Trade Show Checklist: What to Do Before, During & After

Your name is on the exhibitor list, the stand is booked, and now you have to make it all happen alongside your day job. This trade show checklist splits the work into before, during and after the show, with a timeline so you know when each job is due.

The short version: start 12 weeks out, lock in stand design, activity and shipping by week four, and follow up with every lead within 48 hours of the show closing. Copy the lists below straight into your own document and tick them off.

Trade show checklist at a glance

This table is the whole plan on one screen. The sections below break down each row.

Before the show

Most of the work happens before you arrive, and most of the mistakes do too. Work backwards from the show date and the rest falls into place.

12-8 weeks out: goals, budget and team

Treat 12 weeks as a minimum: for large shows, stand space and design often need to start earlier. Decide what a good show looks like before you spend anything. A goal such as “book 20 demos” or “collect 150 qualified contacts” is easier to plan around than “raise awareness”.

• Write down one to three goals and how you will measure each
• Set a total budget, including stand, shipping, staffing, activity, travel and a contingency
• Confirm the stand space, position and what the organiser includes (read the exhibitor manual)
• Choose who is staffing the stand and brief them on the goals
• Check deadlines for power, rigging, furniture and badge orders, which organisers often set early

8-4 weeks out: stand, activity, shipping and marketing

This is the busiest stretch. Stand design and your activity need to be decided together, because the activity decides how much floor space, power and staff you need.

• Finalise stand design and send artwork to print
• Choose your stand activity and confirm space, power and branding (see the planning section below)
• Book shipping or courier, with a delivery window and a named person to receive goods
• Order giveaways and printed materials
• Tell your list the show is coming: email, social posts and a reason to visit your stand
• Book meetings with existing clients and prospects who will be attending

Final two weeks: confirm, print and pack

• Reconfirm every supplier, delivery slot and set-up time in writing
• Finish the staff rota, with breaks, and share it with everyone
• Print badges, signage and any last-minute literature
• Test every screen, demo and piece of tech you are bringing
• Pack, label and photograph boxes so you know what is in each one

What to bring to a trade show

Bring more than you think you need. A forgotten charger or a missing pair of scissors costs real time on a stand with queues forming. Always check your organiser’s manual first, since it lists what is supplied and what you must provide.

On-stand kit

• Display, banners and signage with fixings
• Brochures, cards and order or enquiry forms
• Giveaways and a sensible way to hand them out
• Lead-capture method (scanner, tablet or form) plus a paper backup
• Pens, notepads and a visitor log

Tech and power

• Extension leads and adaptors
• Chargers, power banks and spare cables
• Laptops, tablets and demo devices, all updated beforehand
• Wi-Fi backup, such as a mobile hotspot

Cleaning and repair

• Gaffer tape, cable ties, scissors and a small tool kit
• Cleaning wipes and bin bags
• Spare printed materials for anything that gets damaged

Personal items

• Comfortable shoes, water and snacks
• Travel and accommodation confirmations
• Contact list for your team, couriers and the organiser

Planning your stand activity

An interactive activity gives people a reason to stop, and gives your team a natural way to start a conversation. Most exhibitors treat it as an afterthought. Plan it early and ask these questions of any supplier.

• Space. How much floor does it need, including room for a queue? Our VR flight simulators take about 1x1 m per headset, and driving simulators come in sets from one to 16. If your stand is small, pick a smaller footprint.
• Power. Does it need mains sockets, and how many? Show power is often ordered through the organiser, so book it early and check the manual for deadlines.
• Staffing. Who runs it? An activity your own team has to supervise takes them away from conversations. Our corporate event packages include professional hosts, all equipment, setup and breakdown, so ask what is covered for your stand.
• Branding. Can it carry your logo, colours and message? Custom branding is available on our driving simulators, and we have supplied branded reaction walls (see the photo at the top of this page).
• Queues. Plan what visitors do while they wait. A visible screen showing the action, a clear sign about how long a go takes, and a team member talking to the queue all help.
• Lead capture. Decide how you trade a go for contact details before the show. If you collect personal data, check the ICO’s guidance on your obligations.

We have delivered activations like this before, including driving simulators with Optimum Nutrition and an activation at the Barcode Festival. Diane Collins of Howdens said of ours: “The driving simulator was amazing and enjoyed by all our customers and staff.”

For tech-led stands, augmented reality spaces can be custom built and branded for trade shows. Our trade show service covers the full range.

On the day(s)

On show days, the goal is simple: be set up early, be briefed, and talk to as many of the right people as you can. Hold a short briefing each morning so everyone knows the targets and who is on the stand when.

• Arrive early and check the stand matches your plan
• Test the activity, screens and lead capture before doors open
• Run a 10-minute team briefing: goals, roles and the pitch
• Capture every lead the same way, with a note on what they wanted
• Schedule breaks so the stand is never empty or overcrowded
• Keep the stand tidy and restock throughout the day
• At close, secure valuables and write a quick end-of-day summary

After the show

The follow-up is where most of the return comes from, and where many teams slip. Plan it before the show so it is not left to chance.

• Send a personal follow-up to every lead within 48 hours, while the conversation is fresh
• Score leads as hot, warm or cold based on what you noted on the stand
• Pass hot leads to sales straight away
• Send thank-yous and any promised materials
• Review the results against your goals: contacts, meetings booked, and cost against budget
• Hold a short team debrief and write down what to change next time
• Return hired equipment and settle supplier invoices

Common mistakes

These are the things that go wrong most often, and they are all avoidable.

• No goals. Without a target, you cannot tell if the show worked.
• Booking the activity too late. Power, space and shipping all depend on it.
• Ignoring the exhibitor manual. Deadlines for power, rigging and deliveries are firm.
• No lead-capture plan. A pile of business cards with no notes is hard to follow up.
• Understaffing. One person cannot run an activity, talk to visitors and scan badges.
• Waiting a week to follow up. The trail goes cold quickly.

FAQs

What should I bring to a trade show?

Bring your stand kit (display, literature, giveaways), tech and power (extension leads, chargers, spare cables), a repair and cleaning kit, and personal items for staff such as comfortable shoes, water and snacks. Check the organiser’s exhibitor manual for what is supplied and what you must bring yourself. The full packing list is in the section above.

What are the steps to prepare for an exhibition?

Set goals and a budget 12 to 8 weeks out, book the stand and brief your team. From 8 to 4 weeks, finalise stand design, your activity, shipping and pre-show marketing. In the last two weeks, confirm logistics, set the staff rota and pack. Then run a clear lead-capture routine on the day and follow up fast afterwards.

What are good trade show swag ideas?

Choose useful over novel: something people will keep on a desk or in a bag beats a throwaway trinket. Tie the giveaway to your lead-capture exchange, so visitors earn it by sharing their details or trying your activity, rather than grabbing it as they walk past. Keep quantities realistic against your expected footfall.

How much does a 20x20 trade show booth cost?

A 20x20 foot booth is a US size. UK stands are usually sized in metres, and what you pay varies by organiser, location, build and extras, so we can’t give a reliable figure here. Ask the organiser for their stand rates and exhibitor packages, then add design, shipping, activity and staffing to get your real budget.

Tell us about your event and we’ll put together a tailored proposal. Enquire here and we’ll reply within one business day.