Here’s one simple way to maximize your trade show presence: include your upcoming trade show schedule in your email signature. That way, customers and prospects can be made aware of where they can see you in person in coming months. 

Make sure to include the show name, dates, location and booth number, and suggest to everyone at your organization and/or those who will be part of the show/booth team do the same.

“It’s a tip that doesn’t cost you anything but always keeps your whereabouts top-of-mind,” said Cheryl Soares, foodservice promotions and trade show manager for the California Milk Advisory Board.

Also consider adding: 

• Speaking engagements: “Join us at ABC session where we will share our thought leadership.” Bonus: Include time, date and location.
• Sponsorships: “Proud to be a sponsor of the opening reception. Meet us there!”
• Press conferences: “Join us for an exciting announcement at a press conference at time, date and location.”
• New products: “Stop by to taste a sample of our new XYZ product.”
• Private events: “Join us after-hours at a private reception on Day 2 of the show. Message me for an invitation with details to RSVP. Space is limited!” 

If it seems like too much information to add in a signature, include the next two to three upcoming trade shows instead of your full calendar for the year.

Additionally, some trade show organizers provide exhibitors with a graphic they can use in their signatures and social channels. Show organizers, like the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the National Restaurant Association, even offer exhibitors the option to easily add and customize the graphic with their booth numbers. 

In 2023, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and the National Restaurant Association Show partnered with mdg, a Freeman company, to provide a variety of promotional tools, including customizable email signatures. See a sample of the digital tools offered by CONEXPO-CON/AGG here and the National Restaurant Association Show here. 

Be sure to ask your booth sales representative if they provide this service.

Photo: The California Milk Advisory Board exhibited at the 2023 International Pizza Expo and Conference, held March 28-30 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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