By Nickie West, event director, FIT Show.

In a world of crowded inboxes and endless digital touchpoints, the brands getting the best results are the ones that still make time for well‑planned, face‑to‑face moments.

That theme runs through every ‘We FIT Together’ case study, a series of exhibitor spotlights we launched on the back of FIT Show 2025 – from AluK’s upgraded VIP journey, to the way other exhibitors have used the event to launch new products, test ideas and deepen relationships with customers.

For many of these companies, FIT Show isn’t a three‑day stand booking, it is a 12–18 month campaign pillar. The teams that plan early, involve their sales and marketing functions from the outset, and align the show with wider objectives – from entering awards to launching new services – are the ones who talk about FIT Show as a catalyst rather than a cost.

They build momentum before the doors open, maximise every interaction on site, and then follow up hard afterwards to convert interest into long‑term value.

What the We FIT Together stories make clear is that the show works best when it is used as a genuine platform. Exhibitors talk about FIT Show as the place where they can put new products into people’s hands, run live demos, deliver CPD‑style content, host hospitality and meet partners from across the supply chain – all under one roof.

During challenging trading conditions, that ability to engage existing customers, win new ones and benchmark yourself against the wider market becomes even more important. If you are not visible, the chances are your competitors will be.

Planning early is central to this. Brands like AluK, and others featured in the We FIT Together series, have worked with the FIT Show team months in advance to secure the right stand position, shape content sessions, build PR and social campaigns, and create experiences that reflect their positioning.

That collaboration means they arrive on site with a clear story, clear targets and clear roles for everyone involved – from product managers and marketers to sales teams and installation crews.​

Ultimately, what these case studies show is that live events such as FIT Show play an integral role in the marketing mix when they are treated as strategic investments. Used well, FIT Show can lift brand perception, accelerate product adoption, shorten sales cycles and, crucially, remind the market why people and partnerships matter.

That is what We FIT Together is all about – and why the brands that commit to the platform, even in tougher times, are often the ones that come out stronger.

Safeware, for example, cited FIT Show 2025 as “a pivotal moment” that helped it connect its long‑standing hardware expertise with a much wider audience, generating a 527% increase in website traffic and a 325% rise in leads off the back of more than 240 stand conversations and a 69% follow‑up rate.

Affordable Windows Group describes its debut as “a pivotal moment” too, saying that meeting installers and fabricators in person “opened doors to new partnerships that continue to grow,” with new customers now ordering across multiple product lines after seeing the range up close.

Universal Trade Frames highlights FIT Show as “the perfect setting to have meaningful conversations with our customers and partners,” while Quickslide consistently uses the event “every two years to bring new innovations to the show” and to meet trade partners in a focused environment rather than relying on footfall alone.​

Universal Trade Frames perfectly embodied how a mid‑sized, ambitious fabricator can use FIT Show as a springboard rather than ‘just’ a shop window. Their decision to exhibit in 2025 was tied directly to a strategic push into the premium market, with Residence Collection, Solidor and Spectus vertical sliders positioned as a best‑in‑class, single‑source offer for installers.

Richard Hammond talked about FIT Show as “the perfect setting to have meaningful conversations with our customers and partners,” and the results back that up – including more than £1.5 million worth of quotes linked to the launch of their Residence Collection offer.

In the wider We FIT Together narrative, Universal Trade Frames sits alongside brands like Safeware and Affordable Windows Group as proof that early planning and clear objectives pay off. They invested in new machinery and product development ahead of the show, then used FIT as the live moment to put that investment in front of the right audience – installers looking for premium, single‑source supply with strong on‑time‑in‑full performance.

It’s exactly the type of case study that underlines the argument that events should sit at the centre of the marketing mix: when you align product roadmap, branding and sales activity around a key live platform, you create a focal point that digital alone can’t replicate.

Across all of these stories, the red thread is the same: exhibitors that engage early with the organisers, align the show with their wider campaigns and fully exploit features like demo zones, seminar slots and late‑night networking are the ones seeing the strongest ROI.

Brands like Safeware and Affordable Windows Group perfectly embodied our ‘We FIT Together’ campaign, with bold product choices and a strong collaborative ethos – exactly what makes this event so valuable for exhibitors and visitors alike.

In challenging times, the message is clear: if you are not visible at the key live moments for your industry, your competitors will be – and FIT Show remains one of the most effective places to put your products, people and partnerships in front of the market.

Read the full series of We FIT Together case studies via the FIT Show website, and get ready to take your place alongside brands like these when FIT Show returns to the NEC from 18 – 20 May, 2027.