Key Essentials for Your Trade Show Packing List
Our trade show packing list covers all the essentials to ensure your booth runs like clockwork, so you can focus on making great connections and seizing every opportunity that comes your way.
23 October, 2025
Essential Packing List for Exhibiting at Trade Shows
Trade shows offer a great opportunity to showcase your brand, network with industry professionals, and attract potential clients. But to maximise your experience, be prepared and pack smart. From must-have marketing materials to items that will keep you on top of your game, having everything you need can make a huge difference.
1. Pre-Event Essentials
Travel and accommodation arrangements are the backbone of a stress-free trade show experience. Keep copies of your flight tickets, hotel reservations, and transportation schedules readily accessible.
Before you even set foot on the exhibition floor, having all your registration documents in order is crucial. Have your exhibitor badges, registration confirmation, and any necessary permits or passes to hand.
These documents are your gateway to the event, and are arguably the most important thing on your trade show packing list, granting you access to set up your booth and participate in the show.
Top Tips:
Double-check that you have the correct names and details on all documents to avoid any last-minute issues.
It’s wise to have physical and digital copies of these documents to ensure you can access them even if you encounter technical difficulties.
2. Booth Setup Essentials
A well-thought-out booth design can significantly impact your trade show success. Ensure you have a clear, detailed plan of your booth’s layout. This should include where each element will be placed, from banners and tables to product displays and seating areas.
Map out your electrical and internet requirements. Knowing where power outlets and internet connections will be located helps you arrange your equipment and cables efficiently, avoiding clutter and ensuring a professional appearance.
Top Tip:
Bringing a printed copy of the floor plan can be extremely useful during setup, guiding you and your team in creating an attractive booth that attracts and converts.
3. Marketing Materials
Consider adding the following materials to your trade show checklist to ensure you have the tools to engage and inform attendees, maximising your booth's impact and ROI.
Top Tip:
Instant Info:
Attendees have quick access to detailed product or service info.
Interactive Experience:
Links to videos, demos, and interactive content add to a dynamic display.
Easy Contact Collection:
Effortless visitor information collection for follow-up.
Track Engagement:
Monitor which materials are most effective.
Eco-Friendly:
Reduce paper use with digital brochures and catalogues.
Convenience:
Attendees can save and share your products easily.
Banners:
Serve as eye-catching displays that attract attendees from a distance, drawing them towards your booth.
Posters:
Can highlight key messages, product features, or special offers, reinforcing your brand identity.
Brochures:
Offer detailed information about your products or services, providing a tangible takeaway for potential customers to review later.
Flyers:
Can be used to promote special offers, demonstrations, or upcoming events at your booth, enticing visitors to engage further.
Business cards:
Are essential for networking and exchanging contact information with leads and industry contacts.
4. Technology and Gadgets
Including these electronic devices on your trade show packing list ensures you have the tools to stay connected and productive throughout the event.
Laptops are versatile tools for running presentations, accessing digital resources, and conducting demonstrations from your booth.
Tablets provide mobility for showcasing interactive content, product demonstrations, or capturing leads on the go.
Smartphones serve multiple purposes, from communicating with team members to capturing photos or videos of your booth.
Top Tip:
Don’t forget to include multiple charging stations and power banks on your trade show packing list to keep all your devices powered up and running smoothly throughout the trade show.
5. Presentation Equipment
Having these presentation tools ready ensures your booth stands out with compelling visuals and engaging content, effectively capturing trade show attendees' interest and attention.
Projectors are ideal for displaying large-scale visuals, presentations, or videos to attract and engage a larger audience.
Screens provide additional display options for showcasing digital content, product demonstrations, or interactive applications.
Top Tip:
Use audio systems to ensure clear and impactful sound during presentations, product launches, or live demonstrations.
6. Product Displays and Samples
Including product samples on your trade show packing list is essential to attract and engage potential customers. Product samples and displays allow attendees to experience your offerings firsthand, making it easier for them to understand and appreciate your products' quality and benefits.
