Hillhead is unlike any other exhibition. Set in a working quarry near Buxton, Derbyshire, it brings together hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors from across the quarrying, construction and recycling sectors every two years. With live demonstrations, heavy kit on the move and large-scale outdoor builds, it demands more planning and preparation than a typical indoor show.

That’s why the smartest exhibitors don’t start planning in the spring – they begin during the winter months.

At Saward Marketing & Events, we’ve supported brands at Hillhead for many years, working alongside partners like GL events to deliver eye-catching, high-performing exhibition structures in the quarry environment. Winter is when we help clients shape their strategy, design their stands and lock in logistics so they’re calm, ready and confident when summer arrives.

Here’s how to use the winter months to set your brand up for its best Hillhead yet.

1. Start with Strategy, Not Stand Size

Before you think about square metres or structure height, use the quieter winter period to get clear on your objectives.

Ask yourself:

• Are we launching new plant, products or technology at Hillhead?
• Do we want to drive qualified leads, distributor meetings or press coverage?
• Is our focus brand visibility, hospitality for key customers, or live demos?
• Which markets (quarrying, construction, recycling) do we most want to speak to?

Once your goals are defined, your stand design, layout, hospitality and demo schedule can all be built to support them – instead of simply filling a plot because “that’s what we always book”.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we work with you to translate business goals into a clear exhibition plan, so every element of your presence at Hillhead has a purpose.

2. Lock In Your Space and Structures Early

Hillhead is a busy, high-demand show with a mix of outdoor plots, demo areas and indoor pavilion space. The best positions and structure options are often secured well in advance.

Use the winter months to:

• Confirm (or upgrade) your stand location and footprint
• Decide whether you need an enclosed structure, open deck, hospitality area – or a combination
• Plan how your products, machines or technology will be displayed and accessed safely
• Allow time for ground works, level changes or special access if required

Because Hillhead is held in a quarry, there are additional practical considerations – gradients, visibility lines, weather exposure and visitor flow all matter more than at a flat indoor venue.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we design and manage stand builds that work with the quarry environment, not against it – from elevated leg heights to improve visibility to clever indoor/outdoor layouts that make the most of the dramatic setting.

3. Design a Stand That Works in a Real Quarry

Hillhead is a working environment: dusty underfoot, potentially hot or wet depending on the weather, and full of movement. Your stand needs to look exceptional but also be robust, safe and practical.

Winter is the perfect time to:

• Develop 3D visuals and floorplans that consider visitor flow and sightlines from multiple approaches
• Plan clear product zones – static displays, demo viewing, meeting space, hospitality, reception
• Choose durable finishes and furnishings suitable for an outdoor quarry environment
• Integrate storage, staff welfare and secure areas discreetly into the design
• Plan lighting that works in bright sunshine and gloomy conditions alike

Think of your structure as a temporary HQ in the quarry – it should feel professional, on-brand and welcoming, but also tough enough for three long, busy days.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: our team creates bespoke stand concepts for Hillhead that balance impact with practicality, ensuring your brand looks polished whatever the weather throws at you.

4. Plan Your Live Demonstrations and Visitor Experience

One of Hillhead’s biggest draws is the ability to see equipment working in a live quarry environment. If you’re showcasing machinery, attachments or processing lines, winter is the time to choreograph how visitors will experience them.

Consider:

• Which products will be running live, and which will be static displays
• Safe viewing positions and clear sightlines for demos
• Signage, briefing points and demo schedules
• Integration of video screens or AR/VR to show capabilities that can’t be demonstrated on site
• How your sales team engages visitors before and after each demo

A well-planned visitor journey – from first impression, into your stand, through a demo and into a meaningful conversation – is what turns quarry traffic into tangible leads.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we map the visitor journey on your stand and help script and stage demos so your team knows exactly what happens, when, and why.

5. Get Ahead with Branding, Graphics and Content

Winter is the ideal time to create the visual and written content that will bring your stand to life. Leaving this until late spring risks rushed, inconsistent messaging.

Use these months to:

• Update your brand messaging and key product claims
• Design stand graphics, hero visuals and wayfinding signage
• Create video content, motion graphics and demo loops
• Prepare technical datasheets, brochures and QR-linked downloads
• Align your on-stand messaging with your website and social media

By the time spring arrives, you want your creative assets ready to go – not still waiting for sign-off.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we handle stand graphics, digital content and print collateral as part of a joined-up exhibition package, so everything feels cohesive and on-brand.

