What is a trade show & what's the purpose of them?

Updated 29, Aug 2025

A trade show is an organised event where businesses showcase goods, services and ideas to an audience of industry professionals. They’ve been a crucial sales and marketing tool for centuries, offering the chance to network, generate leads and spot future trends.

If you’re looking for alternative ways to market your business, something that isn’t reliant on technology or mainstream advertising, a trade show could be for you.

The History of Trade Shows

If we’re going to understand the importance and impact of trade shows, we need to examine the heritage and history behind them.

‘Trade fairs’ became popular in medieval Europe, particularly in the Champagne region of France. Local merchants would gather in towns for weeks and exchange goods such as spices, fur, leather and other commodities. These fairs were instrumental in the development of merchant capitalism and revived the economic landscape of medieval times. They also spread cultural influences throughout Europe.

By the 18th century, large industrial trade fairs were common as the industrial revolution boomed. In the 19th century, industry-specific trade show exhibits became popular, and in the 20th century, dedicated exhibition venues were built. Event management companies emerged to help exhibitors get the best from these events.

In the 21st century, trade shows UK wide remain popular. There’s now a huge calendar of events that rotates every year across sectors like manufacturing, technology, food and drink, and marketing.

UK Manufacturing Trade Shows: Which One Should You Exhibit?

 

What’s a Modern Trade Show?

A modern trade show is a gathering of businesses (exhibitors), professionals and representatives (visitors) that come together in a specialised venue to exchange knowledge, products and services.

Exhibitors are given a space to exhibit, usually with custom trade show display stands, and it’s their job to connect with visitors. The goal? Generate leads, network, and ideally close sales (though that’s never guaranteed).

Trade shows are especially useful for B2B businesses because they create a professional, tailored setting for conversation. B2C consumers aren’t usually allowed exhibiting space, though some shows open their doors to the public for a day or two.

 

What’s the Purpose of a Trade Show?

There are many reasons why you would choose to exhibit at a trade show, which include:

• Make sales. The golden ticket to trade show success, hitting a quota or making direct sales is the ultimate definition of winning.

• Capture leads. Without leads salespeople have nobody to convert, so generating enough leads for your marketing funnel is a must.

• Analysing the competition. What technology are they using, what marketing angle are they taking? It’s good to know what the competition is up to, but don’t make it all about them.

• Engage with existing customers. Existing customers are more likely to invest in new products and services, so you can keep building relations and offering them more benefits.

• Introduce new products/services. New and old customers could benefit from your new product. Still, you’ll have a better idea of what current customers suit your new addition.

• Account-based marketing. Go into a trade show with an idea of who you’d like to speak with, so you can create a strategy that’s more likely to convert them.

• Gather feedback. Feedback is how you improve services and sales and marketing; you could receive advice that revolutionises how you do things.

• Spot trends. Spotting trends is vital if you want to stay relevant or avoid something that’s a flash in the pan.

How to attract attention at a trade show: 12 inventive ideas

 

Pros and Cons of Trade Shows

Pros

• Face-to-face networking with decision-makers
• High-quality, targeted leads
• Effective platform for product launches
• Boost brand visibility and credibility

Cons

• High upfront costs (stand space, staff, logistics)
• Time and resource intensive
• ROI depends on careful planning and follow-up

Can You Make Money at a Trade Show?

Trade shows can be expensive. Major venues like the NEC charge high rental fees, and then there’s the cost of your trade show stand, equipment, and travel. Smaller shows are cheaper, but even so, costs often range from £3,000–£10,000.

That said, with the right strategy you can see a strong ROI. Here are a few ways to maximise success:

• Only buy the space you need. The area you buy takes up a significant amount of your budget, so overdoing it can waste money, which is going to eat into your sales.

• Invest in an enticing trade show stand. You can have a tiny space and still attract people if your stand is attractive, making your area presentable promotes credibility.

• Keep your marketing materials organised and engaging. Here’s a temptation to blindly hand out literature and marketing collateral, putting it at the back of your space makes reps think about engaging first, which is more likely to generate a lead or a sale.

• Use technology where it helps. The whole purpose of a trade show is to generate business through face-to-face marketing, so don’t dehumanise the event by using too much technology.

• Pick the right team. There’s no point in attending an event if you pick the wrong staff. Ideally, it would benefit you if you had people who understand and empathise with customer challenges, but also know when to close deals.

• Promote your attendance beforehand. If there’s no hype around your appearance your trade show could fall flat. Use marketing techniques to create a build-up to the event and get people excited.

 

FAQs About Trade Shows

What are trade shows? They’re organised events where businesses exhibit products or services to industry professionals, usually in a B2B setting.

What is the purpose of a trade show? To generate leads, make sales, network, and showcase new products in front of the right audience.

What are trade show stands? A trade show stand (or booth) is the exhibition space businesses use to present themselves. A strong trade show display stand can make a big difference in attracting visitors.

Are trade shows worth it? Yes — when planned properly. While costs can be high, the ROI can be excellent if you pick the right event and prepare effectively.

What are the biggest trade shows in the UK? Events like Advanced Engineering, MACH, Food & Drink Expo and Marketing Show North are well-known examples.

 

Could You See Success at a Trade Show?

Trade shows aren’t an outdated tactic. Done right, they generate targeted, high-quality leads and sales. Not every business will benefit, but for B2B companies, they remain one of the best face-to-face marketing opportunities available.

With the right preparation, and the right trade show stand, you could see big results.