Voice of the
Trade or Tirade shows I have recently had the pleasure of visiting a few trade shows on behalf of my company Maran Atha Fasteners. At these shows I have been subject to no end of cries of “Best on the market” “nothing does it better” or “brand leader, best value” etc. I could go on all day describing the tag lines suppliers’ use. With this in mind, do we actually need to visit trade shows these days or are
they a day out we can afford to miss? With the ever-increasing need for new products and new areas to sell
into, manufacturers and suppliers alike are constantly under pressure for new innovations and marketing ideas to promote their “USP” and the trend at the moment is the online social networks. The call to ‘like’ and ‘follow us’ on Facebook and Twitter has become commonplace on suppliers websites, packaging and literature and with YouTube available at nearly everyone’s fingertips, promoting your product has never been easier. It is now possible to film your new product, upload it to the web and have an audience of millions viewing your product within minutes and all on a mobile phone! No expensive marketing or production costs, just a couple of clicks and job done. So why then are we still producing catalogues and visiting trade shows
if we can get and do all we need on the internet? Is there still no substitute to seeing the product we want (or may not want) to buy in our hands? The computer screen cannot replicate the feel of things; we can’t get an idea of weight and quality through a video clip. Sometimes even the smell of certain items is important to our customers and us. Figures from the recent Toolbank tradeshows
Product News The ABUS UK Retail Range
Gets Bigger And Better With over 50% more content to clearly explain current and new ranges, the brand new ABUS Retail Catalogue and Price List is launched this month, with a version available to view or download on
www.abus-uk.com . Now 80 pages the ABUS UK October 2011 Catalogue is the reference for UK
security distributors and retailers. The increase in size is proof of ABUS’ versatile range which offers complete and integrated security solutions to meet all customers’ needs. The Catalogue contains, range by range, all the features and benefits of each
product; from the flagship Granit series padlocks through combinations, home security and an essential ABUS key blank guide. ABUS UK’s MD Nick Vanderhoest says:
“We’ve been working hard to expand
and enhance our UK security range to offer retailers products that cater for all their customers security needs. The objective of this new Catalogue was to explain and illustrate our range well in one comprehensive document.” The catalogue also includes in-depth
information about the new integrated ABUS 83 Padlock Series, the new E60 Euro Profile Cylinder Range and the 2011 Gold DIY Security Award winning VanLock. Every item is priced at the latest October 2011 RRPs excluding VAT with all merchandising, POS and deal options clearly featured. All keys are itemised both alongside each range and in a comprehensive key guide section.
Reply No. 22 4 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE
Forgefix Launches A Christmas Cracker
To help boost sales for merchants in the run up to Christmas, leading distributor of fixings, fastenings and associated products ForgeFix has extended its range to include the Professional Hop-Up Work Platform. Ideal for use in both domestic and trade environments, ForgeFix believes the
new platform will prove to be a best seller over the festive season due to its ability to make mid-level at height jobs – such as hanging Christmas lights and putting up decorations – easier than ever. Less hassle than a ladder and offering greater safety than a stool or chair, the
Hop-Up extends to a height of 490mm and benefits from a lightweight aluminium construction for easy transportation. Its fold flat design also makes for convenient and space saving storage. As well as a generous platform area of 750mm x 300mm that’s capable of
supporting loads of up to 150kgs, the Hop-Up also features robust riveted feet with ribbed threads for maximum durability and stability. Plus, to give users added piece of mind, the platform employs two specially designed safety catches and is fully compliant with European standard EN131.
Reply No. 33
www.toolbusiness.co.uk
show a rise in customer numbers. According to Nick Gee the regional sales manager for Toolbank North West “we had well in excess of 100 accounts visiting us over a 6 hour period this year equating to about a 10% rise in attendance, which is a steady year on year growth. But for the show to be successful it is essential that the exhibitors also committed to giving good advice and putting together exceptional deals.” I spoke recently with Tony Deeming who represents ZCC cutting tools who
exhibited for the first time at the last THS Tools Group tradeshow at Magna in Sheffield. He believed that despite the advent of the internet it was still imperative for the company to visit tradeshows. “Firstly where else do you see so many people over the course of a day or two and also, if your competitors are there you feel the need to promote your products and not lose pace with them. For every 100 accounts you meet you may also meet 100 potential new accounts.” The general consensus seems to be despite being able to market, promote and sell your wares over the internet there is no substitute for actually getting the goods in your hands and meeting the
people responsible for getting those same goods to you, striking a deal and maybe ordering more than you intended to (sometimes due to the good food and drink put on at these shows.) In no way does it seem like the tradeshow is going away, so be prepared for more of the same tirades of “ours is the best out there, brand leader and how many can I put you down for?” I certainly know I will continue to attend as many as I can just so I know what I sell is of the best quality and price that I can get. Nick Dyer, Maran Atha Fixings, St Helens
Industry
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