Vendex Midlands 2026: There just comes a time when it all becomes a bit too much…
By Yvonne Reynolds-Young
Vendex Midlands is growing. The number of stands is increasing, but the time visitors have to get around them isn’t. That’s been the recurring theme in my conversations with exhibitors this year, especially when talking about our now well-known Spotlight on Vendex feature.
If you really want to grab attention, you need to do two things:
a) start the conversation before the show even begins, and
b) give visitors something to come back to afterwards.
Think about it. A new visitor arrives at your stand—you’ve got just a few minutes to make an impression and communicate your message. As you wrap up, why not point them towards your Spotlight article on Planet Vending? Then, in your all-important follow-up after the show, include the link again. If we’ve all done our jobs properly, everything they need to remember who you are—and why they should work with you—will be right there.
This year’s Spotlight emailers (two editions, to give everyone a fair chance of being seen) are on their way. They’ll land in inboxes before the show and will also be shared across LinkedIn and other social platforms.
On the day itself, my main job—while running around the stands on the 25th—will be to make sure your team knows about your article and remembers to use it. I’ll also be visiting as many stands as possible to find out what’s new, what’s exciting, and what makes Vendex such a valuable event. And of course, we’ll be picking up samples for review.
Which brings me back to that opening thought… it’s simply too much for one person to cover.
So, we asked ourselves: who could help?
We’re delighted to say that Jed Fraser, a familiar name in industry comms and marketing, is joining us as an occasional researcher. We’ve known Jed for years—occasionally even as a rival—so we’re especially pleased to now have him on our side.
Jed will be speaking to exhibitors, asking questions, sampling products and—something I’m particularly looking forward to—writing reviews for publication on Planet Vending. These reviews are editorially chosen and free, but for the first time this year, we’re also offering commissioned product reviews. (A small warning: they’ll always be honest!)
He’ll also be introducing Planet Vending to anyone not yet familiar with us, so do encourage your teams to sign up to our weekly newsletter—you never know, you might find yourself featured.
So here’s our own ‘shout out’: make the most of our visit to your stand.
Our aim is simple—to increase your visibility in the industry. Some of what we do is free; much of it is commissioned by businesses launching into the sector or established suppliers promoting new products and services. We’re professional writers, PR specialists, and—if we do say so ourselves—pretty good people to work with.
We collaborate closely with our clients, and our sole focus is helping you and your business stand out.
If you need support with your communications strategy, stop one of us at the show—or get in touch.
See you at Vendex Midlands 2026
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