The Experience Starts Before You Arrive
By the time the gates open on the first morning of an exhibition, most people think the event has finally begun.
I don't.
For me, that's simply the point where months of planning and anticipation finally come together.
The experience actually starts much earlier.
Long before the stands are built, exhibitors are deciding what they'll showcase, organisers are bringing every detail together and visitors are beginning to think about who they'd like to meet, what they'd like to discover and what they're hoping to take away from the day.
As the weeks count down, something interesting begins to happen.
Exhibitors start sharing previews of new products, demonstrations and the people you'll meet on their stand. Organisers release updates, announce new features and gradually build momentum. Visitors begin recognising familiar names alongside businesses they've never spoken to before, and conversations often start online before anyone has even arrived on site.
That anticipation becomes part of the experience.
For exhibitors, it's an opportunity to begin telling their story. Not by giving everything away, but by creating enough interest that people make a point of stopping by. A short video, an introduction to the team or a glimpse of what's to come can often be enough to turn curiosity into a worthwhile conversation.
The same applies to visitors.
Keeping an eye on exhibitor updates and the event programme doesn't mean planning every minute of the day. Some of the best conversations happen unexpectedly. But having an idea of what's ahead means you're more likely to discover the people, products and ideas that could make the biggest difference to your business.
One of the things I've always appreciated about The Showman's Show is how it helps create that sense of anticipation. Through regular communication, exhibitor announcements and updates, it encourages both exhibitors and visitors to engage with the event well before the gates open. By the time everyone arrives, many of those first conversations already feel like a continuation rather than an introduction.
That's something our industry does particularly well.
We don't simply create places for people to meet over a day or two. We create experiences that begin long before the first visitor walks through the entrance and continue long after the final stand has been dismantled. The conversations continue, new partnerships develop and ideas gathered over those two days often shape decisions for months afterwards.
Perhaps that's why live events remain so important.
Not because of the structures we build or the products on display, but because of the people they bring together and the relationships they help create.
The gates may open on the first morning, but the experience starts the moment you decide you want to be there.