How to get the best out of your annual tradeshow itinerary

Have you identified the most appropriate 2025 tradeshows to attend to meet your strategic priorities? And how will you maximise your time to ensure you make the most of your return on investment?

Tradeshows are a valuable source of intelligence gathering, igniting the design process and facilitating the creation of commercially viable products and services. But with so many 2025 tradeshows to choose from worldwide and growing constraints on travel budgets and resources, it can be a challenge to create your shortlist.

With expert advice from our trend editors and global network, we’ve collated a practical guide to help you get the best value out of your 2025 tradeshow itinerary together with a shortlist of tradeshows you can find us at.

How to optimise your time at tradeshow for maximum impact

1. Do your research

Make a plan, and have objectives. Understand which brands and designers are there so you can identify the ones you don’t want to miss and prioritise your time accordingly.

2. Build your day around the most relevant talks

Look at the talks and presentations happening on the day and make sure you don’t miss relevant speakers. Knowing the times and location of the talks you want to attend will help you form a plan for the day.

3. Identify innovation areas

Identify key themes, installations and collaborations that will resonate with your brand. Locate the trend curation areas and head straight for them.

4. Map your route

The show floor and halls can be large and overwhelming. So plan a route to ensure you are hitting all the relevant stalls. Also, wear comfortable shoes and pack plenty of snacks.

5. Build new networks

Connect with people outside of your usual bubble.  Some of the best ideas come through those impromptu conversations. No business card? No problem. LinkedIn has a useful QR code feature which makes sharing and scanning profile links effortlessly through the app.

6. Ask relevant questions

What’s new? What categories or products are proving most popular? What kind of questions are their partners asking of them? This way you’ll discover what’s happening beyond the surface, it could be supply chain ethics or perhaps it’s about longevity or artisan craftsmanship. These are all useful signals to understand.

6. Organise your research

Set aside time after the show to sort through imagery and notes. Organise the content you have curated during the show into themes and make note of key takeaways to report back to your team.

How we create our own tradeshow calendars

Addressing the needs of buying and design teams, we meticulously curate an annual intelligence-gathering calendar which prioritises the most influential tradeshows, events and exhibitions. Aligned with the future of home living, we tailor our selection for retailers, manufacturers and brands who are uniquely focused on home, interiors, baby and kid’s sectors.

Our tradeshow calendar aims to strike a balance between innovation and commercial appeal, covering key consumer and marketplace shifts as well as the design-focused messages of colour, material, narrative, form and finish.

Hear more about striking the ideal balance between creativity and commercial success in your tradeshow planning. 

Join Director of Trend Services Naomi Pollard and Head of Subscription Hannah Craggs as they discuss top considerations to help you make the most of your time and get the best return on investment. Register to My TrendBible to watch the full showcase video.