National Exhibitor Masterclass

The event, supported by the AEO and NEC, and sponsored by ESSA and GES, presented a mix of theory and practical advice ranging from top networking tips, to social media and understanding the technoscape. 

The 510 delegates, who had travelled from all 4 corners of the UK and as far afield as Poland and Italy, represented small-to-medium enterprises from sectors across the board.

Jenni Jaques, Marketing Director, AEO, said:

“This event has gained so much momentum since its launch we had to close registration two weeks ahead of the event. We are so pleased by the turnout of businesses representative of the exhibiting community from up and down the UK and abroad. Having spoken to many exhibitors who attended, we’re confident the speakers offered everyone invaluable advice to help them enhance their exhibiting performance throughout the exhibiting cycle.’’

Kathryn James, Managing Director, NEC Group Conventions and Exhibitions, said:

 “We are delighted to have partnered FaceTime on the third National Exhibitor Masterclass at the NEC. I strongly believe that ‘face-to-face’ is by far the best way for businesses to help their brands stand out from the crowd and this annual event is a fantastic opportunity for exhibitors to learn how to make the most of their exhibiting experiences. We worked closely with the AEO/ Facetime team to ensure that there was something on the agenda for both seasoned exhibitors and those that are just starting out.”

“The NEC hosts over 140 exhibitions each year so our venue teams have seen some extremely cool ways that exhibitors have pushed the boundaries to ensure that their space stands out from the crowd and we are always happy to share this knowledge. At the NEC, our exhibitors have the opportunity to utilise some truly unique indoor and outdoor spaces; with Resorts World and the Genting Arena on our park, our exhibitors are able to engage with their key buyers outside the hours of an exhibition.”

Christine Martin, Marketing Director, EMEA , GES, said:

“The best Exhibitor Masterclass yet! The GES team made contact with hundreds of exhibitors, picked up a raft of ideas from the speakers and came away having had plenty of worthwhile conversations with exhibitors. GES is delighted to support the exhibitor community coming together for top quality learning, sharing and networking.”

Simon Perry, Sales and Account Manager at ESSA, said:

“Another fantastic National Exhibitor Masterclass at the NEC. It is great to give continued support to an event that consistently educates and informs hundreds of exhibitors on how to get the most out of their show experience as well as being positioned to promote a group of top industry suppliers via our “Use an ESSA Member” campaign. ESSA very much looks forward to supporting future masterclasses and continuing to provide exhibitors with a strong database of approved suppliers.  

Funded by the Association of Event Organiser (AEO), FaceTime was started in 2010 to provide advice for businesses on face-to-face marketing.