It's a question rocking event organisers, publishers and vendors alike: why are printers so apathetic? Here we are, offering all manner of opportunities to feast the eyes, train the brain and grow the network. Yet, try as we might, we can't encourage printers to leave their shops for the day.

Trade show season is soon to kick off and the ROI, for those exhibiting, will be measured in footfall. Their expectations are varied. For some, it's only about the number of leads they bring home and convert, while others see the value in having a broad marketing stage upon which to tread.

"As an exhibitor, it's about not only new deals and relationships, but deepened relationships, too," comments Lois Martin, an independent marketing and communications advisor in Atlanta, USA. As such, she advises clients on how to make the most of their stand, from booth design and staff training to promotions and follow-up. "There's also the opportunity to cross-market and cross-network with customers and vendors. The relaxed atmosphere is conducive to meeting people and really getting to know them."

Vicky Jarman, marketing manager at Roland reseller PrintMax, agrees with Martin's approach and believes that measurable objectives are crucial before committing. "Prior to exhibiting, we always measure what we hope to come away with – usually it's direct sales and customer engagement," she says. Its main event for the year is Sign and Digital UK, where it tends to take a large stand next to Roland, its master distributor.

"The beauty of Sign and Digital UK is that there is a real mixture of audience; some are ready to buy at the show, others to do their homework. Our on-stand sales are usually pretty high by the time we come back and have often covered the exhibiting cost already. We also take the time to monitor how our enquiries come through, post-show, allowing us to see where the leads are coming from." Awareness, she states, is a little harder to gauge, but year-round enquiry monitoring can help answer this question.

Eclipse Digital Media, which sells and supports digital signage solutions, is one of many companies now leaving it late to commit as an exhibitor – up to six weeks before, in some cases. As a growing company, it measures ROI strictly; every activity must have a return.

"It's all about having the budget for it and what we feel is the right audience for us," explains Drew Harding, sales and marketing manager for Eclipse. "From a networking point of view we've met some great contacts within the industry that we are still in contact with and partnering with, so this is also attributable to the ROI of an exhibition."

It's vital, therefore, for the organisers to appeal to both repeat and new visitors, all of whom will have totally different demands. This explains the slew of zones, features, conference programmes and micro-exhibitions that inevitably form part of the modern show. As many have learned, getting these wrong can lead to confusion or brand implosion – but strong, integrated marketing and a real purpose can make them fly.

That's all well and good for repeat visitors; familiar with the event and its remit, a FESPA or Viscom will become their annual physical link to the outside world. But I believe the problem is more of a marketing one – and at the root of it is data.

Most exhibitions hold their own databases of visitors and complement their use with advertising and e-shots via trade publications. We, the teams behind the mags, don't mind one bit – we are usually happy to be on board, and the contra (it's normally a contra – everyone is poor these days) also provides access to the upper echelons of a show's community. It's also a viable route to market; most of us have a good handle on our audience and its demands.

But publishers and exhibition companies alike need to work harder to attract newcomers from outside our staid and steady worlds. Most believe they can't afford to clean their data, let alone expand it into new areas. This has a two-fold effect: nobody grows their audience, and nobody comes in the expectation of seeing anything totally new or different.

Once upon a time we might have called this guaranteeing relevance, but these days print businesses need fresh blood. And, without providing it, a return trip to London, Hannover, Birmingham or Munich might seem an easy thing not to book – or just to skip when the going gets tough.