Show prep
Trade show attendance is expensive. Doing it well requires planning weeks before and follow-up weeks after. The guides below walk through the specific decisions that matter.
The five prep guides
- Show ROI - when to attend, when to skip (decision framework)
- Sample preparation - what to bring, how to pack, how to display
- Booth design basics - small booths, large booths, and common mistakes
- International shipping of samples - customs, HTS codes, costs
- Post-show follow-up - the 14-day window that matters most
Before the show
The 8-12 weeks before a show are the most expensive time.
- Decide which show to attend (see directory)
- Book booth / registration (early = better placement, lower cost)
- Book travel and accommodation (early = lower cost)
- Prepare samples and displays (3-6 weeks lead time)
- Pre-show buyer outreach (start 4-6 weeks before)
- Print materials and booth design (2-3 weeks)
- Pack and ship (2-4 weeks)
- Brief your booth staff (1 week)
Budget by tier of show
Rough cost ranges for a small factory attending a Tier 1 show:
| Item | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booth space + utilities | $4,000 | $7,000 | $15,000 |
| Travel (2 staff, 7 days) | $3,500 | $6,000 | $10,000 |
| Accommodation | $1,500 | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Samples + shipping | $1,500 | $3,500 | $8,000 |
| Booth design / build | $1,000 | $3,000 | $8,000 |
| Marketing materials | $500 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Pre-show outreach (mailing, calls) | $500 | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Total | $12,500 | $25,500 | $52,000 |
This is for a 5-7 day trade show with a 9 sqm booth and 2 booth staff. Higher if your booth is bigger.
The 80/20 of show ROI
80% of qualified leads at a trade show come from:
- Pre-show outreach (your existing network, told you're attending)
- Walk-ups to a booth that looks active, visible, and worth stopping
- Referrals from other exhibitors ("go talk to booth #X, they're solid")
The 20% comes from booth traffic, chance, and most "discovered you at the show" stories are actually pre-show outreach warmed up. Don't skip the pre-show work - it's the highest-ROI activity in the whole show calendar.
During the show
5 things to do every day
- Walk the floor once before open (find your competitors, see who's exhibiting)
- Schedule buyer meetings for morning before show opens (their attention is freshest)
- Log every conversation in your CRM with photos of buyers and their cards
- Collect buyer cards with notes on what they discussed (not just "had a chat")
- Take 1-2 hours at end of each day to clean up booth and organize materials
Common mistakes
- Talking too much. Buyer should talk 50% of the time, you 50%.
- Not qualifying the buyer. Ask: "What's your category? What's your annual volume in this category? What price point?"
- Spending time on buyers with no real purchasing authority or budget.
- Not collecting follow-up contact info (email + WhatsApp is good for international buyers).
- Neglecting booth cleanliness and lighting.
After the show
The 14 days after a show are critical. See post-show follow-up for the playbook.
Quick version:
- Send thank-you emails within 48 hours to every qualified buyer you met.
- Ship samples to the 5-10 most promising prospects within 1 week.
- Schedule follow-up calls for Week 2.
- Track which leads converted by 30/60/90 days.
- Add the show to your "shows-attended" record for ROI tracking.
Cross-references
- Show ROI - decision framework
- Sample preparation
- Booth design basics
- International shipping of samples
- Post-show follow-up
- Show sessions - alternative to large trade shows
- Trade show directory - which to attend