About Us

Setting the Standard...

Since 1954 Trade Associates, Incorporated (TAI) has been setting the standard for marketing and managing trade shows all across the United States and Canada. We do it all...

In short, we offer your association a complete "turn-key" solution for your exposition marketing and management needs!

Maybe you're thinking of adding an exposition to your annual meeting for the first time; maybe you want to expand an existing show; or, you may desire to make your trade show more profitable and trouble-free. No matter what your situation,  you owe it to yourself to know how TAI's experience can work for you!

Experience You Can Count On...

Our expert staff, based in the Washington, DC area has over 900 successful expositions to their credit. We can become an extension of your staff working closely with you on key aspects of your exposition - or, if you like, we can, "take the ball and run!"  Either way, we'll free up your paid staff to concentrate on more important internal matters.

Nearly one-third of our clients have been with us for more than 15 years and two of our clients have been with us for over 35 years! We specialize in launching exhibits for associations, and we're proud of the fact that most of our clients come back to us year after year - even after their shows have become well established!

From planning board to show floor, TAI will make your trade show sing! When it comes to marketing and managing shows, our experience remains unmatched. Isn't it time you turned your show over to proven experts?

Expect the Best...and More!

Your exhibitors will receive the best from TAI because we care! Following trade show industry standards, we will develop guidelines and prepare an exhibitor prospectus so exhibitors will understand clearly what the market is and what is expected of them as they show their products. We will negotiate with and select the official general contractor to provide exhibitor services and other sub-service contractors such as security, audio visual, floral, etc. We will create the floor plan and see that it meets fire marshal approval and when it's time, we will produce and distribute the exhibitors' service order kit and see that the exhibitors' needs are fully met as they plan to participate.

TAI develops and conducts a highly professional marketing program to accomplish exhibit space sales that will yield a marketplace for eager conference prospects! Our marketing is a "targeted" direct-mail program and "niche" telemarketing. We take our marketing very seriously. If it's not successful, we're not successful.

Our experts will be on-site to ensure a smooth production. We supervise contractors, register exhibitors, handle last-minute details, and manage the slow floor. We're always the first to arrive and the last to leave. And we learned long ago not to leave anything to chance.

TAI fully finances the exposition. We are responsible for all the preshow marketing costs and the on-site production costs. That's right - you don't put up any money at all! And when the figures are completed after the show, you receive your share of the revenues with a detailed revenue and expense report with appropriate back-up. And should your show have to cancel due to strike, acts of God, or any uncontrollable circumstance, TAI is responsible to interact with the exhibitors regarding refunds.

TAI believes in keeping a lively avenue of communication open with our clients. We will coordinate our moves with you at every turn. We will provide written reports whenever you need an update on the planning and marketing progress for your show. We provide a detailed survey of exhibitors on each show in which they evaluate the exposition, and we share the results of the survey with you. We have found this survey invaluable for helping to produce a better show. Additionally, we welcome the opportunity to share in the strategic planning of the exposition to assist you in meeting your goals and objectives.

Our Team Achieves Your Goals While Increasing Your Bottom Line!

An exposition or its exhibitors have the potential to bring a lot of revenue to association coffers to defray the costs of its conference. Can you afford to turn over the marketing and management of such a critical event to someone who is not a real expert? As the experts, TAI can do more for your show for less than you think.

Turn to Trade Associates today, and by tomorrow we can begin planning a trade show that will grow as our ideas, experience  and efforts are put to work for you. Just think of the nightmare of marketing problems, logistical problems, and "not-enough-time" problems yon can turn over to us. And think of the tremendous advantage of keeping your money instead of spending it to arrange for a show that may be a year or more away!

Remember, we're willing and able to work with as much, or as little direction as you care to give us. We free you from your current burden of problems without a retainer fee or "seed money". You receive a team of experienced professionals for less than the cost of one staff member. And, you take the accolades and a greater share of the revenues. It doesn't get any better than that!