Start at the stand, not in the slide deck
Walk through the stand as an arriving visitor would. Is the entrance clear? Can someone immediately understand which product is on display? Put a bag in its intended storage place and sit at the meeting table. Missing hooks, awkward chairs and obscured signs become easier to spot before the first appointment.
Then run the demonstration on the equipment you will actually use at the fair. A presentation working on your office computer is not a substitute for this check. Keep a local copy available in case the internet connection fails.
Give each open task one owner
Record the task, responsible person and intended completion for every unfinished job. Instead of ‘brochures missing’, write ‘Mara puts two stacks of the German brochure on the counter before admission’. Use your own team's actual names; a long list without clear ownership is not particularly useful.
Separate problems that prevent operation from improvements that can wait. Missing power for a demonstration comes before a slightly uneven decorative display. Changes to electrical connections or stand construction belong with the qualified people responsible for that work.
Store materials where everyone can find them
Show every team member where spare materials, personal bags and the current product information belong. One labelled reserve box is more useful than several unexplained cartons behind a counter. Keep escape routes and walking space clear, following the rules of the particular event.
Also agree where conversation notes go and who takes responsibility for them after each appointment. Collect only the information needed for the follow-up you have agreed.
Finish with a short rehearsal
Act out a brief visit: greeting, product question, demonstration and next step. If someone needs to leave the stand, check who will cover the entrance. Afterwards, photograph the completed setup as an internal reference for the next shift. The image records the layout and supplies; it does not replace a technical inspection.
