Participation in Trade Shows as a Method of Improving Marketing Performance: Passenger Port Saint Petersburg Marine Facade Case.

Abstract

The objective of the thesis was to explain how the participation in trade shows can be planned and how the invented plan can be implemented. The thesis provides the elements of successful planning that facilitates the achievement of such marketing aims as generating sales leads and increasing brand awareness. The project was done for Passenger Port Saint Petersburg Marine Façade, the single and relatively new passenger port in Saint Petersburg, which continuously increases its revenues. The company’s final aim of the project was to obtain a brand-new model of participating in trade shows, which was worked out on the basis of the study.

The qualitative research method was chosen because of the descriptive basis of the project that required multiple discussions and process descriptions. The secondary data was gathered from books, articles, other studies and the Internet. The primary data was acquired in interviews with the case company managers, discussions with the company’s staff who were responsible for trade show planning, conversations with stand visitors at a trade show and personal observations by the author.

The results of the study show that planning is a unique undertaking, which facilitates maximizing the achieved results and reaching the desired goals. The developed trade show planning model created a firm foundation for further planning and performance improvement. Project results demonstrated the importance of such marketing communication tools as trade shows for B2B sector. They provide opportunities for reaching numerous aims in a single call that is undoubtedly efficient.