By: Humberto De la Vega
Some time ago, I wrote a collaboration making a very personal classification of the types of visitors who usually attend exhibitions, illustrating with salt and pepper the uses and customs.
Since the last few weeks I have been traveling and participating in various exhibitions, it occurred to me now to do the same about the exhibitors. While the visitor is the core part for an event to be successful (by different factors that can range from quantity, quality, profile, etc.), the main motivator and factor is the exhibitor.
Surely some people will differ from my opinion saying that success is related to the organizer and his ability to convene. However, the organizer's business is to sell spaces and services, and those who buy them are the exhibitors.
Below is a classification of the types of exhibitors that can be found in the exhibitions:
The corporatists: they are the "Big Boys" who presume not to need to participate in an exhibition to look for projects and / or contacts, but as "the market expects to see them" they have the obligation to participate. They have the largest spaces and the most sophisticated productions (not necessarily in good taste) and have so much to show that some never finish assembling and others don't mount anything.
The brotherhood: they are all those recognized as the representative companies of a local market, all greet each other, love each other, hate each other, protect each other and attack each other. Their relationship is as complex as the idiosyncrasies of the place. They are the foundations of the professional offer and most are family-type companies; depending on the generation is the way to operate and show.
The lost boys: they arrive by chance or opportunity to offer products or services outside the industry. They spend it sitting with plates of food on the table and with a face of boredom, taking a nap from time to time. These losers are unpredictable because some, I know, have been very successful. On one occasion I found a stand selling wine, and they sold everything!
The religious: they are based on the concept that if "God wills, we have to do very well". They are the most educated people with the best smiles.
Coyote Ugly: The most visited and photographed. The reason? Simple, they have the most beautiful and sculptural promoters. "Everything comes first through the eyes," is his maxim.
Favorites: No one has the slightest idea what they do or offer, but they give the best gifts, from pens to t-shirts. The most popular query they receive is "it's incredible, where did you send it to do?"
Fishermen: "Total that we lose, let's see what we can fish..." They hand out 17 million leaflets and are left with five million more that they failed to distribute.
Polluters: Normally their products make some noise (sirens for example) and think that activating them every ten seconds will attract visitors, but the reality is that they scare them away and earn the general repudiation.
The Chinese: Any Asian is "Chinese" and obviously their products are "Chinese". Its promotional slogan is simple: "Balato".
And you, my dear reader, what do you think?
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