Trade Show Checklist
Table of Contents
3-6 months before the Trade Show
Review your exhibiting plan and objectives.
Schedule a vendor presentation.
Decide on your main message.
Pick your booth.
Design your banner and handouts.
Plan on at least 3 people.
Finish all the travel arrangements.
Decide how your booth will be different.
Buy shirts and other swag.
Pay early to avoid rush charges.
1 month before the Trade Show
Reach out to attendees before the show.
Promote the show.
Design your exhibit to boldly and clearly communicate who you are.
Select motivated, friendly, knowledgeable booth staffers.
Days Before the Trade Show
Bring your event staff together for a final meeting before you depart.
Brief booth staff on proper etiquette, dress, and how to best make an at-show sale.
Call your event sponsor and/or the contact person at the event site to confirm all of your materials and booth have arrived.
Double check the location where you will pick up your items.
Call airport, train station, rental car company and hotel to confirm arrangements.
Go over your show objectives so you have them memorized.
Re-examine your post-show marketing strategy.
Change your voice mail and email message to let people know you are out of town.
Bring with you business cards.
Check your e-mail and voice mail for any last-minute problems.
Make a to-do list for things that must be done your first day back.
At the Trade Show
Ask questions instead of pitching.
Stand, don't sit.
Get into the aisle.
Make notes on business cards.
Walk the floor and talk to everyone.
Take names instead of pushing brochures.
Quality not quantity.
Download or Print this Trade Show Checklist
Get a printable version of this checklist in your preferred format: PDF, Word, Excel, or print directly from your browser.
Presented by:
Campbell Rodriguez
Stats
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71
Views: 71
Uses
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Uses: 10
Tasks
36
Tasks: 36
Who it's for
This Trade Show Checklist is for teams that want consistent execution, less rework, and clear ownership.
- Standardize quality - run the same Trade Show steps every time, regardless of who executes
- Save time - reuse a proven Trade Show workflow instead of rebuilding processes from scratch
- Improve accountability - assign owners and see what's done vs. what's pending
- Onboard faster - use the Trade Show checklist as the SOP and training guide
- Coordinate across roles - handoffs are clear and everyone works from the same source of truth
How to use it
How to use this Trade Show Checklist:
- Start by saving it - save as a Template if you'll reuse it, or as a Checklist if it's a one-off project.
- Customize it once for your workflow - remove what doesn't apply and add your team-specific steps.
- Assign ownership and execute - set owners/due dates where needed and track completion as work happens.
- Reuse without rebuilding - when Trade Show comes up again, start from your saved version and run it with clear ownership.