Trade shows are crowded, competitive spaces where every exhibitor is vying for attention. While a well-designed booth and engaging staff are essential, one factor often makes the difference between a booth that buzzes with energy and one that sits empty: pre-show marketing.
Promoting your presence before the event helps you stand out in attendees’ minds, making it far more likely that they will stop by your booth once they arrive. From targeted emails to social media teasers, pre-show marketing is the secret to turning potential visitors into actual foot traffic.
This guide breaks down practical strategies you can use email campaigns, social media, maps, promotions, incentives, and even influencer tie-ins, to maximize your trade show booth’s visibility and impact.
Why Pre-Show Marketing Matters
Attendees often arrive at trade shows with limited time and a plan in hand. They decide in advance which booths they want to visit, and without pre-show outreach, you risk being overlooked.
Effective pre-show marketing:
- Builds anticipation around your brand.
- Helps attendees plan their visit around your booth.
- Increases recognition when people walk the show floor.
- Maximizes your return on investment by boosting lead potential.
Think of it as setting the stage. The more people know about your booth ahead of time, the more likely they are to stop and engage when the show begins.
Step 1: Create an Email Campaign
Email is one of the most direct and reliable ways to reach your audience before a trade show. Done well, it can be a powerful driver of booth traffic.
Best Practices for Pre-Show Email Campaigns
- Segment your list: Target past customers, prospects, and industry contacts separately to tailor messaging.
- Highlight value: Share what visitors will gain by stopping at your booth, whether it is a sneak peek at a new product, exclusive demos, or giveaways.
- Include booth details: Always provide your booth number, location, and event dates clearly.
- Add a call to action: Encourage recipients to schedule a meeting, RSVP for a demo, or download an event guide.
Sending a series of emails works best. Start with a “save the date” message, follow with teasers about what to expect, and finish with a reminder just before the event.
Step 2: Build Hype With Social Media Teasers
Social media is where conversations happen before the show even begins. By sharing creative content in the weeks leading up to the event, you can generate buzz and ensure people are looking for your booth.
Social Media Strategies
- Countdown posts: Share updates as the event approaches, building anticipation day by day.
- Behind-the-scenes content: Show your team preparing, setting up, or designing the trade show booth.
- Event hashtags: Use the official event hashtag to make your posts visible to attendees planning their visits.
- Video teasers: Short clips demonstrating what you’ll showcase are more engaging than static images.
Encourage your team and partners to share and engage with your posts. The more visibility your content gets, the more likely attendees will remember your booth.
Step 3: Share Maps and Directions
Even if attendees want to visit your booth, navigating a large show floor can be overwhelming. Helping them find you is a simple yet effective way to increase foot traffic.
Ways to Use Maps in Pre-Show Marketing
- Include a booth map in your emails and social posts. Highlight your location with a bright circle or arrow.
- Create a step-by-step “how to find us” guide, showing your booth’s proximity to entrances, food courts, or landmarks.
- Add a QR code linking to your location on the official trade show app.
This extra effort eliminates confusion and makes it easier for visitors to prioritize your booth.
Step 4: Offer Promotions and Incentives
Everyone loves a good deal or reward, and incentives are a proven way to boost booth traffic. Offering something valuable gives attendees a clear reason to stop by.
Incentive Ideas
- Exclusive giveaways: Branded items, samples, or small gadgets tied to your product.
- Prize drawings: Enter visitors who pre-register online or visit your booth into a raffle.
- Discount codes: Share limited-time offers only available to trade show attendees.
- Early access perks: Promise booth visitors first access to new products or features.
The trick is to make the incentive feel exclusive and worth the effort of stopping by.
Step 5: Leverage Influencer Tie-Ins
Influencers are not just for lifestyle brands. Industry thought leaders, niche bloggers, and social media personalities can extend your reach to audiences you may not access on your own.
How to Work With Influencers
- Partnerships: Ask them to share posts announcing your presence at the trade show.
- Guest appearances: Invite an influencer to your booth for a meet-and-greet session.
- Content collaborations: Have them preview your product and share their insights online.
Even micro-influencers with smaller followings can have a big impact if they are trusted voices within your industry.
Step 6: Use Personal Invitations
While digital campaigns are essential, personal outreach often makes the biggest impression. If you know key clients, prospects, or partners will be at the event, reach out directly.
- Phone calls or one-on-one emails: Personally invite them to visit your booth.
- Calendar invites: Schedule time for demos or meetings in advance.
- Custom messages: Tailor your invitation to highlight how your booth will provide value to their business.
Personal connections ensure that your most important contacts don’t slip through the cracks.
Step 7: Combine Strategies for Maximum Effect
No single pre-show tactic is enough on its own. The most successful exhibitors use a mix of approaches to cover all touchpoints.
For example:
- An email campaign with a booth map and incentive details.
- Social media teasers paired with influencer collaborations.
- Personal outreach to key accounts, backed by a broader promotional push.
By layering strategies, you create multiple reminders that increase the chances of attendees making your booth a priority.
Measuring Your Pre-Show Success
To know if your efforts are paying off, track results before, during, and after the event.
- Monitor email open and click rates to see how many people engaged with your messages.
- Track social media metrics, such as shares, comments, and hashtag mentions.
- Compare booth traffic data with past events to measure improvement.
- Collect feedback from attendees about how they heard about your booth.
These insights will help you refine your strategy for future shows.
Final Thoughts
Getting people to stop at your booth is one of the biggest challenges of exhibiting. Pre-show marketing makes that challenge easier by building awareness, excitement, and intent before the event even starts.
To succeed, focus on the basics and then go beyond them:
- Send targeted email campaigns.
- Build anticipation with social media teasers.
- Share maps to make finding you easy.
- Offer incentives that make your booth a must-visit.
- Partner with influencers to expand your reach.
- Add personal invitations for your top contacts.
By combining these strategies, you’ll not only increase foot traffic but also make your trade show presence more impactful and rewarding.
With smart pre-show marketing, you’ll arrive at the event with an audience already looking for you, turning your booth into a destination rather than just another stop on the show floor.
