“Fair Friends” Trade Expo

A Multi-Stakeholder Business Strategy Development Process

The Expo market is rapidly developing. New and competitive concepts arise quickly, and emerging trends need to be addressed at once to keep pace with the latest developments. With this in mind, Messe Dortmund approached us in 2015 to further develop their concept for the “Fair Friends” trade show.

The project’s primary goal was the development of an attractive, innovative, and forward-thinking business trade show model. We invited Messe Dortmund’s long-term partners and clients to take part in a participatory strategy development session. Together, we identified the opportunities and challenges for new business models from a variety of perspectives. We used the results of the session to co-create and validate a forward-looking pathway to further improve the current trade fair concept. Getting all the relevant stakeholders on board to approve the new strategy was an essential step to ensure the impactful implementation of the new business model as well as its long-term success.

The final plans included recommendations regarding optional modules and practical measures that can be used to adapt to the different developments in the expo market as a whole, as well as suggestions regarding the mid-to-long-term strategy of the “Fair Friends” trade show.

The transformation was swift! By the following year, Messe Dortmund implemented the first modules of the new business model strategy and by the 2016 edition of the “Fair Friends” expo, attendees were able to experience the new and revitalised model.