To maximize success at trade shows, companies need to expand their reach beyond the exhibition floor. One powerful tool to achieve this is a well-crafted press release. Whether you’re a frequent exhibitor or a newcomer to trade shows, use our trade show press release template to get the word out about your trade show booth.

Table of Contents:

• Why Publish a Press Release Before a Trade Show?
• Why Publish a Press Release After a Trade Show?
• Download Our Trade Show Press Release Template
• How to Write Your Trade Show Press Release
• Additional Trade Show Tips and Tricks
• Partner with Cardinal to Manage Your Booth

Why Publish a Press Release Before a Trade Show?

Publishing a press release before a trade show helps to generate early buzz and excitement, capturing the attention of media, industry professionals, and potential customers before the event begins. Announcing your participation creates anticipation and curiosity, which can lead to increased booth traffic. Including your booth number and location in a press release can also help attendees find your exhibit more easily.

Direct Communication with Your Target Audience

A pre-show press release provides an opportunity to communicate key messages and promotional content to your target audience. While your own website, social media, and newsletter are great for reaching audiences who already follow you, a press release in an industry outlet can expose you to relevant new users.

By outlining what visitors can expect from your booth, you can get attendees excited about your exhibit and keep it top of mind on the trade show floor. You are also able to demonstrate to readers how your booth aligns with their interests and ensure that it meets their expectations by outlining what you have to offer ahead of time.

Scheduling Meetings and Interviews in Advance

Publishing a press release before the trade show makes it easier for you to schedule meetings and interviews in advance. By providing media, industry experts, and customers with compelling reasons to visit your booth, you can line up more conversations during the event.

This can help your staff make the most of their time at the show and give you a better way to determine how many employees are needed to work your booth. You might decide that only employees who have scheduled meetings with customers should attend, cutting down on your staff and travel expenses for the show.

Why Publish a Press Release After a Trade Show?

A major mistake exhibitors make is to put all their energy into working before and during a show but overlook the valuable work to be done after a show. Publishing a press release to recap your exhibiting experience can keep your brand top of mind for longer.

Reinforcing Key Messages and Highlights

Publishing a press release after a trade show helps reinforce the key points of the event for your brand. Your company can recap the significant achievements and announcements made during the trade show which weren’t available to publicize in a press release before the event. By summarizing these critical moments, you ensure that your audience remembers your company.

Extending the Event’s Reach

A post-show press release allows an outside audience to learn about your business. If a potential client or customer is unable to attend the trade show, they will still be able to read about your company and its offerings in the press release.

Showcasing Successes and Results

After the trade show, a press release offers a platform to showcase your successes. Whether it’s the revenue generated, partnerships formed, or awards won, highlighting these achievements demonstrates the benefits of your participation. This not only boosts your company’s credibility but also serves as a testament to your effectiveness and industry influence. Celebrating these milestones can enhance your reputation and attract further interest from potential customers and partners.

Download Our Trade Show Press Release Template

Click here to download the template.

How to Write Your Trade Show Press Release

An effective trade show press release can maximize your company’s visibility and impact. Learn more about the essential elements to include below, then fill them out in our free downloadable trade show press release template above.

Header

The header should contain the basic information about your company and the person who will act as your contact person with the media. Include your company name and logo, as well as the media contact’s name, phone number, and email address in case they need to be contacted with any follow-up questions or next steps.

If you want the press release to go out immediately, you can change “Release Date” to “For Immediate Release” and put today’s date underneath. If you want to wait until a specific date, enter it under “Release Date.” You can also change “Release Date” to “Embargoed Until” if you want to emphasize the need to wait.

Headline

The headline is arguably the most important aspect of the press release because it’s the first thing readers will see. This pertains not only to the end reader but also to the media professionals who will decide whether or not to publish your press release in the first place.

Be sure to include the name of your company and the main takeaway that you want to share. This could be a product release, special demonstration, or award.

For example:

• Cardinal Expo to Release New LED Wall at Exhibit Show in January
• Cardinal Expo Will Demonstrate Advanced Booth Installation at 2025 Exhibit Show
• Cardinal Expo Wins Most Innovative Booth at 2024 Exhibit Show

Subheadline

The subheadline is a one-sentence summary of the press release that shows why it is important. It offers context and encourages readers to continue.

