Trade fairs enable contact with the target audience at an optimal cost -- both with existing clients and potential, new business partners. Trade fairs are most effective in demonstrating market presence, as well as in enabling exchange and getting insight. Small and medium enterprises take advantage of trade fair appearance in order to rapidly develop their brand name presence, and as a result, the necessary recognition on the market. In the last ten years there is an evident increase in the number of small and medium enterprises in the total number of exhibitors at Zagreb Fair trade shows. This trend is constant, although slowly increasing. Today trade fairs are a leading international business and information platform for small and medium enterprise development. In the years to come, trade fairs will certainly maintain this position, in spite of technology development and changed market conditions.