Prepare to exhibit
Exhibitor guides
Practical guides to exhibiting at a UK trade show, from choosing a show and setting a budget to briefing a stand builder, booking deliveries and following up leads. Each guide lists the official sources it uses.
17 min read
The best exhibition stand builders in the UK for custom stand design and build
12 UK exhibition stand builders and contractors compared on their workshop, credentials, reuse and published prices, with who each one suits best, plus 13 more by region.
12 min read
Best exhibition stand suppliers in the UK for stands you can buy or hire
Ten UK exhibition stand suppliers compared on what you can buy or hire, published prices, delivery and reuse, with who each one suits best.
2 min read
Choosing a venue for a product demonstration
A demonstration needs more than enough floor area. Match the product, audience and operating requirements to a specific space before comparing venues.
2 min read
Checking what a co-located exhibition ticket actually covers
Several exhibitions can share a venue and dates without sharing the same audience, admission rights or exhibitor package. Check the boundaries before booking.
2 min read
Planning a December exhibition without losing the January follow-up
December is not an empty exhibition month. Treat it as a different buying and follow-up window, with explicit deadlines before the holiday break.
3 min read
Reading your exhibitor manual
The exhibitor manual sets your deadlines, rules and service routes. What to pull out first, which dates cost money if missed, and how venue rules at the NEC, Excel and Olympia fit in.
3 min read
Shell scheme or space only?
The two ways to book stand space at a UK exhibition, what each normally includes, what they leave to you, and how to decide for a first or a growing exhibition programme.
3 min read
Following up exhibition leads
Record what you agreed, give every conversation an owner and follow up on the promise. Includes the UK marketing rules that apply to business contacts met at a show.
3 min read
Planning stand delivery and installation
Work backwards from the hall handover, not the courier collection. How UK venues book delivery slots, what to put on a delivery sheet and how to plan the return journey.
4 min read
Briefing a stand builder
Give every stand builder the same usable brief, including the venue facts that affect design, so you can compare layouts, delivery and exclusions rather than renders.
3 min read
Building an exhibition budget
Budget for the whole job: space, stand, venue services, delivery, people and follow-up. Includes the UK venue order deadlines and surcharges that change the numbers.
4 min read
Choosing your first UK trade show
Start with the buyers you need to meet, then test each show's audience, admission rules, timing and total cost. A practical shortlist method for a first UK exhibition.