How to derive the maximum benefits from a trade show investment…
The Value—and Cost—of Showing Up for a Trade Show
Trade shows, expos, and industry gatherings remain one of the few marketing opportunities that put businesses face-to-face with the people who matter most: customers, prospects, partners, and even competitors. Despite the rise of digital platforms and AI-driven outreach, there’s still no substitute for a personal demonstration, a real conversation, or a spontaneous meeting in an exhibit hall.
But those opportunities come at a steep price. For most companies, trade shows are the most expensive form of marketing they’ll ever undertake. Beyond booth rental and design, there’s travel, lodging, meals, entertainment, and the cost of transporting products and materials. Even modest participation can quickly escalate into tens of thousands of dollars. Add to these charges inside the exhibit hall, where even plugging in lights requires a union approved electrician, small and even medium sized companies are priced out. Others attend because they believe the message sent to the marketplace by not attending is more costly and potentially damaging than actually showing up is.
Making the Investment Pay Off
To justify the cost, smart marketers deploy what’s best described as a ‘force multiplier’ strategy — using every available promotional tool before, during, and after the show. In marketing, a force multiplier is a strategic approach with complementary tactics, actions or technologies to achieve a greater impact than the sum of individual efforts.
It can refer to specific tactics like content repurposing, focusing on what works and scaling it, or even using a specific role like a Chief of Staff to amplify a leader’s effectiveness. Essentially, it’s a way to multiply your marketing force by making existing actions more effective and efficient. I can take a press release for the show or one from earlier and convert it into a sales letter, direct email, blog post, and even the basis for an ad. That means:
- Public relations: Announce your participation, new product announcements, new technology, promotions, locations and other newsworthy developments early and often. This is a way to secure interviews with trade editors and reporters attending the show.
- Advertising: Reinforce your presence through paid placements in show dailies, industry newsletters, and digital platforms. Shows of any size will have specials for sponsors, speakers, and any other information relevant to the event.
- Direct marketing: Send personal invitations and follow-up messages to customers, distributors, and leads. The news from the press release can also be a source of content for this direct outreach.
- Social media: Use show hashtags, live posts, and video to extend your reach beyond the event floor. Post often and make sure to have links for show attendees.
The goals for any trade event are simple: sign new business, extend existing trade and qualify new sales leads. Each of these is actionable and quantifiable. This way any marketer can extract maximum visibility and value from an inherently costly investment. Every touchpoint — from pre-show buzz to post-show follow-up — should drive awareness, traffic, and qualified leads.
The Payoff: Visibility, Credibility, and Connection
While trade shows demand serious resources, they also deliver something no algorithm can replicate: genuine human engagement. Exhibiting companies often report that the quality of conversations — and the speed of deal-making — far exceeds any other channel. In many industries, the right handshake still opens more doors than a year’s worth of online advertising.
About Media Public Relations
Media Public Relations, led by Harold Nicoll, APR, specializes in helping businesses amplify their visibility through integrated communications, strategic storytelling, and results-driven public relations. The firm works with companies and organizations to create measurable impact across digital, broadcast, and in-person channels.
Media Contact:
Harold Nicoll, APR
info@media-public-relations.com
(443) 987-0195 (cell)