Marketing & trade, industrial exhibitions [Archives:2002/32/Business & Economy]

BY ABDULAZIZ M. ABDULLAH-ADEN
FOR THE YEMEN TIMES
Among the most conspicuous successes scored by some national industrial establishments is the ability to market its products locally and externally. However, this cannot be done unless these products were subjected to pre- marketing studies the installation has learnt about consumption styles, consumers tastes, prices suitable for marketing its products, along with observing that installations commitment to application of specifications and standardization to its products. In addition, there are other essential conditions that help acquire reputation and publicity for this or that product. So, it is the institutions responsibility to exert great efforts to upgrade its capabilities of marketing and selling of its products. The increase of such efforts would support increase of that installations production capacity, consequently all its economic and financial aspects would change and positive indicators would clime up as a resultant of its efforts. This also would lead to increase of its profits that ultimately benefit its owners and the state at the same time, regardless of that ownership (public, private, or mixed sectors or cooperative).
Any installation, in order to raise the volume of its sale, has to work hard to promote and market its products by using all available media in this regard. Some of these means are within the installations capacity such as advertising in various mass media, including fixed advertising boards at entrances of major cities and posters. Another means is the distribution of gifts painted on them the name of the company or the product, for instance cigarette lighters, ball pens, office memorandums and calendars.
Nevertheless, there are other ways for enlarging the space of promotion and marketing the state has to play a big role in them as long as partnership between the state and the private sector has become an inevitable necessity. Hence comes up the necessity of the state giving an increasing attention to concluding commercial protocols with sisterly and friendly countries aimed at increasing our country trade exchange with them and working for holding more domestic and foreign trade fairs because they are considered as an essential factor to enhance the exchange of products through signing trade contracts at those fairs. But due to high expenditure needed for taking part in such fairs, the ministry of industry and trade and the chambers of commerce and industry have to play a big role in mustering all productive energies for the participation in those exhibitions. The federation of chambers of industry must have a permanent exhibition for all national products.
All those participating in internal trade and industrial exhibitions held around the year should bear all their costs and it should be taken into consideration that there should be a focus on reasonable costs of leasing areas for erecting such exhibitions. This would be an impetus for all installations and companies to participate in such exhibitions. There should be some future plans for encouraging small enterprises to take part in such exhibitions and to motivate young people contribute to building their own projects without depending on the state for granting job opportunities.


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