Trade show glossary
A
- Attendee list
- The list of people registered to visit a trade show. Organisers rarely publish it; exhibitors may receive badge scans of visitors to their own booth.
B
- Badge scanning
- Scanning a visitor's event badge at a booth to capture their contact details as a lead, usually with an app or device rented from the organiser.
- Booth number
- The identifier of an exhibitor's stand on the show floor, such as 'Hall 3, B412'. Exhibitor directories usually list it.
- Booth rental
- The fee an exhibitor pays the organiser for floor space, usually priced per square metre or square foot.
C
- Conference
- An event built around talks and sessions. Many conferences run an exhibition hall alongside the programme.
E
- Edition
- One occurrence of a recurring event, such as the 2026 edition of an annual trade show. Exhibitor lists change between editions.
- Event app
- The mobile app an organiser provides for a show, usually carrying the agenda, floor plan and exhibitor directory.
- Exhibition hall
- The area of a venue where exhibitors set up booths. Large shows span several halls.
- Exhibitor
- A company that rents space at a trade show or conference to show its products or services.
- Exhibitor directory
- The organiser's published list of exhibitors, on the event website or app, often with booth numbers, categories and company descriptions.
- Exhibitor list
- The set of companies exhibiting at one event edition. Sales teams use it to find companies that have budget for events in a given industry.
- Exhibitor manual
- The organiser's rulebook for exhibitors: deadlines, build-up and tear-down times, stand regulations and services to order.
F
- Floor plan
- A map of the show floor showing every booth and its exhibitor. Organisers publish interactive versions online.
H
- Hosted buyer
- A qualified buyer whose travel and accommodation the organiser pays for, in return for scheduled meetings with exhibitors.
L
- Lead retrieval
- The organiser's service for exhibitors to capture and export visitor details during a show, usually by badge scanning.
O
- Organiser
- The company that runs a trade show: sells booth space and sponsorships, markets the event and publishes the exhibitor directory.
P
- Pavilion
- A group of booths under one banner, typically a country or region, such as a national pavilion funded by a trade agency.
- Post-show follow-up
- Contacting the leads collected at a show in the days after it ends, by email, phone or meeting.
- Pre-show outreach
- Contacting exhibitors or attendees before a show to book meetings for the event days.
S
- Show floor
- The exhibition area where booths are set up and visitors walk the aisles.
- A named sponsorship level sold by the organiser, such as Platinum, Gold or Silver, each with its own price and visibility.
T
- Trade fair
- Another name for a trade show, common in Europe. Large trade fairs can run a week and host thousands of exhibitors.
- Trade show
- An event where companies in one industry exhibit products and services to buyers, partners and press.
V
- Vertical
- The industry an event or company belongs to, such as healthcare, food and beverage or construction.