Three top tips for talking to the trade
As an agency, we support clients at trade and industry events across the UK and internationally. Recently, we attended InstallerSHOW 2026 to support our client SONAS Bathrooms, building on their exhibition presence by meeting trade journalists in attendance.
InstallerSHOW is the definitive platform for heat, water, air, energy and the built environment. With 40,000+ visitors and 900 exhibitors, it is the arena to demonstrate the best of your brand. But with so many quality organisations in attendance, spanning multiple industries, it can be hard to cut through the noise.
With years of experience within the Home sector, we couldn’t help but reflect on what we saw at this year’s show, thinking about how brands can optimise talking to the trade.
So, where to begin? Here are three ways to drive business impact at trade shows.
Understand where the real value comes from
One of the most common mistakes brands make at trade exhibitions is prioritising stand traffic over meaningful engagement.
Freebies and eye-catching gimmicks may attract visitors, but they don't necessarily attract the right visitors. More importantly, they rarely create lasting brand affinity or influence purchasing decisions.
Trade professionals attend events like InstallerSHOW for a reason. They want to discover products that solve problems, improve efficiency, save time and help them deliver better outcomes for customers.
Before investing in attractions, marketing teams should ask a simple question: what will an installer walk away knowing after spending five minutes with us?
Rather than creating experiences designed solely to drive footfall, brands should focus on creating conversations that demonstrate genuine expertise and product value.
Speak their language
One of the clearest observations from InstallerSHOW 2026 was that the busiest stands weren't necessarily those with the biggest budgets, often they were the brands that communicated most effectively with their audience.
Installers, retailers and merchants don't think like marketers. They aren't looking for abstract brand promises or corporate messaging. They want practical information that helps them make informed decisions.
Marketing teams often spend significant time developing messaging around innovation, leadership and market positioning. While those themes have their place, they rarely answer the questions trade audiences are asking.
Those questions are more likely to be:
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How quickly can I install it?
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Will it reduce call-backs?
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Is it reliable?
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Can I get hold of it when I need it?
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Will it help me make more money?
Marketing teams should focus on demonstrating products in the context of the job at hand. Make sure to show the installation process, demonstrate the time savings, and highlight the challenges being solved by your brand.
Get off the stand
Events like InstallerSHOW bring together a wide network of associations, training providers, industry bodies, influencers and industry experts. These audiences are often just as valuable as the visitors walking the exhibition floor.
Marketing teams should think beyond the stand and look for opportunities to actively participate in the wider industry conversation.
At this year’s InstallerSHOW, Leopard Co colleagues Jacob and Georgia delivered a talk on how to use the power of social media and digital marketing to drive sales, hosted at the Bathroom Association theatre.
Some key takeaways were:
Digital marketing can seem complicated, but in essence, all it needs to do is show who you are, where you are, and what you do.
Your social media acts as a shop front to your services. You have the opportunity to reach people before they even know you, before they’re even looking for you. Social media is your opportunity to build trust and give your digital marketing proof.
Across both social media and digital marketing, your outlook should be revenue not cost. Paying £20 for a lead worth £20k is an obvious investment, so don’t be offput from supporting your marketing activity with some paid support.
The next time there’s an opportunity to have a brand representative on stage, evaluate the business opportunity of positioning them as a trusted voice rather than simply another exhibitor.
Want to open the door to marketing success? Need some help to cut through the noise of the Home and Property sector?