Space-only stands and pavilions
The Exhibition Playbook
From show selection to lead handover, with the deadlines that carry penalties marked.
On this page5 parts
The timeline
Milestones, working backwards.
Dates are relative to the event. Anything that has slipped past its marker here is not automatically lost, but it is no longer free — and the honest conversation is better had now than in the final fortnight.
T-10 months
Show selected, space negotiated on position as well as size
T-6 months
Stand concept, space plan against the floorplan, budget approved
T-4 months
Structural drawings and complex structure approval submitted
T-3 months
Rigging, electrical and risk assessments filed; freight plan built backwards from the load-in slot
T-6 weeks
Target account outreach begins, meeting diary opens, staff briefed
T-2 weeks
Freight despatched, staff schedules and lead capture configured against CRM fields
Show
Build signed off before doors, daily lead sync, meeting completion tracked
T+1 week
Leads followed up, dismantle and return freight closed, cost per meeting reported
The principles
What this format rewards.
The manual is a dated checklist
Build height, rigging plots, electrical loading, risk assessments, fire certificates, dilapidation deposits and freight windows — each with an owner and a date, worked down to zero.
Freight is the schedule risk
Customs, carnets, marshalling yards, drayage and a two-hour delivery window that opens at 04:40. Plan backwards from the load-in slot and keep a contingency route.
Fill the diary before you travel
Target accounts identified, outreach four to six weeks out, meetings confirmed with a time and a named attendee, a briefing per meeting.
Sync leads the same day
Capture configured to your CRM fields, staff briefed on what qualifies, data across before the floor closes.
Other playbooks
Different format, same discipline.
200–2,000 delegatesThe Annual Conference PlaybookThe operating plan for a multi-day company conference, from the six-month mark to the close-out report.Playbook · 8 milestones
10–60 delegatesThe Executive Offsite PlaybookHow to run a board or leadership offsite where the only visible thing is the work.Playbook · 7 milestones
25–500 guestsThe Incentive Travel PlaybookDesigning a reward journey around the people who won it, and delivering it without them seeing the operation.Playbook · 8 milestonesThat is the plan. We can also be the ones running it.
Every milestone above has an owner, a date and a consequence for missing it. If you would rather that owner was us, send the format, the dates and the headcount.
hello@voyacircle.com