Leads on the international stage
Trade fair services for Germany and the Nordics
Two-thirds of the world’s leading trade fairs take place in Germany. Our German- and Finnish-speaking team supports you with planning, pre-booked meetings, sales work on the stand and effective follow-up.
Why trade fairs in Germany
Two-thirds of the world’s leading trade fairs take place in Germany
International trade fairs are still the most effective way to collect a lot of high-quality leads in a short time and to maintain existing customer relationships face to face. Germany is exceptional here: around 70 exhibition centres, about 3.25 million square metres of hall space and a fifth of all exhibition space in Europe.
In 2025, German trade fairs had almost 192,000 exhibitors and 12.75 million visitors, 2.78 million of them from abroad. In practice, one well-chosen fair can bring you more relevant buyers in three days than a year of outreach.
This matters for the Nordic direction too: for many industries, the leading German fair is also where Nordic buyers and distributors meet. And where a Nordic fair is the better choice, we help you judge that as well.
The decisive factor is not the size of the stand but who staffs it – which is where our trade fair services make the difference. Professional representation in the visitor’s own language makes the sales conversation easier and leaves a lasting positive impression.
trade fairs in Germany in 2025, 158 of them national or international
AUMA
foreign visitors at German trade fairs in 2025
AUMA
Trade fair services
Our trade fair services in five steps
Localising your message
We adapt your marketing material to the local language and make sure it works on the stand.
Building visibility
We run targeted communication and marketing activities before the fair.
Arranging meetings
We contact partners and potential customers and book meetings into your calendar.
Sales work at the fair
On the stand we actively sell in German, Finnish and English – we don’t just hand out brochures.
Follow-up
We activate the contacts right after the event and handle quotes and follow-up meetings.
Budget
Where the trade fair money really goes
The most common mistake is to budget the space rental and forget the rest. Below is a typical cost structure – the shares vary, but the ratio is surprisingly stable.
| Item | Share of total budget | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Stand space rental | approx. 25–35 % | Location in the hall affects price and visitor flow more than size |
| Stand construction and technology | approx. 25–35 % | For first-timers a rented system stand is almost always better than a custom build |
| Staff, travel and accommodation | approx. 20–30 % | Hotel prices multiply during fair week – book early |
| Materials and marketing | approx. 10–15 % | Local-language material is essential, not an extra |
| Follow-up | approx. 5–10 % | The most often forgotten item – and the one that determines the return |
These shares are experience-based guidelines for budgeting trade fair projects, not a statistical average. As part of our trade fair services we prepare a precise calculation for your chosen fair before you decide.
Questions
FAQ: trade fair services
Which trade fair is right for my industry?
In 2025 Germany hosted 304 trade fairs, 158 of them national or international (AUMA). Some are the world’s leading fairs in their industry, others are regional events with a different audience and a different price tag.
The choice rests on three criteria: who visits (buyers or end users), who exhibits (are your competitors there?) and what the total cost of a stand is relative to the expected number of leads. We go through the options with you before you book anything.
Do your trade fair services include representing us on our own?
Yes. Our team works on your stand in German, Finnish and English, collects leads in the agreed way and reports daily. We go through your product, pricing and the limits of what we may promise carefully in advance, so that we don’t commit you to anything you can’t deliver.
For many clients this is significantly cheaper than sending three people abroad for a week.
When should trade fair services and preparation start?
For large international fairs, 6–9 months in advance: the best stand locations go early, and hotel capacity in trade fair cities runs out. Booking meetings should start 8–10 weeks before the event.
If you have less time, our first recommendation is often to visit the event as a visitor first and book a stand for the next edition.
What does a trade fair stand cost?
Space rental is only about a third of the total cost: construction, technology, staff, travel, materials and marketing make up the rest. A small stand at a large international fair typically runs into tens of thousands of euros; regional fairs cost considerably less.
We prepare a budget before you decide, so there are no surprises. A joint pavilion – for example through your national export promotion agency or an industry association – can lower costs significantly.
How are leads handled after the fair?
We agree the follow-up before the fair: who is responsible, on what schedule and with what message. In practice the first contact must happen within 3–5 working days, otherwise a competitor gets there first.
We handle the follow-up in the customer’s language: thank-you message, the promised material, processing requests for quotes and booking the next meeting.
Related services
These work well together
Market Research
Competitors, price levels, sales channels and a realistic demand estimate for your target market – in numbers, not guesses.
B2B Lead Generation
We identify the right decision-makers, reach out in their language and report who is interested and who isn’t. You focus on selling.
Partner & Supplier Search
We find, assess and approach distributors, importers, agents or suppliers – and support you in the negotiations.
Get in touch
Let’s start the conversation
Tell us where you want to grow – the DACH region or the Nordics – and we’ll work out the most sensible first step together. The first conversation is free and without obligation.