Ten top tips for expos in 2026

Here are our ten top tips on exhibiting at expos 

1. Attend before you commit 

If it’s a new event that you have never been to before, it’s worth checking it out before committing to exhibiting. Check that your target market is going to be there and that the reality of the event matches the promises made in the sales material. 

We exhibited at an event in Olympia at the beginning of March and were told there would be hundreds of exhibitors and 15,000 visitors. The reality was more like 50 exhibitors (some were very last-minute bargain bookings just to fill the space) and maybe 500 visitors – over two days! 

I wish we’d visited before committing to the expo, as it wasn’t cheap! 

2. Will delegates be charged to attend? 

The event mentioned above charged people £15 to visit. While I think people will pay to attend a very targeted event where they know they will get value – or even CPD credits – I think it puts people off attending a general business show. 

3. Look at the location 

Is it easy for people to get there, whether by public transport or by road and is there parking? If the venue is not well located, this will put people off visiting. 

4. Read reviews and check out their marketing  

Look at how well the event was marketed last time it was run, as that will give you a steer on how well the one you are looking at will be promoted. See who the other exhibitors are and reach out to people you know in those companies to ask their thoughts on the event. 

Read reviews from previous attendees and exhibitors, if you haven’t come across the event before. 

5. Set realistic goals for the event 

You won’t normally get decision makers at general business expos, so unless it is a B2C event or you are aiming at very small SMEs/solopreneurs, so don’t expect to close deals.  

Your lead generation at this type of event is likely to be more about establishing interest and finding out who the right person is to talk to and whether the person on your stand will make that introduction. 

Specialist trade shows are a different matter and you may well talk to decision makers, so think about how you can engage with them: 

• Reach out to them before the event – tease any launches or new releases you will be making
• Arrange meetings with key contacts during the event
• Consider hosting a reception or dinner for key clients and prospects 

If you are launching a new product or service at an event, plan this in advance, get specialist media involved and arrange interviews with key personnel at the event. You may want to run a session during the expo to announce the launch. 

6. Plan your stand 

You want to stand out - for the right reasons!  

If you have booked a shell scheme, do more than just put a couple of pull-up banners in there. You can get some “wall” banners now that really pop and make a smaller shell scheme space stand out. 

At the disastrous event we went to in early March, there was a plastic surgery exhibitor that had A3 sheets of paper and post it notes sellotaped to the wall. It didn’t engender confidence, which is essential for a service where trust is paramount. 

There was also a stand promoting office furniture with a banner showing a photo of an ergonomic chair – but they didn’t have one of their chairs there for people to try, just the event organiser’s basic conference chair. What a missed opportunity! 

However, I loved this large light box stand at another event we went to recently. It has impact and all packs down into a bag. 

7. Messaging 

Think about your messaging and how you want to get this across. Some people put war and peace on their banners – too much to read, even close up. 

Make your stand material – banners, viny walls, built staging for space only – have a big visual impact. Grab attention and make it on brand. Then you can use other means to communicate the detail – screen visuals that you can easily update and don’t forget your people on your stand who can tell your story with passion. 

8. Choose your team wisely 

I went to an event a couple of years ago and went on the stand of a competitor of Zoho (we use Zoho and love it). I asked the guy on the stand what made them better than Zoho – he was completely unable to answer the question. 

You want skilled, knowledgeable salespeople on your stand – not just bodies – and brief them on what you want them to do and say. 

9. Giveaways 

It’s great to have something that will draw someone onto your stand, but the days of loads of merchandise are behind us and you need to make sure that the person isn’t just there to get one of your goody bags – some people simply lurk and grab, so don’t make it too easy for someone to do that. 

Maybe go for something of higher value, produce a smaller quantity and be choosy about who you give them to. 

But in this day and age, I think you can get away without having giveaways if your stand is compelling enough and you have a business audience. 

10. Flow of visitors 

For larger space-only stands, where you will be building your stand, think about the flow of visitors and what you want them to do on the stand.  

For one of our clients at their primary trade show in 2024, they were launching their new range of environmentally friendly boilers. So, we made those the main attraction, all together on one wall, and their regular products went on the second wall, with a welcome desk in the middle to direct visitors to the area they were interested in. 

One thing I learned from that event was how to make sure your stand could take the weight of that many boilers. We worked with Showplace for the build and their technical expertise was invaluable. 

With another client, we designed their stand that had three open sides in such a way that we drew people into a desk for conversations – and goody bags! – and then had a comfortable seating area for more in-depth conversations.