Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking. Exhibitions enable you to meet plenty of people that matter to your business in one place, including existing customers, new prospects, suppliers, advisers, investors, competitors and key figures in your industry. Exhibitions come in all shapes and sizes, but the two main types are consumer shows and trade fairs. There are events for every sector and profession, and for many small businesses, these are a crucial part of their marketing strategy.