6. Sort Logistics, Accommodation and On-Site Operations Early

Hillhead is a popular event in a busy area, and practical arrangements can book up quickly. The winter planning window is perfect for securing the essentials:

• Accommodation for your team and key customers
• Transport for staff, guests and equipment
• Heavy kit logistics – delivery, offloading, positioning and removal of machines
• Catering and hospitality – coffee, refreshments, lunches, evening receptions
• Power, data and services required for your stand and demos

Having a clear timeline and logistics plan before spring means fewer surprises and smoother build and breakdown phases.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we project manage your Hillhead presence end-to-end, coordinating suppliers and schedules so you can focus on your customers instead of chasing deliveries and power drops.

7. Build Your Pre-Show Marketing Calendar

Hillhead is a fantastic platform – but only if the right people know you’re there and why they should visit your stand.

Use winter to set up a pre-show marketing plan that might include:

• Save-the-date emails and invitations for key customers and prospects
• Social media campaigns counting down to the show
• Landing pages with meeting booking options
• Press releases or media briefings for product launches
• Show-only offers, demo slots or VIP hospitality sessions

By starting now, your campaign can build steadily and strategically, rather than rushing out last-minute messages in June.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we can support with copywriting, design and campaign planning to ensure your on-stand activity is backed by strong pre-show communication.

8. Don’t Forget Safety, Compliance and Sustainability

In a live quarry environment, safety and compliance are non-negotiable. Winter is a good time to review:

• Risk assessments and method statements for your stand and demos
• PPE requirements for staff and visitors
• Accessibility for all guests
• Opportunities to reduce waste and improve sustainability on your stand

With increasing emphasis on environmental performance, considering sustainable materials, re-usable structures and low-waste hospitality during the planning phase will put you ahead of the curve.

How Saward Marketing & Events helps: we work within Hillhead’s guidelines and best practice to ensure your stand and activity are safe, compliant and aligned with contemporary sustainability expectations.

Make This Winter the Start of Your Best Hillhead Yet

Hillhead is a major investment of time, money and resource – but the returns can be exceptional when you plan early, design intelligently and execute confidently.

By using the winter months to get ahead on strategy, stand design, logistics, content and marketing, you:\

• Reduce last-minute stress
• Make better use of your budget
• Give your team clear direction and tools to succeed
• Arrive on site ready to focus on visitors, not firefighting

Saward Marketing & Events is here to help you at every stage – from initial concept and plotting out your presence, through to stand design, build, graphics, logistics and on-site support at Hillhead.

Planning to exhibit at the next Hillhead?
Use this winter to get ahead. Contact Saward Marketing & Events to discuss your goals and let’s start building an exhibition presence that truly stands out in the quarry this summer.

The NEC Birmingham is one of the UK’s leading exhibition venues, attracting thousands of visitors annually across trade shows, consumer expos, and industry events. Whether you’re attending to showcase a product, generate leads, or strengthen your brand presence, your stand must work hard for you. A successful exhibition requires planning, smart design choices, customer engagement, and post-event strategy — and that’s where Saward Marketing & Events can help you stand out.

In this blog, we’ll explore best practices for exhibiting at the NEC and how partnering with Saward Marketing & Events ensures your next exhibition stand makes a powerful impact.

1. Define Clear Objectives Before You Exhibit

Before you commit to a stand design or printed materials, you must understand what you want to achieve at the NEC. Exhibitions can deliver exceptional ROI when goals are set early.

Ask yourself:

• Are we looking to generate high-quality leads?
• Do we want to launch or demo a product?
• Is brand visibility our top priority?
• Do we want to meet distributors, partners or investors?

Your answer will influence layout, messaging, staffing and follow-up activities.

2. Stand Design Matters — Make It Memorable

With hundreds of stands competing for attention, visual impact is everything. Your message must be clear from the moment attendees walk past. A well-designed stand attracts, engages and converts visitors into conversations.

Effective stand design includes:

• Bold, easy-to-read branding visible from a distance
• Smart use of lighting to highlight key areas
• Clean layout with natural visitor flow
• Multimedia displays — screens, motion graphics, product demos
• Comfortable welcoming space for discussions

Saward Marketing & Events specialises in bespoke exhibition stand builds that are visually striking and functional. Whether modular or custom-built, we make sure your design reflects your brand perfectly.

3. Make Your Stand Experience Interactive

People remember experiences more than brochures. To maximise engagement, give visitors something to do — not just something to look at.

