You spend tens of thousands to show up… but are you showing up strategically?

Exhibit fees. Booth builds. Flights. Hotels. Freight. Staff. Meals. Giveaways. It adds up fast—and that’s before you even consider how you’re going to generate a return on all of it.

At CHECKS//MATES, we’ve been attending trade shows—especially in the overlanding and outdoor space—for years. In fact, we’ve already hit eight expos this year alone.

And from what we’ve seen? Most brands are winging it.

The Common Mistake: No Plan Before, No Follow-Up After

Ask yourself:

• What are you doing before the show to build buzz?

• What are you doing during the show to collect leads and drive engagement?

• What’s your post-show plan to turn interest into actual revenue?

If you don’t have a clear strategy for all three phases, you’re leaving serious money on the table.

Let’s fix that.

5 Trade Show Marketing Tactics That Actually Drive ROI

1. Localized Paid Ads

Run geo-targeted paid ads in the days and weeks before the event to build awareness with attendees and locals alike. You can:

• Promote your booth number and giveaways.

• Highlight product launches or show specials.

• Retarget past visitors who are attending again.

You should also be running ads during the event—on Meta or Google—with booth directions, real-time offers, or QR codes for lead capture.

2. Smarter Lead Collection (Not Just Scans)

Don’t just rely on badge scans. Use raffles, product giveaways, or gated content to capture emails and phone numbers directly into your CRM.

Bonus: make the prize meaningful. Quality giveaways drive quality leads.

3. Install Tracking Pixels

Make sure your Meta and Google tracking pixels are live and functioning before the show. This allows you to:

• Retarget visitors who check out your site after seeing you at the show.

• Build custom audiences from visitors who landed on a show-specific landing page.

• Improve the accuracy of your post-show campaign performance.

4. Request the Attendee List

If available, request a list of attendees from the show organizers. Even partial access can unlock massive opportunity for:

• Email or SMS follow-ups.

• Custom ad audiences.

• Direct outreach from your sales team.

Not all expos offer this—but when they do, it’s a goldmine.

5. Automated Follow-Up Flows

You’ve met the prospects. Now close the loop. We help our clients set up automated email and SMS flows that:

• Thank people for visiting your booth.

• Offer exclusive post-show discounts.

• Push content that keeps your brand top of mind.

And if you didn’t attend? These same flows can be used to ride the wave of buzz even if you weren’t there in person.

You Can’t Be Everywhere. But Your Marketing Can.

In-person events are powerful. But attention fades fast.

The brands that win are the ones that stay top of mind long after the event tents come down.

That’s what we do.

Need help making your trade shows actually pay off?
👉 Let’s talk.

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