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So all the parties are laying out their policies and polishing their sound bites

UKIP reckon they are not interested in joining a coalition, the Tories are bigging up Immigration reforms and talking about Tax Cuts with Labour pledging to make the NHS a priority.

Will the LibDems be able to restore faith and recover supporters lost through their coalition with the Tories. 

Has the growth in UKIP taken away enough disgruntled Tory voters to pose serious damage to Tory chances? Is the door open again for Labour, or is the image problem of Miliband a show stopper?

Has the TV debate storm blown over or has damage already been done before the cameras roll?

Regardless of which direction you lean politically, if nothing else it's going to be the most interesting and possibly aggressive campaign we've see in a long time.

Are you unaffected by the rhetoric and propaganda, with long allegiance to a particular party, or are you swayed by new arguments and new comers like UKIP? Or are you one of the many apathetic?

About 9 years ago we exhibited at the business start up show at Birmingham's NEC. It was a large show, and we went to town on buying loads of freebies, from pens, whistles (), umbrellas, baseball caps and enough sweets to kit out the local cornershop. It was an interesting experience, but not really viable to be worth repeating regularly and since then we have just done small local and regional events.

But the time has come to do another major show, so the stand shell is booked, we have power, ropey internet access by the sounds of things, some ideas about creative, pop up banners etc.

But what about the give aways? Nearly 10 years on, have things changed? Do people still give lots of stuff out (or do you expect freebies?). Or is just throw out a few pens and a big jar of sweets?

Any ideas or hints on what would draw people to your stand, or get them to stop as they wonder by trying to avoid getting pounced on and sold to death by every other stand?

Competitions has been a good one in the past after visiting a few trade shows over the years, but it seems everyone does it now. Obviously a good way of collecting business cards, ie drop in the bowl and win an ipod or a marsbar, but be interested to think what other people reckon?

So have you exhibited or been to a trade show recently? Did any particular exhibitor stand out from the crowd, if so why? Anyone seen any eye catching creative that made you look twice or enticed you over?  Any hard won gotchas or things that didn't work (don't order thousands of bright yellow whistles, no body wants them!)

Any and all ideas gratefully appreciated 

I love it, does HMRC pay tax? Assume they must at least have a huge NI bill with all those employees. Or is the civil service exempt?