Guide · Exhibitions

Staffing your stand at ExCeL or the NEC: an exhibitor's checklist.

ExCeL London and the NEC Birmingham are big halls with long show days. This checklist covers the people side of your stand, from passes and arrival to briefing, breaks and badge scanning.

5 min read6 steps7 checks

Exhibition staff handing out event guides at DSEI, ExCeL London

Plan the team for the peaks, not the average.The one thing to remember

Start here

Six steps to a staffed stand.

The stand, the graphics and the product are booked. These six steps make sure the people on it are ready for a big hall and a long day.

A large crowd of visitors in front of the red Yakult stand and fridges in an exhibition hall

01Step 1 of 6

Yakult promotional staff with the Yakult mascot and visitors at New Scientist Live, ExCeL London

Plan the team for the peaks

Big halls bring big crowds at certain times and quiet spells in between.

Opening hour
Lunch
After the keynote

Key pointPlan the team for the peaks, not the average.

02Step 2 of 6

Executional exhibition staff handing out DSEI guides to visitors at ExCeL London

Sort passes and arrival early

The organiser's exhibitor manual sets the rules for everyone working on your stand.

Exhibitor passes
Hall access times
Route to the hall

03Step 3 of 6

Two event staff in official publications tops handing out show guides at DSEI, ExCeL London

Brief the team before doors open

Visitors judge a stand in seconds, so everyone on it should tell the same story.

One page brief
Opening line
Who takes the sale

04Step 4 of 6

Artero UK stand staff with leaflets on the grooming stand at Crufts, NEC Birmingham

Plan shifts and breaks for a long show

Show days are long, and tired staff stop approaching people.

Rotate roles
Stagger breaks
Same team each day

05Step 5 of 6

Staff sampling Lion's Mane drinks at the Grass & Co. stand in Birmingham

Capture every lead

A good conversation that isn't recorded is lost once the show ends.

Badge scanner
Lead capture app
Qualifying questions

06Step 6 of 6

Team sharing leaflets and samples of dog food with Crufts visitors

Close the show properly

The last hour and the day after decide how much the show was worth.

Leads shared
Team feedback
Notes for next time

Checklist

Before the doors open.

Ready for the show.

Stand staff handing a protein sachet to a visitor on the show floor

Common questions

Stand staffing questions.

How many people do I need on a stand at ExCeL or the NEC?

It depends on the stand size, the visitors you expect and what you want staff to do. Plan enough people to hold conversations at your peak times, plus cover for breaks; we work it out with you in the quote.

Do stand staff need exhibitor passes?

Yes. Everyone working on the stand needs the pass the organiser issues to exhibitors. Check the exhibitor manual for the deadline.

Can stand staff hand out food and drink samples?

Yes, where the venue allows it. Staff handling food should hold a food hygiene certificate, and the stand needs space to prepare and store samples safely.

Do you have staff who live near the NEC?

Yes. Our exhibition staff in Birmingham work the NEC show halls, and our event staff live across the city and the West Midlands, so they know the route to the NEC.

Does the same plan work at other exhibition halls?

Yes. The same checklist works at Olympia, the SEC, the EICC, ACC Liverpool, ICC Wales and smaller regional halls.

Stand teams for the big halls.

EXECUTIONAL supplies stand teams at ExCeL, the NEC and exhibition halls across the UK: hosts, brand ambassadors, floor walkers and sampling staff, briefed on your stand and managed through every show day. See our exhibition staff, or our exhibition staff in London for ExCeL and Olympia.

Get a quote →