This hi-tech
marketing approach enables advertisers to reap the benefits of
additional cost-effective, 24-hour promotion that can be accessed
by existing and prospective buyers before, during and after key
trade shows.
TDC senior
publications manager Henry Ng explains that the Online Exhibitions
programme evolved from the highly successful Sourcing Guide at
hkenterprise.com.
"We are continually
reviewing SME needs and recently introduced a Greater China version
of Sourcing Guide covering Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and the Chinese
mainland," he says.
"This has
only been running for a few months but has already proved a runaway
success, so we developed the Online Exhibitions package to further
deepen and strengthen our SME offering."
Sourcing Guide
currently hosts 537,970 registered buyers, has retrieved 34,341,143
company records according to leading accounting firm Deloitte
Touche Tohmatsu and receives more than two million hits a day.
Equally important,
53% of Sourcing Guide visitors originated from the major markets
of North America and Europe, while overseas visitors in general
spent an average 18 minutes a day browsing the website.
"This translates
into serious exposure for local companies that take advantage
of the Online Exhibitions offer before, during and after local
trade fairs," Ng adds.
The TDC alone
runs 20 major trade fairs a year and offers preferentially priced
packages to exhibitors at these shows who also promote their goods
and services via Online Exhibitions.
"The combination
of exhibiting physically at a trade show and in cyberspace at
Online Exhibitions gives local SMEs the best of both worlds at
an extremely competitive cost," Ng maintains.
Online Exhibitions
packages range from US$1,264-5,077, which Ng believes are "exceptional
value" for the sheer range and promotional scope they provide.
"I think it
is fair to say that this is one of the most attractive promotional
packages in the market today, and one that maximises the enormous
advantages of the TDC's huge database of international buyers,"
Ng says.
He adds that
astute SMEs will combine Online Exhibitions, Sourcing Guide and
advertising in the TDC flagship publication Hong Kong Enterprise
to create a one-stop promotional shop.
"Sourcing
Guide is convenient, can be accessed whenever and wherever the
buyer is online and is also efficient, as just one click provides
access to banks of information," Ng explains. "It is also very
cost-effective as buyers enjoy free access once they have registered
online."
Sourcing Guide,
which is a key component of tdctrade.com, also features popular
specialties like enquiry baskets, a message centre, new product
alerts and recommended categories.
tdctrade.com
was recognised by ACNeilsen as The Best Trade Promotion Portal
In Asia in May 2003 and won CMP Asia's fourth Annual Intelligent20
Awards in November that year, as well as a Standard of Excellence
Web Award from the Web Marketing Association of the US in 2002,
2003 and 2004.
"Hong Kong
Enterprise, meanwhile, offers the advantage of high visibility,
in that the magazine can be accessed by anyone in an office without
the necessity of going online," Ng concludes.
"Add Online
Exhibitions and you have a seamless promotional package before,
during and after trade fairs - in fact it is the complete year-round
campaign!"
WRITTEN
BY JAMES PALMER
