Product Type: Manufacturing Trade Show
Manufacturer: Design2Part
Model: N/A
Where to buy: D2P Booth Sales
Performance Rating: 4/5
Quality Rating: 4/5
User Friendly Rating: 4/5
Price Rating: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Introduction:
Design2Part is a manufacturing marketing and media company based in Connecticut that offers trade show hosting, an industry trade publication and online supplier directory. Formerly known as the Job Shop show, Design2Part’s popular trade show offering is the focus of this article. Our experience comes from over 15 years of exhibiting at these shows, with the author of this review exhibiting in 11 of these years. Long story short, we’ve loved our time with Design2Part trade shows and don’t have any plans of decreasing our trade show participation, despite the increase of internet borne leads.
Design2Part offers an intimate atmosphere where smaller manufacturers can easily get face time with some very good prospects, many of which are prominent OEMs in the manufacturing world. These shows are perfect for manufacturers with any of the following attributes: limited budgets, trying to open new geographical territories, supporting local Sales reps, meeting new leads from localized regions and many more. Speaking of regions, D2P trade show coverage for 2019 includes Grapevine TX, Atlanta GA, Uncasville CT, Schaumburg IL, Santa Clara CA, Minneapolis MN, Marlborough MA, Pasadena CA, Oaks PA, Indianapolis IN, and Charlotte NC.
Our experience with Design2Part over the years has proven fruitful. We’ve tried other hosts and none of them fit our needs and expectations the way Design2Part has. In terms of ROI, the shows have paid for themselves both monetarily and by providing some intangible branding effects. In fact, we have secured contracts many dozens of times the cost of a show, to put it more clearly. In general, our D2P trade show experiences and results have been very positive.
How Did PEKO Come About Using This Product?
Many years ago, before internet searches were king, PEKO needed new ways to attract new customers, industries and geographies. Print advertisements were OK, but it isn’t always easy or cost effective to get your message across. In the early 2000’s, we learned of the Job Shop shows (no Design2Part) and decided to give it a try. We built a very basic booth and brought a team of Salespeople to the show. Lo and behold, we secured a major contract that paid for the show many times over. The rest is history.
What Are Some Benefits We Have Seen?
- Lucrative contracts secured in otherwise untapped market regions
- Leads from ready-to-buy prospects.
- Increased access to regions nationwide
- Dependably high traffic shows
- East to converse with buyers
- Excellent customer service
- Information via portal easy to access
- High Quality show locations
- Attendance from major local OEMs
- Better visibility than large shows (you don’t get lost in the crowd)
- Competitively priced
What Are Some Shortfalls?
- No guarantees to leads (as with any trade show)
- Logistics order process can be cumbersome, for example, ordering electrical and labor must be done via fax or pdf
- Most venues have sub-par food options
Price vs Value
Trade shows are marketing tools, which is a nice way to say there are no guarantees to sales. However, for the price, we’d absolutely say you can get great value from the D2P trade show circuit. Choosing your region and marketing strategy will be key, but when done right, you can reap big benefits. My suggestion would be to start small and get comfortable with this type of marketing and do some testing. Over time, you’ll be able to determine the best course of action for D2P trade shows for your business.
How Well Does It Work and How Is the Usability?
As a marketing channel, the shows have worked very well once we found a strategy that fit us. D2P offers a great trade show platform that attracts a perfect amount of industry personnel and decision makers. You can expect to have a lot of conversations with key people that can lead to increased sales. After all, that’s what a trade show is all about. Design2Part also has a wise strategy of choosing venues that are easily accessible with ample parking.
The company is extremely customer service oriented. This author has constant communication with various levels of Design2Part personnel throughout the year in preparation for various shows. I can say their service is second to none.
What Were Some Alternatives We Could Have Pursued?
In general, for customer manufacturers, there is still a highly personal sales cycle. Contract manufacturer trade shows will always have a place for showing your wares, meeting your prospects and penetrating new regions. Today’s marketer probably has a portfolio of physical, digital and print media. As far as trade shows are concerned, there’s not many options that cater to small to mid-size manufacturers as exhibitors. There are a few that are very large, which have their own set of problems, like getting lost in a sea of competitors, and there are some small hosting companies, which don’t draw the high quality leads that D2P does.
Final Verdict:
Marketing campaigns come and go. It’s important to try new things and stick with some old standbys. Design2Part offers a unique platform for small and mid-sized manufacturers to gain audience with OEMs large and small to open new business opportunities. Their customer service is excellent and with the right marketing approach, these shows can show a big ROI. Patience and careful marketing are definitely required, but that’s the same for any marketing campaign.
Overall, an excellent service and we recommend trying a Design2Part trade show if it fits your business needs. The industry is lucky to have a promoter and champion of manufacturing like the good folks at Design2Part.
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