Marts at India Expo Mart – to become Smart Global Business Hub – Chairman Rakesh Kumar unveils smart plan

A preview meet was organised for all mart owners on February 6, 2015 to showcase various mart promotion activities to be taken up during the IHGF spring. It was attended by more than 90 mart owners.

A mock demonstration of activities that will be happening in the Mart area during the event were show cased. Some of the important tasks which are being planned to be accomplished with the participation of the mart owners are:

· All mart owners will be wearing a Proud mart owner Badge for a distinguished identification

· Another fact that last October Delhi fair, more than 200 marts were closed. This became a deterrent for the buyer resulting in less footfall. Increasing footfall has been the aim and greatest challenge expo mart has faced. In order to achieve the goal of more open marts IEML made an appeal to all mart owners to participate in IHGF Spring through their marts & not to divide their efforts by participating in EPCH halls.

· Mart owners not interested in opening their marts were offered a scheme of renting their marts arrived at after wide consultations by the chairman and around 100 marts have been rented EPCH exhibitors

· Space has also been provided to Buying agents to open their camp office during the IHGF fair free of cost

· At the same time, to draw and attract the buyer to the mart aisles and to liven up and avoid the deserted looks teasers in the form of product displays have been created at various suitable spots in the mart area

· Several buntings for mart branding are to be put up at all suitable spots

· There would be live and recorded background music playing in the aisles

· Lighting has been almost doubled in aisles & additional Buyers lounges created on floors with complimentary F&B during the fair

· Free WiFi facility will be available to mart owners as well as Buyers

· Last but not the least each mart owner has been permitted to use extra half meter of the aisles facing his mart for display as per the specifications provided by the management with intent to given an open look like temporaries

· Another unique opportunity has been provided in the form of amalgamated fair directory by EPCH. This time all mart owners are part of the EPCH directory without any distinction resulting in buyers automatically finding their way to the marts for sourcing the products they are interested in.

· For the first time, a standalone mobile application of Expo Mart launched to be of great assistance to buyers round the year in navigating their way to the mart.

· A state of art directory with product photographs is being planned and the exercise to collect data for the same is currently going on.

· In order to encourage the Mart owners to pay more attention to window dressing and visual merchandising, best display and runner up awards have been constituted for the first time. These awards will be in five categories i.e. Furniture, Home Décor, Fashion Jewellery and accessories, Lamp and lighting and Eco Friendly products.

· The total ambience of the mart area is being created with a new set of buntings & brandings, Product displays etc at all suitable spots and areas in the Mart Building.

· Individual publicity material for Marts has been designed and produced which will be provided to mart owners which can be used for their publicity

· At the same time mart management has also requested EPCH to publicise these mart event days along with the publicity of the EPCH events. An advertisement of the marts has also been placed in the EPCH fair directory.

· This IHGF spring is going to be an indicator of future of events in the mart. As the publicity needs to be backed by action on behalf of mart owners or else it may result in bringing negative image for the mart.

All this hard work, labor and sincere effort by the mart chairman and his team stands the risk of being wasted if the mart owners do not take the advantage and refuse to open their marts. The mission cannot succeed without the cooperation of every mart owner.