Author’s note (updated January 2026):
This article was originally published in 2017 and reflects personal observations from many years of attending German trade fairs. It is intentionally anecdotal and written from a German cultural perspective. While trade fair culture continues to evolve, many of these behavioural patterns are still relevant for newcomers today.
From First Trade Fair to Many Years of Experience
It was in 1995 that I attended a trade fair as part of an exhibition team for the first time. I was a 19‑year‑old apprentice at a religious book publishing house and very excited about the experience. A colleague had managed to book a hotel room close to the fair at very short notice. “Perfect,” she said. Well, not quite.
This was long before Google Maps. I took a taxi from Frankfurt Central Station to what turned out to be a hotel in the city’s red‑light district, just around the corner from the station. The cab driver was still happy to take me there, but made me promise not to leave the house after 9 p.m.
The walk to the Frankfurt Book Fair the next morning felt exciting enough. I quickly found our stand and was slightly surprised that visitors assumed I could competently talk about the content of books with cryptic titles far too abstract for me to even memorise. Clearly, there was room for improvement, I thought to myself.
Since then, I have attended more than 150 trade fairs, both as a visitor and an exhibitor. Based on this experience, I would like to share a few habits I have observed that newcomers may want to avoid.
First Impressions Matter
In German, there is a saying “Ein schöner Rücken kann auch entzücken” (A splendid dorsal view can be delightful too). Imagine that your company has spent a fortune on participating in the show. Registration fees, stand construction, marketing, travel cost, … and what is the first and maybe the last impression of a visitor and potential client? Your backside and maybe the half profile of the colleague you are talking to. Staring into your laptop or mobile phone isn’t any better.
Your Booth Is Not Your Break Room
I have once made three attempts to meet one of my clients whom I hadn’t met in person before. His tiny booth always seemed super busy. Good for him I thought. Well, all seats had been occupied by his staff. They must have had a very good time – though I doubt if they talked to any new prospects.
If you are from a foreign country and language is an issue, it is a good idea to hire a local person to help you out. Just make sure the person at the reception counter is actually paying attention to visitors – I’ve seen some rather bad examples of that not being the case, including situations where reception staff were clearly more focused on themselves than on visitors.
Public Behaviour Can Be Misread
Try to avoid public displays of affection – or behaviour that might be perceived as such in Germany. I remember two Indian gentlemen strolling around the Messe München fairgrounds holding hands. In India, this does not necessarily signal public affection; in Germany, however, my guess is that hardly any business visitor would have taken them particularly seriously as potential business partners.
If – at the stand – you cannot suppress the urge to kiss and hug your colleague whom you have made friends with the night before, please make sure to at least discreetly move to the kitchen and close the door.
Make Visitors Feel Welcome – Even When You’re Busy
…and don’t forget to get out again: It is a good idea to offer snacks and drinks to guests and not to give them the impression that they have now consumed your emergency provisions.
Don’t forget food for your staff. Else they might be gone forever trying to grab a “quick” bite or may stay hungry and get grumpy.
In any case, no matter how important food is in your culture, better make sure that visitors wouldn’t feel awkward about disturbing you when you are eating. Be aware that some dishes might pose a challenge to other people’s sense of smell..
A Conversation Is a Two‑Way Street
If you manage to talk to a visitor, let him or her also talk! No matter how much time you have spent preparing the perfect sales pitch, if you do not let the other person participate in the conversation, she might feel frustrated and chances are you will never find out what is her exact need.
Trade Fairs Are Not a Zero‑Sum Game
And finally: Although neighbouring exhibitors might be competitors, don’t perceive and treat them as enemies. I had a very nice experience once when someone with whom we had engaged in some small talk the evening before led two relevant prospects to my client’s booth. Our neighbour could not serve the specific needs but knew my client would.
Trade fairs are intense, crowded, and culturally nuanced environments. Being aware of how behaviour is perceived can help avoid misunderstandings – and sometimes even open unexpected doors.