Trade Show Checklist
A trade show checklist for exhibitors: booth booking, materials, shipping, staffing, lead capture and follow-up, so your next conference booth pays off.
- Typical schedule per event
- The checklist 5 sections, 23 items
- Variables
{{event}}{{event_date}}
Use this checklist when your company exhibits at a trade show, conference or industry event. Exhibiting costs a lot of money and staff time, and most of the return depends on two things that happen away from the booth: preparation months ahead, and fast follow-up afterwards. The checklist runs from booking to the lead review after the event.
Who owns it
An event or marketing manager owns the run. Sales owns the meeting bookings and the lead follow-up. Logistics items, such as shipping and the stand build, can be assigned to whoever handles them, including an outside stand builder.
Common pitfalls
- Missing the organiser's deadlines. Exhibitor manuals contain deadlines for power, internet, furniture, graphics and badges. Late orders cost more or are refused. Put every deadline in the calendar on the day you book.
- Arriving without meetings. Walk-up traffic is unpredictable. Book meetings with prospects and customers before the event.
- Leads on business cards. Paper leads get lost in a bag. Use a badge scanner or a form, with a note on what the person wanted.
- Slow follow-up. Every other exhibitor emails the same people. Follow up within a few working days while they still remember the conversation.
Create one run per event when you book the space. The run keeps deadlines, owners and the lead follow-up in one place.
The checklist: Exhibit at {{event}} ({{event_date}})
Plan and book
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Goal for
{{event}}agreed (e.g. meetings booked, qualified leads, partner contacts) -
Budget approved, including travel, shipping and stand costs
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Booth space booked and the exhibitor contract signed
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Exhibitor manual read and every deadline added to the calendar
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Travel and hotels booked for the booth team
Booth and materials
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Booth design and graphics approved and ordered
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Power, internet, furniture and lighting ordered from the organiser
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Demo setup prepared and tested on the network you will have at the venue
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Brochures, business cards and giveaways ordered optional
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Shipping booked to the venue or the official freight forwarder in time
People and leads
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Booth staff schedule set with breaks and coverage for the whole show
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Booth team briefed on goals, key messages, demo and qualifying questions
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Lead capture method set up (e.g. badge scanner app, tablet form) with a field for notes
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Meetings with prospects and customers booked before the event
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Exhibitor badges registered for all booth staff
At the event
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Booth built and checked: graphics, power, internet, demo
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Daily team check-in on leads, meetings and issues
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Leads uploaded or synced at the end of each day
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Booth dismantled and return shipping handed over
After the event
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Leads imported into the CRM and assigned to sales
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Follow-up emails sent within a few working days, based on the notes
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Costs collected and compared with the budget
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Results reviewed against the goal, and the decision to return next year recorded
Checklist as Markdown
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I prepare for a trade show?
Start several months ahead for a larger show. Booth space, hotels and the organiser's service orders all get more expensive or unavailable closer to the date. Smaller regional events can be done with less lead time, but the exhibitor manual deadlines still apply.
What should you bring to a trade show booth?
Bring what the booth needs to run without help: the demo equipment with spare chargers and cables, extension leads, the lead capture device, business cards, a small toolkit and tape, and printed copies of the order confirmations. Pack a backup for anything the demo cannot work without.
How do you follow up with trade show leads?
Import leads into your CRM the same day if you can, sort them by the notes taken at the booth, and send a personal follow-up within a few working days. Reference the conversation, not just the event. Hot leads should get a call or a meeting invite, not a generic newsletter.
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