I saw a LinkedIn post this week written by good friend of Service Dealer Pete McArthur, dealer principle of Strathbogie Forest & Garden, that got me thinking.

Now Pete always has plenty of fascinating, insightful stuff to say on the state of the industry and the wider dealer network. To be fair, as anyone who has bumped into him at the bar at the Service Dealer Conference or anywhere else will attest, Pete has plenty to say full stop! But this particular post was about a subject that I would suspect many dealers have thoughts on.

Pete was reflecting on how much local shows have changed, saying that they used to be the “heartbeat of rural Scotland”. He talked of busy rings, packed stands, familiar faces and a strong sense of community. But, as he put it, “like everything in our industry, the world has shifted.” He went on to say of these regional events, "Some have lost momentum, some have reinvented themselves, and some are still finding their place in a modern world."

I followed up with Pete to ask what he had experienced on the ground this year, and found his observations thought-provoking.

He told me, “The shows for us and other businesses I’ve chatted with, have all noted the lack of atmosphere and buzz that used to surround the show days.”

Crucially, Pete wasn’t just putting this malaise down to the extreme weather that all parts of the country have experienced this summer. He believes there could be more going on than simply the sun shining too much.

When speaking to the general public, he says the first thing that tends to come up is the cost of entry, followed by the price of food. And I can well believe that these factors can be deal-breakers when it comes to attendance for some punters who will, of course, be faced with rising costs in all aspects of their lives.

But as Pete points out, it’s not just the public who are faced with this inflation, it’s the exhibiting dealers and suppliers too. All aspects of having a presence at show is becoming increasingly expensive. There is the time spent by staff attending, potentially overnight accommodation, transporting vehicles and machinery, delivery and collection, stand set-up and all the other expenses that can quickly add up.

The question must then become whether the return justifies that investment?

But perhaps more than all these elements, there was something that Pete said that struck me as a fundamental problem for the health of show attendance - and that was his concern that enthusiasm in the products themselves appears to be waning.

Pete told me, “Interest levels in products is deteriorating and there is nothing new and groundbreaking to drive interest.” He went on to suggest that increasingly visitors are simply turning up on the stand for a chat. Of course, I’m sure Pete and any dealer would acknowledge that face-to-face contact remains incredibly valuable, considering just how vital on-going relationships are to the dealer business. If these chats aren't turning into a sales opportunity though, presumably question marks will then appear over the viability of continued attendance.

So my question today, to you our valued dealer readers, is can you relate to what Pete is saying? Has the atmosphere been quieter at your local shows? Are visitor numbers down and are the people who are coming on to your stand displaying a lower level of interest or excitement in the machinery options on offer?

If that is indeed the case, that there is a dwindling of customer interest in what's available this season, it does raise an unavoidable thought. Will that consumer apathy be reflected in the big national trade shows we have coming up?

Sure, these large industry events will benefit from scale, more expansive exhibitor line-ups and the ability to attract visitors from much further afield. But presumably they are not immune to rising costs or changing customer behaviour?

So, if Pete’s experience is indicative of a wider public shift, will we see the same lack of buzz reflected in our trade shows this autumn – or can those events still provide the excitement, product interest and footfall that make a show worthwhile for dealers and manufacturers?

Let me know what you think in the comments below or drop me a line.