For anyone involved in business, the trade show is an essential part of the client-building process: getting out and promoting your wares is far more productive. The problem has always been the size of the venues used to house these events, and the fact that most indoor lights do not have the ability to sufficiently illuminate the desired space. However, one option is a clear favourite of stall owners and exhibitors - fluorescent lighting.

The venues we are talking about are usually vast, warehouse-styled exhibitions centres that are about as large as a football field with roofs that stretch too high to allow a common domestic light to have any worth at all. For this reason, trade lighting is almost a specialist area, with so few options available that can do the job properly. While the fluorescent option has been proven to work well indoors, there are similar problems for outdoor exhibitions and trade shows, which only flood lighting can offer the solution to.

With any trade exhibition, whether is a motor show or an IT services exhibit, lighting is very important. Spotlights are commonly used to highlight special aspects of a product or presentation in the hope of drawing focus onto it as a successful selling point. It may be the sleekly-styled wing mirrors on a new sports car or a crucial statistic relating to the success of a computer program. Regardless of what it is, the stall or stage needs to be lit effectively.

Of course, having a roof that is 50 feet high or a venue whose expanse can result in even grown-ups getting lost, the orthodox methods of lighting are simply not good enough. But the answer has been provided by the common office fluorescent bulb, which can be suspended from the network of metal rafters that typically span the space between an exhibition centres walls.

The drop can vary with most of the suspension kits that accompany these lights reaching 15 metres. But, crucially, the specific position of these lights can be adjusted relatively easily, with the cables that are secured to the metal beams capable of being moved if needed, as the need arises.

This versatility means that the individual stalls below can be catered for, regardless of their actual position. Obviously, this is no good if the quality of light is poor. However, fluorescent bulbs provide a strong, consistent glow that is perfectly capable of brightening the area below it. Their effectiveness is increased by the aluminium reflector that is situated directly behind the fluorescent rod, deflecting upward light back down below.

Of course, some trade shows are held in smaller arenas, with perhaps open walls that leave the venue vulnerable to cross winds and some of the weathers other elements. In this case, a different solution is needed. A Pavia T5 weatherproof fluorescent ceiling light, for example, can be effective. These weatherproof lights are highly durable, enclosed in non-corrosive luminarie and are impervious to moisture, cold and dust. They can be hung from the roof but can also be secured to walls or pillars.

If the trade event is located entirely outside, such as is usually the case at an agricultural show, for example, then the fluorescent option will not suffice. In this case, more powerful lights to counter the effects of poor sunlight, and illuminate a larger area are needed.

Understandably, flood lighting should serve the purpose perfectly, with energy saving lights that are IP65 safety rated ideal given the fact they will have to deal with adverse weather conditions. While all lights of this type can be fixed to a wall, it is also possible to hoist them on temporary stands and position them specifically.

The requirements for efficient trade lighting are very different to those of domestic or enclosed commercial areas, like an office. A different approach is needed, but the results can be highly effective, even by using lights already familiar to the office building.

Even if powerful outdoor lights serve to solve the issues of exhibiting outdoors, fluorescent lighting is clearly the lighting of choice to solve the problems that exist indoors. So long as the suspension cables are long enough and the power is on, then having sufficient light is not something to worry about.