Ideas to try:

• Product demonstrations
• Live workshops or scheduled talks
• VR or touch-screen digital interaction
• Hands-on product testing
• Giveaways, competitions, branded merch

Interaction increases dwell time and creates natural conversations that convert into leads.

4. Promote Your NEC Presence Before the Event

Don’t wait for attendees to stumble across you — let them know you’re exhibiting ahead of time. Building anticipation increases traffic to your stand from day one.

Pre-event marketing can include:

• Social media announcements & countdown posts
• Email campaigns inviting prospects to visit your stand
• Press releases or partner mentions
• Digital advertising targeted at event audiences
• Exclusive show-only offers

Saward Marketing & Events can support content strategy and asset creation to ensure your event presence is amplified across multiple channels.

5. Train Your Stand Team

Your team represents your brand — their approach can make or break conversations. Knowledgeable, confident staff drive engagement and leave strong impressions.

Exhibition staffing essentials:

• Professional appearance and consistent brand messaging
• Strong product or service knowledge
• Soft skills — approachable, proactive, attentive
• Lead capture system and conversation prompts

A well-briefed team means no missed opportunities.

6. Capture Leads Efficiently

Exhibitions aren’t just about visibility — they’re about conversion. Use digital lead capture tools or QR systems so no valuable contact slips through the net. Prioritise quality over quantity and gather relevant information to support follow-up conversations.

7. Follow Up Quickly After the Show

The exhibition doesn’t end when the stand comes down. Following up is where results really happen.

Best practices include:

• Contact warm leads within 24–72 hours
• Send personalised emails, social connections or phone calls
• Share post-event offers or downloadable resources
• Analyse performance — footfall, leads, ROI

Fast follow-up shows professionalism and keeps your brand fresh in attendees’ minds.

How Saward Marketing & Events Helps You Exhibit with Confidence

From first concept to final installation, Saward Marketing & Events provides complete exhibition support for businesses attending the NEC Birmingham and events across the UK.

We offer:

• Bespoke exhibition stand design and build
• Modular, reusable structures to reduce long-term cost
• Graphics, branding, printing & digital display design
• Full installation & breakdown service
• Complete event marketing support
• Project management from planning through show completion

Whether you’re a first-time exhibitor or a seasoned NEC regular, we ensure your stand turns heads, sparks conversations and delivers measurable results.

Planning Your Next Exhibition? Let’s Build Something Amazing

If you want your next NEC appearance to be professional, impactful and unforgettable, Saward Marketing & Events is here to bring your vision to life. We combine creative stand design, strategic event planning and marketing expertise to help brands showcase their best.

Contact Saward Marketing & Events today to discuss your next exhibition stand project and let’s create something that draws a crowd.

Be memorable. Be engaging. Exhibit with confidence.

Saward Marketing

Helping brands connect through powerful events and experiences

We often get asked: “What’s the secret to a successful exhibition?”

The reality is, there isn’t one single secret. Exhibitions work like machines — hundreds of moving parts all need to come together at exactly the right time. But over the years, our team at Saward Marketing has noticed a few things that consistently make the difference between a good exhibition and a great one.

Jack Saward

Helping People Succeed Through Seamless Events | Business Owner | Co-Host of The Events Insight Podcast

November 5, 2024

In today’s fast-moving business world, retainers aren’t just a smart choice—they could be a strategic advantage. For businesses looking to adjust operations and focus on growth, retainers provide the consistency, expertise, and flexibility needed to stay ahead.

Working in event management often means staying behind the scenes. Whether it’s because clients prefer discretion or we’re supporting our industry peers and fellow event agencies, a lot of what we do can’t be shouted about.

That doesn’t mean we’re not incredibly proud of the work, or the relationships. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We value those collaborations just as much as the ones we can share. It’s just a different kind of partnership.

We have to admit though, some of the projects we’re delivering right now are incredibly creative, fast-paced and genuinely exciting… and I’d love to show them off!

If you’re looking for an event partner who can slot seamlessly into your team, work discreetly, and deliver time and time again, get in touch. We’d love to support you.

I’ve been on the client side, juggling five different agencies to get one event over the line.

It’s stressful, inefficient, and too often things slip through the cracks.

So we built a service that does it all: creative, logistics, delivery, even your evening entertainment if it’s requested! The full package — it doesn’t matter where the location is.

One team. One brief. One point of contact. And a whole lot less to worry about. After all, you have your day job to get on with.

We’re all in, from first idea to final pack-down.

