How to Use This Exhibitor Checklist
An exhibitor checklist turns a trade show into a list of dated tasks with owners. It is written from the exhibiting company's side: what your team must decide, order, send and do so the booth is ready, staffed and producing leads. If you are organizing the show, the trade show checklist covers the organizer's side, and this page is the one to share with your exhibitors.
Build it from the exhibitor manual, not from the show date. The manual sets the deadlines that drive everything else: service order discount dates, the advance warehouse window, the deadline for hanging sign drawings, insurance certificates and badge registrations. Copy each date onto the checklist the day you receive the manual. If this is your first show, start with how to exhibit at a trade show.
| Phase | When | Main tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | 6+ months out | Choose the show, book the booth, set goals and a budget |
| Build | 3–6 months out | Booth design or rental, graphics, travel and hotel |
| Order | 2–3 months out | Booth services, lead retrieval, onboarding tasks, insurance |
| Prepare | 2–8 weeks out | Shipping, pre-show marketing, meetings, staff briefing |
| Run | Show week | Move-in, booth operations, daily lead review |
| Follow up | After the show | Move-out, lead follow-up, debrief and ROI |
Six Months or More Out: Plan
- Choose the show against your goals and audience; see how to choose a trade show
- Read the prospectus and exhibitor manual, and copy every deadline onto this checklist
- Book the booth, ideally early enough to choose your location on the floor plan
- Write one or two measurable objectives, such as qualified leads or meetings booked
- Set the budget, including space, booth, services, shipping, travel and giveaways; see trade show budget
- Name an owner for the show and an owner for lead follow-up
Three to Six Months Out: Build
- Decide whether to build, reuse or rent the booth; see trade show booth rental
- Brief the designer or exhibit house with the booth size, type and the show's height rules
- Plan graphics and banners; see trade show booth graphics
- Plan lighting and list every device that needs power
- Book travel and hotel rooms, using the show's room block if there is one; see hotel room block
- Choose a booth activity or game if you plan one, and check the show's rules for it
Two to Three Months Out: Order
- Order booth services before the discount deadline: flooring, electrical, furniture, internet, cleaning and labor
- Order rigging and submit drawings for any hanging sign or overhead lighting
- Order lead retrieval for the booth team
- Activate your exhibitor portal account and complete the company profile, products and booth staff
- Complete the organizer's onboarding tasks: forms, acknowledgements and uploads
- Arrange insurance and upload the certificate of insurance if the show requires one
- Register booth staff for badges
- Order giveaways, allowing for production and shipping time
Shows often publish your company profile on their website and event app before attendees arrive. A complete profile with a clear description, products and booth staff is free pre-show marketing, and an incomplete one is often the first thing an organizer chases.
Two to Eight Weeks Out: Prepare
- Decide advance warehouse or direct-to-show shipping, book the carrier and prepare labels; see trade show logistics
- Ship to the advance warehouse inside its receiving window
- Email customers and prospects with your booth number, and book meetings
- Post the booth number and what visitors will see on your website and social channels
- Write the qualifying questions staff will ask; see lead qualification questions
- Brief booth staff on goals, schedule, dress code, demo script and lead capture
- Pack the booth kit and print the staff schedule
- Write the follow-up emails now, so they are ready to send; see trade show follow-up email
Show Week: Run
- Check in at the service desk, confirm freight has arrived and all service orders are in place
- Set up within the move-in window, test lights, screens and the lead retrieval app
- Tag empty crates for storage
- Hold a short staff huddle before doors open each day
- Scan every conversation, with a rating and a note
- Review leads at the end of each day and send urgent ones to sales
- Keep the booth tidy: restock literature and giveaways, clear clutter from counters
- Submit outbound shipping paperwork before the deadline
For more on staffing a booth through a long show, see trade show staffing, and for a final run-through the night before, the last-minute checklist for hosting a trade show booth.