Food and Beverage Companies:
Offer bite-sized samples of your latest flavours or signature items.
Cosmetics Brands:
Provide mini versions of popular products like lotions, perfumes, or makeup.
Tech Companies:
Give away small gadgets, accessories, or demo versions of your software.
Apparel Brands:
Hand out small branded items like socks or hats.
Health and Wellness:
Share sample-sized supplements, health bars, or skincare products.
Top Tip:
Your samples need to be readily available. Whether it's a tangible item, a sample of a digital product, or a demonstration of a service, promoting these products will enhance your booth's interactive experience so it needs to be accessible.
7. Display Stands
Add product stands/ holders to your trade show checklist. Effective product displays make it easier for visitors to navigate and engage with your offerings, maximising the impact of your presence at the trade show.
Display stands serve as the visual foundation of your booth, organising and presenting your products appealingly and professionally. These stands showcase your products prominently and create a cohesive and branded look for your booth.
Top Tip:
Choose stands that complement your product samples and align with your overall booth design to enhance visual impact and attract attendees' attention.
8. Lighting
Proper lighting enhances the visibility of your booth (literally) ensuring that your products and displays stand out effectively amidst the event's hustle and bustle. Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood and highlighting key areas of your booth.
Top Tip:
Consider using spotlights or LED lights to illuminate product displays and attract attendees' attention to your offerings.
Ensure that your lighting choices align with your booth's overall aesthetic to enhance the visual appeal and professionalism of your exhibit.
9. Giveaways and Promotional Items
These items are tangible reminders of your brand long after the trade show ends. Branded merchandise such as pens and notepads are practical giveaways that attendees can use daily, keeping your brand top of mind. Tote bags are useful for carrying other trade show materials, extending your brand's reach as attendees navigate the event.
Top Tip:
Choosing high-quality items that reflect your brand's identity reinforces brand credibility and strengthens relationships with potential customers.
10. Contest and Raffle Materials
Hosting a giveaway or raffle attracts visitors to your booth, providing an opportunity to interact with them and showcase your products or services. Including contest and raffle materials on your trade show packing list is crucial for engaging attendees and gathering valuable leads.
Top Tips:
Add entry forms to allow participants to enter the contest, providing you with their contact information for future follow-up.
Prizes should be relevant to your brand and appealing to your target audience, motivating attendees to enter and increasing booth traffic.
Trade Show Packing List At A Glance
Travel and Exhibition Documents:
Copies of flight tickets, hotel reservations, and necessary permits, and passes.
Booth Setup:
Create a booth layout plan with detailed placement for banners, tables, displays, and seating.
Marketing Materials:
Banners, posters, brochures, and other promotional materials.
Technology and Gadgets:
Laptops, tablets, and smartphones (don’t forget chargers!)
Presentation Equipment:
Projectors, screens, and audio systems.
Product Displays and Samples:
Make sure your samples are readily available and specific to your brand.
Display Stands:
Choose stands that align with your product and booth.
Lighting:
Illuminate focal points within your booth to highlight key areas effectively.
Giveaway and Promotional Items:
Pens, notepads, tote bags, etc. (relevant and appealing to your target audience).
Contest and Raffle Materials:
Remember to include entry forms to collect participant contact information.
When creating a trade show packing list, ensure you have all the essentials for a standout and efficient exhibit. Your trade show checklist can vary depending on your industry and the products you exhibit. For example, if you're in construction and showcasing large equipment, you may need extra logistical planning, documentation, and specialised tools.
Your trade show checklist is incomplete without an attention-grabbing exhibition stand.
At Unique Exhibitions, we have over 16 years of experience in designing exhibition stands. Our team combines creative design, technical proficiency, and deep industry knowledge to create stands that captivate and engage. Let us bring your vision to life. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote!