Exhibitors: How to Make SAAS Birmingham Your Best Show Ever

There are just two weeks to go until the Schools & Academies Show Birmingham, and if you’re exhibiting, what you do right now could make the difference between having a good show and a great one.

You’ll already know this is one of the most important dates in the education calendar. It attracts thousands of school leaders, trust CEOs, and business managers, all looking for answers to the problems sitting on their to-do lists. They come to the show because they know they’ll hear from big names and sector experts who understand the real challenges schools face. The question is, how do you make sure they stop at your stand?

1. Make your stand part of their plan

Here’s something that often surprises exhibitors. Around 72 per cent of visitors plan which stands to visit before they even arrive. In other words, if you’re not already on their radar, there’s a fair chance they’ll walk straight past.

So, in these final two weeks, focus your energy on getting your name in front of them. Use your email list, your social channels, and the event’s own ConnectEd platform to tell people why it’s worth taking five minutes to talk to you. And make it about them, not you. Instead of ‘We’ll be showcasing our latest software,’ try ‘We’ve created a free toolkit to help you support early career teachers.’ The best marketing doesn’t shout louder, it connects better.

And while we’re on the subject of connection, don’t forget the press. There’s a fantastic line-up of media partners coming to the show, TES, Headteacher Update, Teach Primary and many more. Journalists aren’t interested in product launches, they’re looking for stories. If you can show how your work tackles an important issue or makes a real difference to teachers and pupils, they’ll want to hear from you. It’s worth filling out the media form on the show website so our press team can match you to journalists covering your topic. If you need a link to the form, just email us on SAASmediahub@theinfluencecrowd.co.uk

2. On the day: make it about people, not products

Once you’re at the NEC, the real test begins. On average, 30 to 40 per cent of stand visitors become qualified leads, but that figure can be much higher if you focus on solving problems rather than selling features. Suppliers who take a problem–solution approach from our own experience with clients see up to 2.6 times more leads from schools.

So think about the conversations you’ll have on the stand. Teachers and school leaders don’t want a sales pitch, they want to hear how others like them have overcome similar challenges. Share real stories, a teacher who used your tool to cut marking time, or a trust that used your service to improve attendance. That’s what sticks in people’s minds.

Small touches help too. Offer something useful, a short guide, a checklist, or even a quick how-to session with a CPD certificate attached. Those simple ideas give visitors something to take back to school and a reason to remember you.

3. After the show: follow up fast

When the stands are packed away and your feet have recovered, it’s tempting to move straight on to the next thing. But your follow-up is where the real return on investment lies.

Research from the Havard Business Review shows that if you follow up an incoming email lead within 24 hours, you’re 60 times more likely to qualify it. That’s a staggering difference. Of course, after an exhibition it’s fine to wait a day or two, you don’t want to look over-eager, but don’t leave it too long. By a week later, most visitors will be drowning in follow-up emails and yours will no longer stand out.

Make your message personal. Mention what you talked about on the stand, include something genuinely useful (a short guide, a link to research), and give them a no-pressure next step. Instead of ‘Book a demo now’, try ‘Join our online Q&A in a fortnight’ or ‘Here’s a free download you might find handy.’ That softer approach keeps the conversation going without putting people off.

4. Review and refine

If you’ve already planned everything, use these two weeks to polish what’s in place. Are your messages clear and relevant? Are your team ready to talk about outcomes rather than features? Have you got stories or examples that show the real impact of your work? Small tweaks now can make a big difference on the day.

And remember, the Schools & Academies Show isn’t just about visibility. It’s about building trust in a sector where relationships matter more than anything else. School leaders buy from people who understand their world. So be helpful, be authentic, and make your stand the one they remember for the right reasons.

Good luck, and we’ll see you at the NEC.