After the Show: Follow Up
- Pack and release freight to the carrier at move-out; don't leave the booth unattended
- Export leads and send the first follow-up within a few days of the show closing
- Route hot leads to sales with the notes from the booth
- Hold a debrief with booth staff while it is fresh
- Compare results against the objectives and calculate trade show ROI
- Note what to change, and whether to rebook the same space, for next year
Exhibitor Checklist Template
Copy this into a shared document or task tool, replace each placeholder with the date from your exhibitor manual, and assign an owner to every line.
EXHIBITOR CHECKLIST: [SHOW NAME], [CITY], [DATES] Booth: [NUMBER], [SIZE], [TYPE] Show owner: [NAME] Lead follow-up owner: [NAME] PLAN (6+ MONTHS OUT) [ ] Read prospectus and exhibitor manual, copy deadlines below [ ] Book booth [ ] Set objectives: [NUMBER] qualified leads, [NUMBER] meetings [ ] Set budget: [AMOUNT] BUILD (3-6 MONTHS OUT) [ ] Booth: build / reuse / rent, supplier [NAME] [ ] Design brief sent, height rules checked [ ] Graphics and banners ordered, artwork due [DATE] [ ] Travel and hotel booked, room block deadline [DATE] ORDER (2-3 MONTHS OUT) [ ] Service orders before discount deadline [DATE]: flooring, electrical, furniture, internet, cleaning, labor [ ] Rigging and hanging sign drawings, due [DATE] [ ] Lead retrieval ordered [ ] Exhibitor portal account active [ ] Company profile, products and booth staff complete [ ] Onboarding tasks complete, due [DATE] [ ] Certificate of insurance uploaded, due [DATE] [ ] Staff badges registered, due [DATE] [ ] Giveaways ordered PREPARE (2-8 WEEKS OUT) [ ] Shipping method: advance warehouse / direct, carrier [NAME] [ ] Warehouse receiving window [DATES], freight shipped [DATE] [ ] Pre-show emails sent, meetings booked [ ] Qualifying questions written [ ] Staff briefing held on [DATE] [ ] Follow-up emails drafted [ ] Booth kit packed SHOW WEEK [ ] Service desk check-in, freight and orders confirmed [ ] Booth set up by [TIME], lights and lead app tested [ ] Empties tagged for storage [ ] Daily huddle and daily lead review [ ] Outbound paperwork submitted by [DEADLINE] AFTER THE SHOW [ ] Freight released to carrier [ ] First follow-up sent by [DATE] [ ] Hot leads routed to sales [ ] Debrief held on [DATE] [ ] Results vs objectives and ROI recorded [ ] Rebooking decision made by [DATE] BOOTH KIT [ ] Exhibitor manual, service order confirmations, shipping paperwork [ ] Chargers, power strip (if allowed), extension cord, spare batteries [ ] Tape the show allows, zip ties, scissors, box cutter, cleaning cloths [ ] Literature, business cards, giveaways for each tier [ ] Water, snacks, basic first aid, comfortable shoes
For Organizers: Turn This Into Onboarding Tasks
Organizers get fewer late forms and fewer move-in surprises when the exhibitor's checklist and the organizer's requirements are the same list. Turn the items you need from exhibitors into onboarding tasks with due dates, and send exhibitors this page for everything else.
| Checklist item | Onboarding task type in Map D | How it completes |
|---|---|---|
| Company profile complete | Profile information | When the exhibitor fills in the fields you require |
| Products listed | Products & services | When they add the minimum number you set |
| Booth staff added | Booth personnel | When they add the minimum number of staff |
| Booth confirmed | Booth assignment | When you assign them a booth |
| Insurance in place | Certificate of insurance (Vertical Insure) | When their insurance is in place |
| Forms returned | Document upload | When they upload the file, with your approval if required |
| Rules read | Acknowledgement | When they select Mark as done |
The exhibitor portal software page explains how the portal and onboarding checklist work for organizers, and the exhibitor manual template is where the deadlines on this checklist should come from.
