Are Trade Shows Extinct Yet?

Art Petty asks, "Marketers, Are Trade Shows Extinct Yet?"

I used to love trade shows, especially the ones in Las Vegas and Reno. Maybe because no one cared if you had a drink at 10am and you could smoke everywhere. Perhaps it's because I'm secretly tacky. In any case, I don't do many trade shows any more. When I do attend, I'm there as a speaker rather than an exhibitor.

That's always been my rule: if we exhibit, we must also speak. Some conferences, like the government, want sponsor's money but not the sponsor. You want my money? Then you get me as a speaker. Don't want me as a speaker? No money for you.

Trade shows are hard to justify based on ROI; webinars are easy to justify.

I love conferences--you are face to face with the industry, competition and customers--but I don't do them much any more; they're too expensive.

I hate webinars--the format is stilted, you can't see facial expressions, the Q&A process is confusing--but I do them all the time because they're rather cheap and usually effective. (I'm doing a webinar on The Four Roles of product management. Join me!)