Insight

Networking today is much more than exchanging business cards or casual conversations over coffee. It’s one of the key drivers of business growth, project success, and personal brand building — and we at Simon Acres Group LTD have experienced this first-hand on the biggest industry stages in the UK and the USA.

How networking shapes brand perception

Over time, we discovered a clear correlation between how our clients perceive us and our presence at major industry events. Being visible where decision-makers, partners, and future collaborators gather doesn’t just promote awareness — it builds credibility, trust, and authority in the marketplace.

For us, a defining milestone in this journey has been our ongoing collaboration with InstallerSHOW — now a central pillar of our marketing and business strategy.

Our first trade show experiences

Our first deep dive into trade shows taught us invaluable lessons about engaging with audiences in a live environment:

• how to communicate value clearly and compellingly,
• how face-to-face interactions can deepen trust,
• and the enormous potential that direct networking delivers long after the event ends.

Every time, we returned with new ideas, fresh energy, and pockets full of contacts that turned into business opportunities in the weeks that followed.

Global networking in action

We then took our presence overseas, promoting our industry-specific training alongside our partner, software provider Cyncly. These international stages reinforced a universal truth: in-person engagement accelerates trust and collaboration in a way that digital channels alone simply cannot match.

It was in Orlando where we met David Ventris-Field, then already Director of the fast-growing InstallerSHOW in the UK — a meeting that would lay the foundation for our long-term involvement with the event.

InstallerSHOW – a real game changer for our brand

InstallerSHOW has rapidly become one of the largest and most influential trade events in the UK’s installation and built-environment sector, uniting manufacturers, installers, specifiers and industry leaders under one roof. The show draws thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors every year, and continually breaks attendance records as it grows in scale and relevance.

What makes InstallerSHOW stand out

Here’s what makes InstallerSHOW such a strategic choice for businesses considering where to invest their networking and marketing effort:

• Unmatched reach and visibility
  InstallerSHOW hosts tens of thousands of industry professionals each year — including installers, builders, specifiers, housebuilders, social housing representatives and decision-makers from across the UK construction ecosystem.
• Rapid growth and scale
  The event has expanded dramatically since its inception in 2015, boasting hundreds of exhibitors and rich, multi-day programming.
• Real business opportunities
  Exhibitors and sponsors report high-quality leads, product interest, and new contract conversations – some generating dozens of enquiries in a single day that might otherwise take months to develop.
• Thought leadership & learning
  Across multiple live content theatres, InstallerSHOW offers expert talks, CPD-accredited sessions, debates and demos – helping attendees stay ahead of trends and regulatory shifts affecting the industry.
• Diverse industry networking
  Whether you’re a large manufacturer or an emerging brand, InstallerSHOW brings together decision-makers, influencers and peers in a way that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.

InstallerSHOW New York

We’re excited to share some great news– Simon Acres Group will be attending the newest edition of InstallerSHOW in New York this March.

During the event:

• Simon will be hosting and moderating several industry panel discussions, actively contributing to key conversations shaping the future of our sector.
• Kordian will be filming the entire event — capturing panel discussions, behind-the-scenes moments and the overall atmosphere of InstallerSHOW in the USA.

Our mission is to give UK businesses real insight into what InstallerSHOW in the United States looks like, especially for those who are considering the USA as a potential new market for their business. Through video, interviews and on-the-ground coverage, we’ll showcase the scale, energy and opportunities that this event offers on the American stage.

This marks another important step in building a strong bridge between the UK and US markets, and we’re proud to be part of this journey.

Our strategy at InstallerSHOW

Rather than simply exhibiting, we’ve developed a strategic hybrid approach that suits our business perfectly:

• Active participation in panel discussions and workshops — positioning ourselves as thought leaders.
• A dedicated space at our Apprenticeship & Skills Hub — a smaller presence that’s always staffed so clients and prospects can find us easily.

This setup gives us maximum flexibility: we can be present and engaging, without being anchored to a single spot all day — yet we remain accessible and visible to those who want to connect. The result? Deeper relationships, stronger brand recall, and business conversations that continue well beyond the show itself.

Why you should consider InstallerSHOW for your business

If you haven’t yet explored InstallerSHOW, ask yourself:

• Do you want to accelerate your brand’s visibility among industry professionals?
• Are you looking to engage with decision-makers face-to-face?
• Do you want to generate leads, partnerships and project opportunities you wouldn’t find online?

InstallerSHOW is much more than a trade show – it’s a dynamic networking ecosystem where connections turn into contracts, and relationships turn into growth.

Where networking really pays off

From our earliest trade show days through to stateside events in Orlando and Vegas, and now as regular contributors and exhibitors at InstallerSHOW, we’ve learned this: networking isn’t optional – it’s essential.

Not just for brand awareness, but for business development, credibility, and long-term success.