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Exhibitor Manual Template

The sections an exhibitor manual needs, in the order exhibitors look for them.

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Buyer summary

What goes in an exhibitor manual?

An exhibitor manual tells exhibitors everything they need to prepare for the show: key dates and deadlines, the floor plan and booth rules, move-in and move-out, services and how to order them, shipping, badges, and contacts. Put the deadlines first, and send it early enough for exhibitors to act on it.

Best for
Organizers writing or updating the exhibitor kit for a trade show
What to evaluate
  • Deadlines first
  • Booth rules and services
  • Clear contacts

Trusted by leading associations

  • naa
  • new york school nutrition-association
  • gsae
  • bmsa
  • fhba
  • american distilling institute
  • cannacon
  • aia florida
  • the fit expo

What our customers say

See how event teams use MapD to run smoother events.

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MapD is the best option for our expos. Our clients love the registration process! Data organization and exports are simple and easy. Fast reliable customer support feels like family. The wide variety of tools available for us allow us to grow and still feel well accommodated.

Experience Expositions

Kyle Michaud

President @ Experience Expositions

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MapD is indeed a welcome and needed change for the way we sell booths and handle our awesome exhibitors. With being in our 20th year, we needed a system that would take the guesswork out of exhibitor payments, accounting, floor plan assignments and more! MapD has helped us sell more booths in a shorter time frame and we will most definitely continue to use them!

Taliah Waajid

Ta'ron Joyner

Exhibitor Acquisitions Manager @ Taliah Waajid

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MapD is one of the most user friendly systems I have found for floor plan software. The customer service received after signing up goes unmatched by any other systems I have used. MapD has truly made my job easier as an Exhibit Manager and helps to promote and sell booth space with the interactive floor plan I can deliver to my vendors.

Kinsley

Casey Hiner

Meeting Architect @ Kinsley

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The support of our vendors and partners allows us to put these events together, so again, thank you. I hope you have enjoyed this year's Virtual A-Day! The platform is amazing and so easy to use. :)

DFWAE

Alyssa Meek

Events manager @ DFWAE

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I am really excited about this. The staff met with me this morning and we all LOVE the platform. People are already filling out their booths.

Maine Insurance Agents Association

Lisa Veregge

Director, International Trade and Development @ Maine Insurance Agents Association

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Map D is an amazing platform and easy to use! We worked with Map D for our virtual annual conference last year and it worked like a charm. When we held our annual conference in-person for the first time in two years, our first choice for our conference app was Map D!

Texas Society of CPAs

Rori Shaw

Executive Director @ Texas Society of CPAs

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I just came back from show site. This week I had my largest show ever. I had 247 exhibitors and I had 247 happy exhibitors. And a lot of that is a result of they were able to get their badges, update their profile, reach out to me anytime they want to.

Georgia Municipal Association

Yalonde Tanner

Show Manager @ Georgia Municipal Association

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Exporting exhibitors is really helpful for me. Fern needs a list of all our exhibitors with their booth number and what size it's going to be. Just exporting that list and getting it to whoever I'm working with at Fern is so incredibly helpful.

Multi Family Northwest

Laura Webb

Event Coordinator @ Multi Family Northwest

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I'm probably your only customer who uses it to sell campsites, but it works really well. I just give them a drawing and they put it all together for me. I don't have to do it - it saves me many hours.

High Lifter Products

Tracie Engi

High Lifter Products

The exhibitor manual template

1. Key Dates and Deadlines

A single table of what is due and when: orders, badge lists, certificates, and payments. Put it first.

RS
Ridgeline Supply Co.
Booth A12 · Exhibitor Portal
2 tasks due
Booth readiness6 of 8 complete
  • Company profile & logoApproved
  • Certificate of insuranceApproved
  • Staff badges (4 of 6 named)Due Mar 14
  • Final balance · $2,775Due Mar 20
  • Marketplace listing publishedLive

Reminders sent automatically at 30, 14 and 3 days.

2. Show Information

Show hours, venue address, parking, and how exhibitors reach the hall.

