Profile of survey respondents
Organization type
Association – 48%
For-profit – 47%
Corporate – 4%

Event type produced
Trade only – 76%
Consumer only – 7%
Trade and consumer – 17%

Required exhibit space
Less than 25,000 – 7%
25,001 to 50,000 – 18%
50,001 to 100,000 – 20%
100m001 to 250,000 – 23%
250,001 to 500,000 – 19%
More than 500,000 – 14%

Total gross revenue
$500,000 or less – 12%
$500,001 to $1,000,000 – 17%
$1,000,001 to $2,000,000 – 16%
$2,000,001 to $3,000,000 – 13%
$3,000,001 to $5,000,000 – 11%
More than $5,000,000 – 31%

Average number of companies exhibiting – 585.5

Other factors show organizers use to give exhibitors priority points
Assignment based on past participation.
Both on-site and call-in.
By tenure.
Combination of all.
First-come, first-served, but corporate members take precedence.
First right of refusal, then open call.
For new exhibitors, select based on new product or potential to consumers attending the show.
Hand-select each spot for the exhibitors so that the show stays fresh each year.
Long-time loyal exhibitors first.
On-site, then first-come, first-served.
Past shows’ commitments.
Point system.
Pre-registration and assigned locations.
Priority points mail-in.
Priority based on revenue.
Renew first, then sell remaining space to waiting list.
Returning exhibitors get first mailing.
Rotation and point system.
Squatters’ rights.
Six weeks prior to current show via e-mail and fax in priority-point order for exhibitors with at least two points. One-point and new exhibitors handled on-site, first-come, first-served.

Other ways shows handle space selection
Advertising.
All other revenues.
Ancillary products.
Association members.
Date of application/payment.
Full payment, completing exhibitor survey, attending exhibitor education program, utilizing 95% of hotel room block.
Loyalty.
Membership in association.
Multi-show deals.
Product rating factor.
Timeliness of payments.
Total investment within group.
Years exhibiting, advertising purchasing and years as an association member.

The biggest complaints that show organizers hear from exhibitors
2.5 day show – low attendance on last half day.
Always want more attendees.
Attendee consolidation.
Attendee shortfall.
Attendees not walking the floor..
Audience quality.
Because we have very few new exhibitors each year, the consumers get bored with the show looking the same from year to year.
Booth traffic.
Budget constraints due to so many shows.
Cost of decorator and shipping.
Cost of exhibit exhibition contractor.
Cost of exhibiting in NYC.
Cost of exhibiting is increasing rapidly.
Cost of exhibiting.  Especially labor and freight (Chicago).
Cost of material handling.
Cost of peripheral services at convention center, electrical and Internet.
Cost of space, but we know that that isn't the real story. We have some very significant exhibitor and marketplace training on how to do events more effectively and how to improve their ROI – to counter booth costs as the issue. Second biggest complaint is we e-mail them too much – also doing something about that!
Cost of union labor/getting ripped off.
Costs – particularly from in-house suppliers – electricity, plumbing, phone/Internet, etc.
Dates.
Different preferences for exhibition opening hours.
Drayage cost.
Electrical rates.
Everything for rent is too expensive and extra fees for drayage.
Exhibitor services are too expensive.
High cost of convention center services, including F&B labor costs.
Holiday date pattern.
Hotel rooms costs and General Service Contractor rates.
Insufficient traffic.
It changes – as we do try to address and respond to their complaints.
It's different every year and usually has to do with the facility or local labor.
Last day is slow.
Low traffic.
Many “new” companies not ready to write at show.
Material handling and cost of services.
More attendees... but they will always have that complaint no matter how many attendees there are.
More exclusive time with attendees in exhibit hall.
Move-out.
Music noise level.
Need more time.
Never enough time to meet with everyone.
Never enough traffic in exhibit hall.
Not enough attendees.
Not enough customers came past MY booth.
Not enough food.
Not enough people going through the exhibit hall.
Not enough qualified attendees on the floor.
Not enough show floor traffic.
Not enough traffic in the exhibit hall.
Not enough traffic. No matter how much the number of attendees increases.
Not having a point system in place.
Not to bring our show to Hawaii again! Aside from that, our exhibitors are quite happy.
Number of Conference delegates grows slowly, delegates not that keen to visit the floor except during food functions.
Other exhibitors.
Payment due too far in advance of show.
Pricing – contractor.
Quality of food & cost to exhibit.
Rising costs.
Rising costs of labor and material handling along with more restrictive union jurisdictions (electrical/rigging/I&D).
Rising costs of services and labor. In particular, the exclusive services (catering, Internet) in facilities.
Rising costs – attendee quality.
ROI.
Short moving-in and moving-out time.
Show is too big. Show is too crowded.
Space selection – we ran over on time.
That they didn't know something was available – something they should have read about in the exhibitor service manual (i.e. - cheaper prices, advanced badges, etc.).
They can’t handle the number of visitors.
The last day of the show is slow.
Their own company budget constraints.
Their location.
Third-party service calls, not sanctioned by the show producer.
Too many people, not enough time to talk to everyone.
Too much traffic.
Traffic flow through the various sections of the exhibit hall.
Union issues in Chicago.
Want more foot traffic.
Want to see more traffic on the floor.
Would like meals provided by the show.