On Friday I will be visiting The Baby Show for the very first time at London Excel. I am very excited about the event and have been busy researching, preparing and planning for the day.

Much of what I am about to say is based on my experience of exhibiting and visiting The BETT Show. Much is based on the experience and insights of Ian Addison who writes a fabulous ICT in Education blog.

I have combined the above to create a list of tips for making the most of your day or days at The Baby Show this weekend.

1. Plan your travel in advance. Think about the time of day that you will be travelling. Plan the route that is best for you and the purchases you intend to buy!!

2. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. The hall for BETT was freezing when empty but soon heated up once people began to arrive. The exhibition hall will be busy so try not to have too much to carry. You will want to be comfortable to make the most of the day.

3. Take a bottle of water and perhaps a snack, particularly if like me you are pregnant. Food outlets will be busy throughout the day. Also when you arrive make sure you know where the loos are!!

4. Do take one sturdy, large bag (in my case a small case on wheels) in which to collate leaflets, purchases and freebies!

5. Make a list of all the people or products that you want to see. See these things first before you begin to wander around and browse. If there are named people you really want to speak to then consider making appointments to meet with them so that they can provide anchors throughout your day. Make a note of the layout of the exhibition centre and plan your route!

6. Plan in rest breaks. Browsing, exploring, shopping can be tiring. The exhibition hall will be noisy, stuffy and full of bright lights. It is good to have a break and at The Baby Show you can do that whilst watching an informative talk or a fashion show! Win win.

7. Prepare a budget. What purchases are you looking to make and how much are you willing to spend? Look up show offers and make knowledge your friend. Look for bargains and discounts that you will not find anywhere else. If you see things on the day that you think you might like make a note of the supplier and get in contact after the show when you have had time to make a considered decision as to whether or not to buy.

8. Make business cards.

Now this is where opinion will get divided. Some will mock me for suggesting such an old-fashioned approach, some will say ‘I’m not important enough for a card’. I say neither am I. My cards have my name, position, school, blog and twitter name on. That’s it. If you meet someone and want to follow them/swap ideas, why not just pass them a card? The cards are also useful should you want to enter a competition as some stands have jars for you to put your name/card in to enter their prize draw. I’d also take a small stapler as suggested by Terry Freedman so you can staple your card to a prize entry form.

I have not actually done this as yet but I am starting to think that it might be a good idea. What do you think? Would you take business cards with you as a blogger to a show? As an exhibitor would you welcome a care from a blogger? Would love to know people’s thoughts.

9. After the show make contact with people and companies that you have met to say thank you and ask if they had a good show.

10. Share what you found that impressed you. Share new ideas and innovations you discovered. What did you like about the show and why?
Use your blog, Facebook and Twitter to spread the word to other mummies and mummies to be who may not have had the opportunity to attend the show.

I hope that these tips are a help to people like me who are attending the show for the first time.

Please feel free to add a comment to this post if you think that I have missed any vital tips for show goers this weekend. I am new to all this too but I cannot wait to have a go!

2 sleeps to go!