Talk to others in your industry and get a feel for which exhibitions would be most useful for your brand. Don’t just rely on what you may have read online about the event.

As a general rule of thumb you should budget to spend the same amount on the space you rent and the stand itself. Don’t forget to allocate funds for electrics, wifi and of course you’ll need to add in hotel and transport if the event isn’t nearby.

It may sound obvious, but many exhibitions can get booked months in advance with many booking straight after the previous year’s show. Make sure you reserve your spot.

Find out which of your competitors will be at the event, and about any discounts or packages for first-timers if you’ve not attended previously as an exhibitor.

A corner booth, for example, will be visible from two separate directions, potentially increasing your chances of catching the attention of visitors. Being near another high traffic location such as a main aisle, escalator, cafe or main entrance could also be a good idea.

What do you want visitors to your stand to actually do? Do you want them to buy something while they’re there? Or sign up for further information? Are you using the event to launch a new product or service? Or just to research the market and check out the competition? It’s important to know what your goals are in order to create a strong message with your stand and collateral.

Pick the right people for your objectives. You might want different people welcoming visitors to the stand versus those holding in-depth product discussions. Brief your staff in full well in advance about why you want to be at a particular exhibition. Also brief colleagues on who else will be there, and what you need people to do during the event. Think about questions that prospects are likely to ask, and be sure you all have the answers.

Create engagement before you’re even there. Talk about what you’ll be showcasing or perhaps it’s a seminar that you’ll be running. At the same time, try and set up meetings with prospective clients who are also planning on attending.

The right stand represents and defines your brand in a competitive arena and will emphasise the USPs that set your business apart. Make sure your graphics and your branding are consistent and use features like lighting or interactive elements to highlight any features or products you particularly want to showcase. As well as a creative and interactive stand, don’t forget to take care of the little things too such as storage, size and whether you need additional sockets to charge your phones.

You can use a simple paper sheet where people jot down their details, or get people to leave business cards. Alternatively, use an iPad or a badge scanner to collect email addresses. You could of course also organise a draw with a prize to encourage people to leave their cards. Try and make a note of those people who seem especially interested so that you can phone them rather than emailing afterwards. Don’t forget to make sure you’re GDPR compliant too!

Do be welcoming and warm – without pouncing on people! Think about what your one line could be to engage with passers by.

Send relevant information and samples to everyone who has left an email address. With selected prospective customers who seemed particularly interested, try and give them a phone call rather than sending an email which can be easily ignored.

Post pictures from the show on social media platforms, and say how much you enjoyed the occasion.

At the same time, review all expenditure, and make sure you have stayed within your budget – or find out where you have overspent to learn lessons for next time.

It will also be worth having a post event review with everyone who was there, to discuss how it went, what went well and what you could improve for future exhibitions.