Glen Vienneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 13/00) - When the doors open for this weekend's trade show, a window of opportunity will also open for businesses looking to promote their stuff.

"It's a good opportunity to do something in a traditionally quiet month for us," said Lisa Seagrave, manager and co-owner of the Gallery of the Midnight Sun.

Although Seagrave was tight-lipped about what she plans to have on display at the first annual Fall Trade Show, she admitted that mid-October is a good time for the event.

The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce-sponsored exhibit is well timed. It follows the hunting and tourist seasons and comes just before Christmas and the Japanese tourist season.

This fall's event is modelled after the Chamber's extremely successful Spring Trade Show, an event Seagrave has found to be very successful ever since she started her business two years ago.

"We usually use the trade show as an opportunity to introduce some new products that we have at the gallery," hinted Seagrave.

"It will be just interesting to see how people will react to it because it is the first one."

Seasonal theme

Ellie Sasseville, executive director of the Yellowknife Chamber, said the event will follow "the exact same format as the spring trade show."

That means this weekend's event will draw businesses and services from throughout the NWT and parts of Alberta.

Keeping in mind this weekend's event will be the first large-scale fall show, having 2,500 people pass through the door would be enough to please organizers, said Sasseville.

That would be about half the number of people who took in the May show.

While many of the businesses will be the same as those who took part in the spring show, Sasseville said people who attend the show can expect to see some new and different exhibits.

Participants have been encouraged to promote their products or services in a more seasonal theme, she explained.

Some participants will be new, however, as there was such a demand for booth space in May that some businesses had to be turned away, resulting in the plans for the fall event.

The fall show will also give people who missed the opportunity to take in the May show.

"It's a good reminder for all of our residents of what we have in Yellowknife, what's available," she added.

Reaching out

For veteran trade show participant Micheline Pichet, president of Danmax Communications Ltd., the show is a good way to reach out to the public and catch their interest with new products.

"We're trying to renew our contacts with our customers at the trade show," said Pichet.

Keeping in touch with customers is essential for a business that is on the leading edge of ever-changing communications technology.

"There are constant changes and it's important that our customers are aware of new developments," said Pichet.

She hopes to catch the eye of new customers with items such as two-way radios, pagers, cell phones and telephone systems.

Participating in the show is not only a way to respond to various inquiries from visitors and Yellowknifers, but for Pichet to see what other businesses have to offer, and show what Danmax can offer them as well.

"It helps the public and the other businesses to know what's new, what's available and what's best for them."