3 min

How to Run an Effective Trade Show Email Campaign

By Amy Silberman

Trade shows are a great opportunity for your company to gain new leads, promote new products, or increase your visibility and reputation with your existing customers. However, trade shows can also be costly and sometimes do not provide a significant return on the investment put into them. One of the best ways to ensure you are getting the most out of a trade show is to take the time to create an email campaign.  Here are our recommended timeline, assets and deliverables needed to run a solid email campaign to support your sales team.

Trade Show Schedule

Date Deliverable

-1.5 months before trade show

Homepage banner

  • Update home page with with link to trade show landing page
  • Social media announcements (this should be done by the sales team with their own LinkedIn account that points to the landing page)

Client Information Needed:

  • Trade Show Name
  • Trade Show Dates
  • Booth Number
  • Picture from previous trade show showing team

-1.5 months before trade show

Trade Show Landing Page 

Brief explanation of the trade show, all details about the show, who will be attending, if there will be any demos, reference any tools that will be given to attendees, and include link to trade show registration form.

Client Information Needed:

  • Who will be attending
  • Any products / services that will be highlighted? (Need pictures and description of product / services)
  • Need trade show logos, free ticket code and assets (provided by Trade Show/Client)

-1.5 months before trade show

Announcement Email

1.5 months before the trade show for interested parties (top customers, contacts who have attended trade shows in the past, etc.) 

Client Information Needed:

  • List of contacts to send announcement email

-1 Month before trade show

Pre-Trade Show Reminder Emails 

A set of reminder emails with the following schedule:

  • #1: One month before trade show
  • #2: Two weeks before trade show
  • #3: Two days before trade show

During trade show

Post Trade Show Thank You Emails

  • #1: Sent to people who visited the booth that day.  Email sent the following day.

Client Information Needed:

  • List of contacts who visited the booth that day (scanned in from badge)
  • Workflow for Thank You emails #2 to #4

#2: Day after trade show ends, link to Post Trade Show landing Page

#3: One week after trade show ends, drip campaign to highlighted products

#4: Three weeks after trade show ends, drip campaign to highlighted products

Day after trade show ends

Post Trade Show Landing Page / Blog

Included in email #2, page that summarizes any relevant trade show content (new product announcements, demo videos, etc.)

  • Social media announcements (this should be done by the sales team with their own LinkedIn account that points to the Post Trade Show landing page)

Client Information Needed:

  • Multiple Pictures from current trade show 
  • Tag clients / prospects in photos
  • Pictures of sales team demo products

 

One final thought: To run a successful trade show campaign, it is critical that your sales team takes multiple pictures of the:

  • Booth
  • Sales team group photo (booth, outside of convention center)
  • Sales team talking with clients / prospects
  • Products

This will allow you and your marketing team to use highly relevant pictures that resonate with the email readers.

By planning and executing an email campaign for your company’s trade show, you complement your sales team's efforts by reinforcing the messaging around your products and services and keep your prospects and customers engaged with your brand.

 

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Amy Silberman

Amy Silberman

Client Success Manager and Content Marketing Specialist