A successful exhibition is mostly decided before the show opens. This guide sets out an exhibitor’s planning timeline in four stages, from the months before the show to the weeks before, the show days and the follow-up afterwards, covering goals, booking space, stall design and approvals, logistics, staffing, promotion, on-site work and lead follow-up.
Exact dates will depend on your organiser. Every show publishes its own deadlines for stall drawings, power applications, badges and set-up, so put those dates into your plan first and work backwards from them.
Months before: goals, budget and booking space
Set clear goals
Decide why you are exhibiting before you spend anything. Generating leads, launching a product, meeting distributors and building awareness in a new region all lead to different stall designs, staffing and promotion. Write down two or three goals you can measure after the show, such as the number of qualified leads, meetings held or dealer enquiries received.
Build a realistic budget
Your budget should cover space rent, stall design and fabrication, graphics, power and AV, transport, staff travel and stay, promotion, giveaways and hospitality. Separate fixed costs from variable ones and keep a contingency for late changes. Our exhibition stall cost guide for India explains what drives each line item.
Book the right space
Book early, because better locations near entrances, main aisles and corners usually go first. Decide between a shell-scheme stall provided by the organiser and raw space where you bring your own stall builder. Choose the size based on what you need to display, how many staff will work there and whether you need a meeting area, not just on budget. Our guide on choosing the right exhibition stall size walks through that decision.
Design, approvals and fabrication
Once the space is confirmed, brief your stall designer. Share your goals, products to display, brand guidelines, the stall plan from the organiser and the open sides. Our guide on how to brief an exhibition stall designer lists what to prepare.
At this stage, keep the following on your list:
- 3D design and revisions. Allow time for at least a couple of rounds of feedback, and get internal sign-off from everyone who needs to approve.
- Organiser approval. Most organisers require stall drawings to be submitted for approval by a set date, checking height limits, open sides, structural safety and fire-retardant materials.
- Power and services. Calculate your power load for lighting, screens and machines, and apply for electrical connections, water or compressed air if your products need them.
- Graphics and content. Finalise artwork, product images and video content early enough for printing and testing.
- Fabrication. Once the design is frozen, the stall builder can start production. Late changes at this point cost time and money.
Weeks before: logistics, staffing and promotion
Logistics
- Arrange transport for display products and machines, including any heavy equipment that needs a crane or forklift at the venue.
- Confirm the set-up and dismantling windows set by the organiser and share them with your stall builder and transporter.
- Apply for exhibitor badges, contractor passes and vehicle passes before the deadline.
- Book hotel rooms for staff early, as rooms near major venues fill quickly during big shows.
- Pack a stall kit: extension boards, tape, cleaning supplies, tools, chargers, printed price lists and spare visiting cards.
Staffing and training
Choose people who know the product and are comfortable starting conversations with strangers. Hold a pre-show session to agree on the key messages, a short pitch, two or three qualifying questions and how to use the lead-capture app or scanner. Prepare a shift rota so the stall is always covered and nobody is exhausted by the last day.
Promotion
Tell your existing customers and prospects you are exhibiting. Use email, social media, WhatsApp and your website, always mentioning the hall and stall number. Give people a reason to visit: a product launch, a live demo or a scheduled talk. Where possible, pre-book meetings with key clients so your most valuable conversations are fixed before the show opens. If you plan giveaways, choose useful items relevant to your audience rather than generic pens.
Show days: on-site tips
Be present during set-up if you can. Check the built stall against the approved design, test lighting, screens and demos, and make a snag list for the stall builder to fix before opening.
Once the show is running:
- Step out to the edge of the stall. Do not sit behind a table waiting. Make eye contact and greet people as they pass.
- Ask open questions. “What brought you to the show today?” starts more conversations than “Can I help you?”
- Qualify on the spot. Use your agreed questions to identify serious buyers and spend more time with them.
- Take notes straight away. Record what each lead wanted and what you promised, using the notes field in your scanner or app.
- Keep it welcoming. Offer water, a place to sit and somewhere to charge a phone. Keep the stall tidy throughout the day.
- Debrief daily. A short end-of-day review helps the team adjust the next morning.
After the show: follow-up and review
Follow-up is where many exhibitors lose the value of the show. Start within a day or two, while visitors still remember you.
- Sort your leads. Group them into hot, warm and cold (or A, B and C) so sales can call the best prospects first.
- Send personal messages. Refer to the specific conversation and send the information you promised.
- Review against your goals. Compare leads, meetings and enquiries with the targets you set months earlier, and note the total cost.
- Debrief the team. Record what worked, what did not, and what to change in the stall, staffing or promotion next time.
Also confirm dismantling is completed within the organiser’s window and that reusable stall elements and products are returned and stored safely.
Plan with one partner for the stall
Much of this timeline becomes simpler when design, fabrication, graphics, lighting, transport and on-site setup are handled by one team. Connectbase Communications has been doing this from Ahmedabad since 2009 for exhibitors across India; you can see what we cover on our exhibition stall services page.
If you have a show coming up and want to start planning your stall, contact our team or call +91 7600576410.