Overnight Orders
While your team was asleep
$18,450
6 orders · 11pm – 7am
  • 02:14Ridgeline Supply Co.Booth A12 · corner premium · banner$5,550Paid
  • 03:41Harborline EquipmentBooths B21–B22 · double$6,800Paid
  • 05:08Verdant Nursery GroupBooth C07 · deposit 50%$1,200Balance due
  • 06:52Kestrel Print & SignageSponsorship · aisle signage bundle$4,900Paid

Inventory locks on purchase — nobody sold A12 twice.

3. Floor Plan and Booth Rules

The floor plan, booth sizes and what is included, height and display limits, and any restrictions on sound, demos, and giveaways.

Spring Expo 2026 — Halls A & BPublished
Hall A floor plan with booths colored by sales status
AvailableReservedSoldUnavailable

4. Move-In and Move-Out

Schedule by day and time, loading rules, and the penalties for leaving early.

RS
Ridgeline Supply Co.
Booth A12 · Exhibitor Portal
2 tasks due
Booth readiness6 of 8 complete
  • Company profile & logoApproved
  • Certificate of insuranceApproved
  • Staff badges (4 of 6 named)Due Mar 14
  • Final balance · $2,775Due Mar 20
  • Marketplace listing publishedLive

Reminders sent automatically at 30, 14 and 3 days.

5. Services and Ordering

What can be ordered (power, internet, furniture, cleaning, and so on), prices, the deadline for discount rates, and how to order.

Overnight Orders
While your team was asleep
$18,450
6 orders · 11pm – 7am
  • 02:14Ridgeline Supply Co.Booth A12 · corner premium · banner$5,550Paid
  • 03:41Harborline EquipmentBooths B21–B22 · double$6,800Paid
  • 05:08Verdant Nursery GroupBooth C07 · deposit 50%$1,200Balance due
  • 06:52Kestrel Print & SignageSponsorship · aisle signage bundle$4,900Paid

Inventory locks on purchase — nobody sold A12 twice.

6. Shipping and Storage

Where to send freight, the receiving window, and how to arrange storage and return shipping.

Spring Expo 2026 — Halls A & BPublished
Hall A floor plan with booths colored by sales status
AvailableReservedSoldUnavailable

7. Badges, Registration, and Lead Retrieval

How staff get badges, how many are included, and how exhibitors capture leads.

RS
Ridgeline Supply Co.
Booth A12 · Exhibitor Portal
2 tasks due
Booth readiness6 of 8 complete
  • Company profile & logoApproved
  • Certificate of insuranceApproved
  • Staff badges (4 of 6 named)Due Mar 14
  • Final balance · $2,775Due Mar 20
  • Marketplace listing publishedLive

Reminders sent automatically at 30, 14 and 3 days.

8. Contacts and Onsite Support

Who to call before the show and onsite, with hours and a single help desk location.

Overnight Orders
While your team was asleep
$18,450
6 orders · 11pm – 7am
  • 02:14Ridgeline Supply Co.Booth A12 · corner premium · banner$5,550Paid
  • 03:41Harborline EquipmentBooths B21–B22 · double$6,800Paid
  • 05:08Verdant Nursery GroupBooth C07 · deposit 50%$1,200Balance due
  • 06:52Kestrel Print & SignageSponsorship · aisle signage bundle$4,900Paid

Inventory locks on purchase — nobody sold A12 twice.

See it on your own floor plan

Stop reading about it. Build one.

Upload the floor plan you already have and place your booths on it yourself, in Map D’s editor. Free to build, no contract, and nothing to install.

800+
Organizers running shows on Map D
6,000+
Events powered every year
800,000+
Booths drawn to date

“I am really excited about this. The staff met with me this morning and we all LOVE the platform. People are already filling out their booths.”

Director, International Trade and Development @ Maine Insurance Agents Association

Your questions answered

Common questions about exhibitor manual template.

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When should the exhibitor manual go out?

Early enough for exhibitors to meet the first deadline, and again as a reminder before discounted ordering closes.

Should it be a PDF or online?

An online portal is easier to keep current and to link from reminders, and lets exhibitors place orders in one place.

What is the most important section?

Deadlines. Most exhibitor issues come from missed dates, so they should be the first thing exhibitors see.

Does Map D have an exhibitor portal?

Yes. Exhibitors manage assets, communications, and orders in one portal.