What I learned from doing three trade shows in four weeks

This year, I’ve been experimenting with exhibiting at more niche and regional trade shows, ending with a rather exhausting sprint of three regional bookseller trade shows in four weeks. While I probably wouldn’t choose to do so many shows in such a short time again, I learned a lot from the experience! Here are a few of my takeaways from this last burst of travel, events and sales.

A week or two before each show, I asked my VA to reach out to potential leads who would be attending the show. The emails were simple, inviting the buyer to visit my booth at the show, sharing brief yet functional information about what products I sold and how to order with links to my wholesale sites, and ending with a photograph that showed a few of my best sellers in their region.

At each show, several buyers would mention that they’d seen the email I sent and that was how they recognized the products that I had on display. It was a simple way to start the connection that could then be continued in person at the show.

I usually like to bring a sample product to give away at each trade show I attend. Usually this consists of something lightweight that I can easily pack in my luggage on the plane, like extra cards or stickers. With stickers, I’ll often bring a variety and tape them to the informational postcards I have with links to my catalog. The attendees will often enjoy sorting through the postcards to find a sticker that they like best.

At one of the shows I did in the last few weeks though, I was able to drive, so I decided to try something different. I had been collecting seconds-grade camp mugs over several years that I couldn’t really sell, so I decided to pack up two large boxes of them (102 mugs total!) to give as my samples instead. Even though they weren’t the best level of saleable quality, when I asked people stopping by my booth if they’d like a free camp mug, of course nobody turned me down. And they were thrilled to receive what felt like a real treat. Some buyers included the camp mugs in their orders since they’d been able to experience them person, and it felt great on my end to be generous with this product.

Doing so many trade shows back-to-back, I found that as each one progressed, I was more quickly and easily able to get into sales mode compared to when the shows I attended were more spread out through the year.

By the last show, I was immediately able to remember to ask each person who stopped by my booth for their business card, without feeling awkward about the ask like I sometimes felt. I’d offer a catalog or my postcard, and ask if they had a business card as well.

Why was asking for a business card so important? Even when I had received a list of contact information for attendees from the show runners, being able to have the name and contact information for the specific buyer I met made following up later easier. I stapled the business card into a notebook, wrote a few notes about what products they were interested in or if we talked about anything else in our conversation.

Particularly when exhibiting at trade shows that were connected to an industry conference, I found it to be much more beneficial to stay at the official conference hotel instead of finding a slightly cheaper option nearby.

What made this worth it were all the casual interactions I had with potential buyers when running into folks from the trade show at the hotel. With our badges on, we’d have quick conversations in the lobby or while waiting for the elevator. When I ate dinner at the hotel bar I had a lovely conversation with a buyer who came to check out my booth the next day. It was an unexpected way to more personally connect with buyers and shop owners outside of the formality of being in a trade show booth, to bring the humanity and sense of community into the experience even more.

During the week after each show, I got into a rhythm of following up with everyone who visited my booth. With my notebook of business cards and notes, I could relatively quickly write a personal email to each person I’d met to refresh their memory about who I was, remind them what they were interested in, and provide links to my catalog and online ordering platforms. I also included a photo of products I’d displayed.

Although doing three trade shows in four weeks was an incredibly exhausting sprint of travel--only two days at home between traveling to my last two shows!--I learned a lot and found my sales skills improving with each event. I got into a rhythm with it.

Probably not in exactly the same way, just because it was so mentally and physically exhausting to be away from home so frequently. After each of the shows I needed a little bit more recovery time than I gave myself, ending up with post-show migraines after the first two trips, and an unfortunate case of food poisoning after the last one.

But in spite of all of this, I’ve already registered for my next trade show in early 2026. I found that showing up for trade shows and getting to meet the buyers in person is still equally important, if not more important, as connecting with buyers online.

There’s only so much that can be expressed digitally, and getting to have conversations with folks, let them touch and feel my products in real life, and just getting to be more personal and human is what really matters. The conversations and connections I had at these trade shows this year aligned to my business values of empathy and belonging, and from a practical level, the opportunity to sell my products to buyers in persons will help it to continue to grow in the long run.

Take care,