Those of you who have been asked to organize a trade show before might know the fear associated with making the big decisions! Exhibiting is a significant investment for most businesses, so there can be a lot of pressure on those organizing. This is even more prevalent in high-stakes sectors like safety and security. Currently, the UK hosts around 8 fantastic shows for this industry, and there are even more throughout Europe.
The difference between a show that’s relevant for your business, and one that’s not is evident. When you find the right show for your business, audiences are relevant, leads come naturally and convert more easily into real business opportunities. This blog will explore methods for choosing the most appropriate trade show and share a few of our top picks for this year!
Choosing Your Safety and Security Trade Shows
Factors like relevance, price, proximity, and personal goals all affect which trade shows are best for your business.
Relevance should be the first point of consideration! Though there can be many shows for one particular industry, they often cater to different audiences. For example, the Fire Safety Event and the International Security Expo both cater to the safety and security industries. However, while one targets fire safety experts, the other targets brands in safety and security.
Before choosing your show, make sure you conduct thorough research on the topics and themes. Many shows provide previous exhibitor lists. Have a look through these brands and assess their likeness to your own. Another useful tool is YouTube. Many shows have a roundup or interviews online, where you can gain brilliant insights from visitors, previous exhibitors and show organisers. One exhibition contractor, Quadrant2Design, has an entire playlist dedicated to show visits and client interviews.
Next up, it’s worth considering the price of exhibiting. Though it would be ideal to exhibit at the most relevant show, sometimes businesses are restricted by budget. If this applies to you, make a shortlist of the most relevant shows and evaluate the cost of exhibiting at each, including hotel costs, travel, and other sundry expenses. Your proximity to the show also plays a large factor in the overall pricing, so make sure to take this into account. You might find your budget decides for you!
Below are the three safety and security shows we are most excited about in 2025!
The Health and Safety Event | Safety and Security Event Series
The Health and Safety Event is the UK’s largest gathering for those working towards a safe and efficient workplace. It is co-located with five other events, gaining maximum traffic, content, and traction. Co-located events are a fantastic way to maximise return on investment, as there is usually cross-pollination from the other shows. This allows exhibitors to gain brand awareness from all of the sectors in attendance while also gaining the benefits of a specific audience for the health and safety industry.
The Fire Safety Event | Safety and Security Event Series
Next up is The Fire Safety Event! This event is one of the 5 shows co-located with The Health and Safety Event, providing the same excellent opportunities for increased visibility! Additionally, The Fire Safety Event is the premier UK platform for professionals in the fire safety sector to find products and suppliers. A key attraction for many attendees is the Fire Safety Leaders Summit, which offers exclusive, high-level strategic insights for senior leaders in the industry. This VIP summit is especially appealing to high-value buyers!
Anticipate London
Anticipate London is one of the favourite platforms for decision-makers in security, fire, safety property, and facilities management. This show seems to be growing in value and traction with every edition. Anticipate London hosts four shows, including Firex, the Facilities Show, the Safety & Health Expo, and Ifsec, each bringing valuable audiences. This show differs from the two above as it focuses on smarter properties, safer occupants and integrated systems.
Exhibiting at Shows Across Many Locations
Many businesses also benefit from exhibiting at multiple shows throughout the year. In these situations, brands can maximise returns by maintaining brand consistency across each show. For this, it’s best to use the same colour palette and style of the stand so the brand is instantly recognisable to visitors. Modular exhibition stands are an excellent solution for achieving this consistency, as they allow for the reuse of many panels across different shows, ensuring a perfect colour match every time. Additionally, the stands can be reconfigured across shows, so they look new each time. It’s also worth keeping a detailed log of previous conversations so you can refer back if you see the same visitors.
Conclusion
The safety and security industries have many exciting shows that are fast approaching! Whether you plan to exhibit at all of them or the most suitable, these shows have a lot of great benefits to offer your business. Make sure you take the time to research before the shows and use tools like YouTube to your advantage!
