At this time of year, businesses are usually inundated with invitations to various trade shows. This is because the majority of companies want to start the New Year with as many new business leads as possible.

With so many taking place each month, it is important to pick the right trade show for you. Without proper research into the event you could find yourself attending an exhibition that does not reach the clients that you want to target or that does not specialise in the market in which you are involved.

To avoid this from happening and to reap the rewards that trade shows can deliver, the best place to start is to get the facts sorted. This means finding out which companies will be exhibiting at the show and, also, discovering how many people the exhibition organisers expect to attend.

Before committing yourself to a specific trade show, it is essential to think about logistics. For example, how far away is the venue? Travelling and staying near the site can obviously prove to be expensive, but the pros and cons of the distance and cost of the show need to be weighed up. Although it may initially be a costly process, in the long-term there may be many benefits from travelling further away from your office than usual in order to attend a trade exhibition. In fact, it could be an opportunity to significantly broaden your contacts and clients and generate new business.

Essentially, planning ahead will help to maximise the business prospects that can be gained from attending a show. Shows that are run by trade associations can help make this preparation process easier as they can provide those attending with expert knowledge and invaluable advice if needs be. One example of this type of show is the International PROMOTA Show 2008, which takes place 19-20 February at Birmingham's NEC.

In the majority of cases, shows run by these associations are member only events. These types of exhibitions have a number of benefits. For example, by attending a member-only trade show you can be assured that all of the companies that you will come into contact with will be reputable.

However, attending a trade exhibition that is not tailored solely for members can also provide your company with many benefits. These events can be organised again by trade associations or by businesses that have specific knowledge in their market. Events like these offer companies the opportunity to significantly broaden their range of clients and exchange their knowledge with different people.

For any trade show though, it is important to think long and hard about what you want to gain from the event. It is useful to set yourself realistic targets about what you hope to achieve. For example, if you're a distributor this may be to find out more information about a certain product or supplier, or to make five new contacts. Also, if you do not already have them, it may be useful to print business cards so you can quickly exchange your details with prospective contacts.

If you're planning to exhibit at the show, it's necessary to remember that this is a fantastic opportunity to present prospective customers with a good image of your company. Therefore, it is important to decide who will be the best people to staff your stand - they need to reflect your corporate image and be able to attract visitors to the stand.

Once the show is over and you are ready to leave, it is important not to forget all the valuable knowledge that you have accrued over the course of the day. It is often useful to record what proved to be successful and what you could have done better as this can help you prepare for your next show. It can also be a good way to measure your success as you can compare your initial goals against what you actually achieved. Most important though is to record the names and details of all the contacts that you made, and to remember to follow them up after the event.

Trade shows are an enjoyable way to generate new business. And with just a little bit of planning, this is virtually guaranteed for all who attend, making trade shows an intelligent business investment that all companies should consider.

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