Event Exhibitions and Shows - making sure your day out of the office is productive!

There are a number of exhibitions and trade shows for event professionals that are held in the UK and also overseas this week’s blog focuses on some of the main shows and our experiences and tips of how to get the most out of the shows you visit and how to pick the best show that will work for you.

One of the main industry shows is International Confex and this takes place in London usually in late February/early March and is a large show with exhibitors including UK and overseas venues and event suppliers. 

The show includes seminars on current topics in the industry presented by industry professionals.  This show is particularly useful for gaining knowledge about current trends and new ideas for events.  It is also offers the chance to improve your database of venues available to book including making key contacts within these to make booking easier.

The Square Meals Venues and Events Show takes place in London in September each year.  Again this show showcases venues from across the UK but focuses more specialist London venues along with London based event industry suppliers and services.  The event has a special area dedicated to theming and decorating event spaces which is useful if you create themed events regularly.  This show also offers short seminars about trends in the industry and is really useful for getting tips from the experts also.

To keep up to date with the list of events visit Conference News Events Diary http://www.conference-news.co.uk/events-diary

With so many shows and trade exhibitions to choose from you most probably will not be able to attend them all, however here are some tips for how to make the most of your time at the shows you do get to attend:

• This may sound obvious but plan your day! Have a look at the exhibitor list and the seminar programme before you go and plot your time around which seminars you wish to attend

• Organise appointments with key contacts so you don’t miss anyone you really want to catch, book these in advance then you can use your time around this to attend seminars/source new suppliers

• Arrive to the show early, get to the show for when it starts to make the most of the day

•  Stay for the evening networking if you can this provides a great opportunity for you to meet  more contacts from the show and represent your company further

• Take lots of business cards! Many of the exhibitors now have the electronic swiping machines to capture your details but often business cards provide more information about you and your company giving new contacts the chance to find out more about you.

If you have any feedback from any industry shows you have attended please do let us know and if you would like to write a blog for Mosaic Events please email sarah@mosaicevents.co.uk
 

Francesca Pearson, Senior Event Account Manager