First trade show on a small budget: RETIO publishes a checklist for portable exhibition stands

Many small companies overspend at their first trade show on equipment they use only once. Display supplier RETIO, which supplies customers across the EU through retio.eu and local shops in seven countries, has published a short checklist for portable stands. Key points: start with the show's technical rules (maximum height, B1/M1 fire rating for prints and fabrics). Invest in a reusable back wall – a fabric or pop-up wall around 3 m wide gives a professional backdrop on 6–9 m². A promo counter with storage and one roll-up banner at the aisle complete the set. Put the core message in the top third, as the lower part is hidden by furniture and visitors. For several shows a year, only the fabric graphic needs replacing.

"What matters at a first trade show is a clear goal, a readable message and equipment you can reuse – not the most expensive stand," says Paweł Scharmach, founder of RETIO.