. You will probably need to create at least 12-15 columns to fully demonstrate your trade show research findings from Parts A, B, and C. Include columns containing event dates, show names, locations, web information, contact names, and other useful information. Complete (fill in) your spreadsheet.

Part B Determine how much it would cost your company to exhibit at each of these trade fairs/shows. Place the total cost for attending each trade show in a column in the spreadsheet you created in Part A above. (Assume two people will “work in the booth” at each trade show.) Then, discuss how you arrived at the costs. (15 points) 

NOTE: You do not need to discuss this separately for each trade show; you may provide a general discussion of cost determination factors. 

Part C If the Global Marketing Director gave you a trade show budget that allowed you to exhibit at only half of the possible trade shows you have identified, how would you prioritize your international trade fair/show exhibit schedule for the next 12 months? Discuss why you made the choices you did and note what information you are lacking if you cannot complete the prioritization process. In the spreadsheet you made for Part A above, create a column labeled “priority ranking.” Place the priority ranking for each trade show in this column. (20 points) 

This Activity will also be evaluated in terms of your use of mechanics (grammar, punctuation, and spelling) and formatting. (10 points)