Acting as gateways to foreign markets, trade fairs provide companies with an effective marketing tool to use in their internationalisation campaigns. Exhibitions allow businesses to showcase their latest products and services, to verify the state of competition in their industries, to learn of the recent market trends and opportunities, to identify suppliers and to build business contacts.
Nevertheless, to fully reap the benefits fairs have to offer, companies must be aware of the risks associated with exhibiting, such as an inadequate preparation for the event and poor follow up, an incomplete plan for IPR protection, or even the wrong selection of the exhibition to attend. Considering the costs associated with participating in trade shows in China, it is crucial that SMEs become aware of these risks and respond accordingly through the implementation of dedicated strategies.
The aim of this report is to help EU SMEs devise such strategies through the provision of practical advice for trade-fair selection and preparation, as well as of a list of the most relevant sector specific exhibitions held yearly in China.
