Thoroughly-planned marketing is the key to success industry-related exhibitions and with two major exhibitions in the region - The Big 5 and the SaudiBuild 2005 (December 11 to 15) set to be staged imminent, a well planned approach could offer exhibitors more in terms of exposure and high-value contacts, says Ashraf A Shah, sales and marketing manager of the Riyadh-based Rowad National Plastics Company.

According to Shah, the six of the most important marketing rules that exhibitors need to ensure their next trade show is a success:
• Marketing: A distinctive approach should be adopted to promote the company;
• Eye-catching booth, which should be warm with a clear and simple signage that conveys what the company is all about;
• Promotional material - brochures and leaflets that clearly mention contact details of the company need to be freely available. Promotional videos are also highly effective in demonstrating how products are made and how they work;
• Trained staff – who know how to approach and interact with people and collect quality leads;
• Appealing giveaways, which increase awareness of the company; and
• Lead follows up.
“A successful trade show is dependent upon your skills in following up leads,” says Shah. “To make the job easier, design a system to mail out information to leads within a week or two of the event and how you will follow these up. Ideally, ensure that all your leads are qualified before you pass them on to your sales team.”
Rowad intends to make a dramatic impact on visitors to SaudiBuild this year with a vast array of new products some of which will make their debut at the show.
On display at the company’s stand at the SaudiBuild 2005, will be the newly introduced range of textured designs for polycarbonate sheets, plastic mirrors, decorative acrylic tiles and HDPE (high-density polyethylene) geomembranes.
“We are currently looking at adding a fifth texture to our range of textured polycarbonate sheets and we intend promoting these textures at the SaudiBuild exhibition in Riyadh,” says Ashraf Shah, business development manager.
“These textured sheets are popular especially for applications such as decorative translucent panels for main gates or as partitions in a number of applications such as supermarkets, offices etc.”
Rowad also intends to launch plastic mirrors – basically acrylic sheets with a special coating – which offer the benefit of safety especially in residences.”
Another debutant at the show is the company’s decorative acrylic tile range. “We are currently importing these tiles which resemble hand-painted tiles and are particularly suitable for partitions and walls. SaudiBuild will give us an opportunity to evaluate the market for this product, which we eventually intend to manufacture locally,” he says.
Rowad has also set up a joint venture with a foreign company to produce HDPE geomembranes. A new SR25 million ($6.7 million) plant currently under construction in Dammamwill begin production in April 2006. The new venture – Rowad Geosynthetics Inter-national – will produce geomembranes in 50 m by 7 m rolls.