For example:

Headline: Cardinal Expo Will Demonstrate Advanced Booth Installation at 2025 Exhibit Show

Subheadline: These techniques reduce installation time by 23% on average and incorporate the latest safety precautions.

Introduction or Lead Paragraph

First you must add the dateline, which shares the location (both city and state, if relevant) and date (month, day, and year or just month and year, if relevant). There is usually something to set this apart from the start of your first paragraph, such as bolding or italicizing the dateline, using a colon or dash to separate the dateline, or adding white space after the dateline.

Next comes your introduction or lead paragraph, which should capture the reader’s attention and share the most important information in case they do not finish the entire release. Consider your answers to the classic who, what, why, where, when, and how questions.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the press release should share more information about what visitors can expect to see at your booth or recap what happened at your booth. It may include:

• Background Information
  • Brief background on the show (if needed)
  • Booth location/booth number
• Key Highlights
  • New products
  • Live demonstrations
  • Booth schedule
  • Booth amenities
  • Exhibiting results
  • Awards won
• Quotes
  • From company leadership
  • From customers or partners
• Company Information
  • Brief background on the company
  • History and mission of the company
  • New or highlighted products or services
  • Recent achievements

Call to Action

At the end, be sure to include a clear call to action in a single sentence. Before the show you could encourage readers to visit your booth, check out a new product, or schedule a meeting. After the show you could direct readers to get in touch about your offerings or follow your updates.

Boilerplate or About Us

A boilerplate is also known as an “about us” section that comes at the end of all your company press releases without needing to be updated. It should be informative and concise. Include your company name, a short description, a general overview of your products and services, and your unique value proposition.

Additional Trade Show Tips and Tricks

Preparing for a trade show requires meticulous planning. In addition to writing and distributing a trade show press release, here are some steps to take before the show:

• Post to Social Media: Post about the event, your booth location, and the products you’ll be showcasing.
• Update Your Email Signature: Consider adding a brief mention of the upcoming show you’re exhibiting at and your booth number to staff email signatures to help get the word out.
• Schedule Meetings: Reach out to potential leads to schedule meetings or invite them to your booth.
• Train Booth Staff: Ensure that all team members are experts on your company, products, and services so they are prepared to answer any questions.
• Check the Floor Map: Studying the exhibition floor will save you time searching for booths, bathrooms, and more during the event.
• Design an Eye-Catching Booth: Get a trade show booth that matches your branding and will facilitate your exhibiting goals. Take note of any additional equipment that your booth requires so you can prepare accordingly. This includes charging devices, outlets, and more.
• Prepare Marketing Materials: Stock up on brochures, flyers, giveaways, and business cards to pass out to visitors.

What you do after the trade show is crucial to converting leads into customers. Here are some tips for maximizing your ROI:

• Follow Up Promptly: Send an email or make a phone call to leads within 48 hours of the event. Be sure you follow through in a timely manner on anything you promised visitors, whether it’s sending them samples or resources or scheduling a follow-up conversation.
• Debrief with Your Team: Meet with your booth staff to conduct a post-mortem and discuss what went well and what could be improved for the next trade show.
• Send Thank You Notes: Write a personal thank you note to show genuine appreciation for leads.
• Schedule Meetings: Reach out to leads to form connections and potentially explore business opportunities.
• Plan for the Next Event: Start preparing for the next show while the last one is still fresh in your mind. Use your feedback and post-mortem notes to enhance your next experience.

Partner with Cardinal to Manage Your Booth

Our trade show press release template is only the tip of the iceberg. If you’re ready to make your mark at the next trade show, partner with Cardinal Expo. We offer unparalleled expertise and support in planning and executing a trade show booth. Our end-to-end exhibit management includes booth design, fabrication, shipping, logistics, paperwork assistance, installation, deconstruction, warehousing, and more.

Contact us today to maximize your event success! Fill out the form below, email us at sales@cardinalexpo.com, or give us a call at (800) 695-3452.