Sound good? Let’s have a chat. My inbox is always open.

We were proud to see our very own Jack Saward featured in the latest StandOut Magazine (Stand Out Live Events Magazine) article on something we feel passionately about… working with other production companies, not against them.

When you’re onsite at a large-scale event, it’s not about who’s logo is on the side of the van. It’s about getting the job done, safely, smartly, and as one team.

Jack said it best: “Once we’re on site, it’s not about logos or job titles, it’s about coming together as one team to deliver something brilliant, safely and on time.”

We’ve collaborated with plenty of people who might technically be “competitors”, but the truth is, shared purpose and mutual respect always go further than going it alone.

🗞️ Read the full article

💬 Have you ever partnered with someone in the same space as you? Let us know what you learned from it.

We’re proud to have been part of the PlantWorx journey since the very beginning, working closely with both the show team and exhibitors to deliver event spaces that truly showcase the strength of their brands.

This September, the event finds a new home in The Newark Showground and we’ll be right there again, supporting both new and returning exhibitors in creating spaces they can be proud of.

And for us at Saward Marketing & Events, it’s never just about the build.

We provide personal support every step of the way. From those first conversations about what you really need, through the planning and logistics, onsite during the show, and even during your post-event review.

We know how much work has to go into making these events a success. So we’re here to help ease that pressure and make sure your stand not only looks the part but performs too.

If you’re exhibiting at Plantworx this year (or even just considering it), let’s have a chat. We’d love to support you.

Trade shows are pivotal for industries like quarrying, recycling, and bulk materials handling. They offer a unique platform for networking, showcasing innovations, and generating business leads. To maximise benefits, it’s crucial to evaluate the success of these events effectively. Key metrics for assessing trade show success include Return on Investment (ROI), Return on Objectives (ROO), visitor feedback, team feedback, and other relevant outcomes.

Return on Investment (ROI)

ROI is a fundamental metric for evaluating trade show success. It measures financial return compared to the cost of participation. To calculate ROI, consider:

• Direct Sales: Immediate revenue generated from leads and deals closed at the trade show or afterward. This can be hard to measure as the lead time between a show and an eventual deal can be lengthy.
• Lead Generation: Potential future revenue from leads acquired during the event.
• Cost Savings: Reduction in marketing and sales expenses due to direct interactions at the show.

Return on Objectives (ROO)

While ROI focuses on financial returns, ROO assesses whether non-financial goals were met. These objectives might include:

• Brand Awareness: Measuring the increase in brand recognition and presence in the industry.
• Product Launch Success: Gauging the reception and interest in new products introduced at the show.
• Market Research: Gathering valuable insights about industry trends, competitor activities, and customer needs.

ROO can be evaluated through predefined KPIs such as the number of product demonstrations conducted, media mentions, and social media engagement. ROO is just as important as ROI.

Visitor Feedback

Visitor feedback provides qualitative data that can inform future participation strategies. Effective methods for collecting feedback include:

• Surveys and Questionnaires: Be careful with these during live events as they can impact on your visitor experience. Post-event, these can be effective.
• Interviews: Conducting brief interviews with visitors can yield in-depth insights.

Key questions to ask might include:

• What drew you to our booth?
• How would you rate our product presentations?
• What improvements would you suggest?

Team Feedback

Your team’s perspective is equally important in evaluating a trade show’s success. They can provide insights into:

• Booth Engagement: Assessing which tactics effectively attracted and retained visitors.
• Operational Efficiency: Evaluating the setup, management, and dismantling processes.
• Lead Quality: Judging the calibre of leads collected.

Team feedback can be gathered through debriefing sessions and structured feedback forms post-event. This ensures your team feels part of the process and helps shape future shows.

Other Outcomes

Consider other hard and soft outcomes to gain a comprehensive evaluation:

Hard Outcomes:

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The total expense of acquiring a new customer through the trade show.
• Conversion Rates: The percentage of leads converted into customers post-event.

Soft Outcomes:

• Networking Opportunities: The value of new connections and potential partnerships formed.
• Brand Positioning: The perceived enhancement of your brand’s industry standing.

Final Thoughts

Evaluating the success of a trade show involves a multifaceted approach, combining quantitative metrics with qualitative insights. ROI and ROO provide a solid foundation, while visitor and team feedback offer a deeper understanding of performance. Other outcomes, both hard and soft, enrich the evaluation, ensuring a holistic view of the event’s impact. Effective evaluation of trade show participation not only justifies investment but also shapes future strategies for greater success.