If branding counts for nothing in India - how can you plan a successful exhibition future in the sub-continent?

In the exhibition industry, most European exhibition brands head into India for a piece of the action. Of course, this is a seemingly sensible approach to extending your business and globalising your brand.

Any local market in Europe is saturated – so unless you access a new event in a newly evolving market, you have to look outside your regional boundaries.

And India is a growing economy. But I would suggest that very few European exhibition brands are actually making money in India.

Why? Because a European approach doesn’t work necessarily work in a culture that is radically different to our own. India has its own style, identity and pace.

Branding counts for little in India. The Indian market is oriented around personal relationships and good old haggling.

A brand that has a cache and demands respect is not seen as irrelevant, but just because a brand has a successful track record in Europe doesn’t mean that Indian people will automatically pay more for the pleasure of exhibiting.

What we are possibly all guilty of doing is excitedly entering the market! We create a professional looking campaign, sell the brand concept to exhibitors, price the metreage too high, don't negotiate, find the market too cluttered with local events that charge less than half the price, find it harder to sell space than they originally thought it would be, get frustrated with the association network, refuse to negotiate, demonstrate low commitment to the local market, then fire fight all the way to opening day.

In terms of marketing, you go big and bold and attract visitors who are possibly underwhelmed by the scale of the show as this doesn’t align with the marketing.

Sure, the first event might work, to a point. But I would suggest there is a novelty value in something shiny and new in India. But after that, the legacy fizzles out. You haven’t galvanised a community – you have not properly engaged with it – you have literally scratched the surface.

So with show number 2, (the difficult sequel), you simply have to start again. Second time around its much harder and if your approach doesn’t change, the results decrease, the market becomes cynical and your relationships begin to disintegrate and implode.

You have to engage, connect, commit and develop relationships. Branding isn’t entirely irrelevant but people, action and visible two way commitment are keys to success in India. These are the key brand characteristics. And don’t forget there is an understandable local cynicism to global exhibition imperialism.

You have to be in it for the long run. Commit your resources, price the show right and be prepared to negotiate. Indian’s like committed and engaged sales people.

India is unique. You need to be flexible, and leave the European notions of exhibition organising to one side.

India isn’t ready for it yet & possibly never will be.