Have you noticed that companies are thinking outside the box to save on expenses and improve their bottom line? For instance, fast food restaurants share the same location to reduce overhead costs and give customers more choices thus drawing in more business. Well, it seems like trade shows are beginning to do the same thing more and more these days as the economy has taken a downturn. By co-locating at a trade show they can cut overhead costs and at the same time reach a greater cross section of potential customers. It also increases overall attendance as each trade show draws its own distinct crowd. The higher the attendance the more possibilities of discount prices with hotels, restaurants, etc. Bigger trade shows draw more press coverage and thus more attendees leading to more profits.

A few examples of what is happening in the trade show business:

• The Toy Industry Assn.’s American Intl. Toy Fair will collocate with Show Initiative’s Engage! Expo, previously Virtual World Expo, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York in February.
• The Intl. Housewares Assn.’s Intl. Home & Housewares Show will collocate with The Travel Goods Assn.’s The Travel Goods Show beginning March 6-8, 2011, at Chicago’s McCormick Place
• The Institute of Food Technologists and the Food Processing Suppliers Assn. will collocate their two events – IFT Annual Meeting & Food Expo and FPSA Process Expo – July 18-20, 2010, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
• Beginning in 2010, BSCAI will co-locate its annual convention to be held in conjunction with the ISSA/INTERCLEAN^® trade show, to be held in Orlando, Fla., next year.
• The Canadian Toy Association’s annual tradeshow will be held alongside the country’s largest gift show, the Canadian Gift & Tableware Assn. Show, in 2010 in a move show organizers expect will increase buyer attendance for both events.
• The Western Food-service & Hospitality Expo will co-locate with Expo Comida Latina at the San Diego Convention Center here Aug. 30 through Sept. 1. Billed as the largest foodservice-focused trade event on the West Coast, the expo is sponsored by the California Restaurant Association.

Hopefully some good things will come out of this recession as companies learn new ways to operate more cost effectively while increasing sales potential.