It's relatively straightforward to find out what's going on in your industry. The same events take place year on year, usually at the same time and in the same location, almost always organised by the same people. You'll know about most of these already but if you're a new face in the industry or if you are planning to take your company into a new market, finding the right trade show can be a challenge. There are however, plenty of resources around to help to familiarise you with the trade show calendar if you know where to look

Trade magazines and journals are the best starting point, many of these publications will be partnering with event organisers for publicity leading up to the event, many are event organisers themselves. It's a good idea (for many reasons) to cultivate a few friendly faces at the relevant trade magazine - they'll be able to provide you with dates and contacts for your shows, an editorial calendar, a vehicle for the all important pre-show publicity and maybe a preferential deal when the time comes.

Things are a little trickier if you are looking to target a specific geographic location, a new international market perhaps or a targeted regional audience. For international shows, trade associations and other professional associations can be helpful, but your first port of call should be to the trade delegation at the local embassy or consulate. They should have a comprehensive list of events, shows and local contacts for you and are usually keen to help. For local, regional events, try the local chamber of commerce

The internet delivers a wealth of information across a broad range of industries. There are a number of sites that allow you to search by industry, date, location - we recommend www.tsnn.com and www.telcoprofessionals.com/events as a great place to start.