TRADE FAIR AS AN INSTRUMENT OFINCREASING MARKETING PERFORMANCE
(A CASE STUDY OF XPRESSION COSMETIC PRODUCT ENUGU)
ABSTRACT
This study is concerned on trade fair as an instrument of increasing marketing performance (A case study of Expression Production Enugu).  
        In view of this, the researcher started the work (Trade Fair as an instrument of increasing marketing performance) by taking a quick look at the definitions, evaluation and background, information of trade fair use of several data collection techniques which includes:
•Questionnaire
•Personal interviews
•Observation
The analysis of this data collected, exposed certain possibilities and problems in the research work and analysis of data.  This means that the researcher made the following findings:
1.           Trade fair in Enugu State organized by trade fair board have not been very effective.  Therefore, it calls for improvement.
2.           There is a general information about trade as very important instrument of increasing nation’s and control.
3.           Trade fair activities have usually organized that people are calling for its rule or regulation and control.
Based on the above findings, the researcher made the following requirements;
That participation in trade fair must have clear defined objectives for participating in trade fair.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.1.      Background to the study                                               
1.2.      Statement of the problem                                     
1.3.      Objectives of the study                                        
1.4.      Significance of the Study                                      
1.5.      Research Questions                                                     
CHAPTER TWO            
2.0.      Literature review                                                 
2.1. Management of trade fairs and exhibitions         
2.2    Trade fair as a promotional tool                             
2.3    Economic importance of trade fair and
Exhibition                                                                   
2.4    The impact of trade fair performance of a company
2.5    The role of trade fir in Xpression Cosmetic
Product Enugu millionaire.                                     
CHAPTER THREE
Research methodology                                                 
3.1.   Sources of data collection                                     
3.2.      Population of the study                                         
3.3.      Determination of sample size                                 
3.4.      Sampling techniques                                            
3.5.      Instruments for data collection                              
3.6.      Test of Validity                                                            
CHAPTER FOUR
Presentations, analysis and interpretation of data             
4.1.   Presentations and interpretation of data.                 
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary of findings recommendations and conclusion     
5.1.   Summary of findings                                            
5.2.      Recommendations                                                       
5.3.      Conclusion                                                          
Bibliography                                                                       
Appendix                                                                            
Questionnaire
Chapter one
1.1.   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Trade fair is a form of promotional derive that enables companies to show and demonstrate their products to both middlemen and ultimate consumers. Trade fair are time method of bringing buyers and sellers together under mutually (equal) beneficial contrition are being tricked primarily at potential consumers, while exhibition and books are featured at trade fair which are designed to attract immediate prospect and to create awareness.
Furthermore, People participation in these fairs have privilege to physically examine, make comparison and learn about new products, market movement, competition and new source. This forum (show) are usually designed for special groups in a particular geographical area. (as made in Nigeria trade fair). Individuals who participate in this fair are always Interested and inquisitive about the new trend in a particular field and probably may want to know whether there is any slight change in product. Then when the exhibits are well publicized, managed, staffed the result is an increased sales volume for exhibitors. Edit staffing is considered to be the most essential factors, these show and conventions merely because it is these staff who will attend to the customers, by informing, educating and persuading them to try or use their newly Introduced products.
 The role of trade fair in marketing of goods is to increase marketing performance, it also create a forum for physical interaction between manufacturers and their potential customers. Manufacturers use these medium to know how much interest the buyers or consumers show in their products both the new product that are introduced and old product that have been existing in the market and how consumers reach to various features and terms, also how many express purchased intention or place order, since the participation vendors expected several benefit which include generating new sales lead, maintain new customers/contract. (though the public relation officers at the trade fair stand), selling more to present customers at company’s price, meeting new customers, introducing with publication motion pictures and visual materials.
        In addition, Trade fair is organized at regular interval mostly at the same location and period of the year it usually last from seven to ten days (7 – 10 days). Xpression cosmetics company with head office in Lagos, came into the cosmetic production in the late 1984 while that of Enugu Branch (case study) was established in 1990.  The companies have participated in both international and local trade fair to better its future in the cosmetics industries.  This, the research looks at trade in improving market performance of cosmetic industries with special interest on xpression cosmetics company Enugu.
1.2.      STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Trade fair as an Instrument for Increasing marketing performance and the company need not to be over emphasized, but most often the goals of trade fairs are not usually achieved. This starts from the fact that it takes a lot of time searching out the stand of these producer of goods because these stands are not strategically located.  The place is very crowded most often consumers cannot stand for a long struggle getting to those stands.
Most often the attitudes of the attendants are noting to write home about infant they do not relate very well to the customers. Question asked or ignored are not often well treated or entirely ignored. One can find that prices of goods in the trade fairs are atimes very high compared to what obtained in the open market. Most of these stands are not attractive. It is not clean and tidy, this stand discourage visitors. These problems no doubt have affected the visitors negatively and thus impacting negatively on the sales of participant. Xpression Product Enugu is not an explanation. These problems and many more forms the focus of this study.
1.3.   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this research work is to critically assess how trade fair can help the marketing of goods of a company’s product.
        The objectives are as follows:-
1.           To determine how trade fair can help to stimulate demand of productions.
2.           To determine how trade fair can help a company to increase their market shares and profit.
3.           To determine of the major role is to create awareness.
4.           To determine whether participating organize and consumer obtain volume for their money.
5.           To make appropriate recommendations on solving the problem identified.
Trade fairs facilitate meeting of individuals and groups of people and presenting a product to them with intention of achieving immediate patronage.  Olabunor (1999) personal selling can be used for much purpose including creating product awareness, arousing interest developing production preferences and negotiating price etc.
 Public relation: Public relation as seen by kotler and Armstron (1996:461) is building, good relationship with the firms various public by obtaining favourable publicity, building up a good corporate image and handling or heading of unfavorable rumours, stories and events.
Advertising:  of all the  marketing promotion advertising is the most used and popular in Nigeria. Advertising is so popular that many people regard it as the main activity of marketing. Olabunori (1999:192). Advertising is a key paint of marketing that involves the use of media to inform consumers about something, and/or to persuade them to do something. In effect, it brings products and  consumers together, and then modulates the relationship between them and consumers.
Sales promotion: Adirika “et al” (1996:142) view sales promotion as that something extra. That can arouse interest create a buying desire, and spark an immediate reaction from customers, middlemen or company sale force promotion.
          The tools used in sale promotions are this following:
1.           Sampling
2.           premium
3.           offer
4.           Dealer contests
5.           Trade fair and exhibition