RANT: Getting information about shows

Warning: what follows is my first rant, and it has to do with show web sites and their lack of information.

I'm involved in a project researching several shows for a client. When I go to a show's web site to pull basic information (nothing fancy, really) it's never all there.

Now, I'm not talking about complex nuances of buying patterns of specific sub-groups of attendees from Elbonia (thanks, Dilbert). I mean things like .... the city where the convention will be, the name of the building it's in, what days and hours are the Expo ... stuff like that.

Instead I find useless drivel like this (taken from one show's actual prospectus)...

• Nearly 30 percent of conference attendees evaluate purchase options
• More than 30 percent either make purchases or approve purchases

This raises two questions in my mind ...

1. Are there really people who "Buy/Approve" without evaluating?
2. What are the other 70% of this show's attendees doing there? Trick or treating?

I really wish show organizers would find out what Exhibitors NEED to know before signing them up to exhibit, rather than constructing impressive sounding, but meaningless factoids.

TSB