Retail Trade Shows

📦 Tradeshow Logistics for the Food & Beverage Industry 🍽️🚚 Attending a food and beverage trade show like Expo West, Fancy Food Show, or SIAL can be a game-changer for brands looking to expand retail distribution, network with buyers, and showcase new products. But successful execution depends on seamless logistics planning—from shipping samples to setting up a standout booth. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your tradeshow logistics go smoothly. ✅ 🔹 1. Pre-Show Planning: Laying the Foundation 📅 Book Early & Plan Ahead ✅ Reserve your booth space early to get prime location near high-traffic areas. ✅ Book shipping & freight services at least 4-6 weeks in advance to avoid rush fees. ✅ Arrange hotel & travel accommodations for your team early (tradeshows fill up fast!). 📌 Pro Tip: Use an event checklist to track key deadlines like booth orders, marketing materials, and shipments. 🔹 2. Shipping & Freight: Getting Your Product to the Show 🚛 Choose the Right Shipping Method ✅ Freight Carrier (LTL/FTL) – Best for large booth materials & bulk samples. ✅ Parcel Delivery (FedEx, UPS, DHL) – Ideal for smaller product shipments. ✅ Refrigerated Freight – Needed for perishable samples, frozen foods, or beverages. 📦 Label & Track Everything ✅ Use pre-printed labels with booth number, company name & event location. ✅ Track shipments and have a backup plan in case of delays. ✅ Confirm with the show’s logistics provider (like Freeman or GES) for warehouse delivery instructions. 📌 Pro Tip: Ship to the advance warehouse (if available) to avoid last-minute delivery delays. 🔹 3. Storing & Handling Perishable Items ❄️ Cold Chain Management ✅ Coordinate with cold storage providers if your product needs refrigeration. ✅ Bring coolers, dry ice, or gel packs for on-site storage. ✅ If sampling, confirm venue refrigeration policies and have backup storage nearby. 📌 Pro Tip: Many shows offer on-site refrigerated storage, but space is limited—reserve early! 🔹 4. Booth Setup & Product Display 🎪 Design an Engaging Booth ✅ Use bold signage that clearly states your brand & product benefits. ✅ Keep the setup clean & inviting, allowing space for product sampling & conversations. ✅ Have QR codes or digital brochures for easy access to product details. 🛠️ Set Up Efficiently ✅ Arrive a day early for setup to test displays, lighting, and samples. ✅ Bring essential tools (scissors, tape, extension cords, chargers, etc.). ✅ Have a backup plan in case of missing or delayed shipments. 📌 Pro Tip: Test your sampling process beforehand to ensure efficiency during peak traffic times. 🔹 5. Post-Show Logistics: Wrapping Up Efficiently 📦 Pack Up & Ship Back Smartly ✅ Use pre-labeled return shipping documents for leftover products and booth materials. ✅ Schedule pickup with your freight carrier before the show ends to avoid rush fees. ✅ Dispose of or donate excess samples to avoid unnecessary shipping costs.

If you think your trade show starts when the hall doors open, you’ve already lost the game. Many brands treat their three days on the floor as the entire event. They spend 95% of their energy on the booth design and worrying about logistics to only spend 5% on what happens before and after. Zero to poorly planed pre and post show strategy can ruin ROI and end up being costly. If you want to move from exhibiting to performing, here are 5 clear and proven tactics for your pre-show and post-show playbook... Win before you arrive: PRE SHOW ☑️ ABM Tiered Outreach: Stop the "come see us" blasts. Identify your Top 50 must-see prospects and send them something personalized. A physical mailer, a custom video, or a calendar link. ☑️ Create a compelling and valuable offer. Why should someone come to your booth or experience? Use this for marketing and invitations. LinkedIN, emails, social, etc. ☑️ Sales & Marketing Alignment: Your booth staff shouldn't be winging it. Run a pre-show workshop. Define exactly what a qualified lead looks like and ensure everyone knows the playbook for the customers experience at the event. ☑️ Digital Geo-Fencing: Run targeted social ads. Plenty of ways to get creative with this is you explore ALL digital options; airport, uber, taxi, billboard, hotels, etc. Some of these are better for larger brands with massive audiences and brand recognition. ☑️ Leverage the event app: Messaging in the app is a great way to set appointments. The key is to send pleasant, specific, and value driven messages, not spammy messages. POST SHOW is all about converting and carrying on opportunities: ☑️ The 48 Hour FollowUp Rule: Speed to lead is everything. Your tier A prospects and leads should have a personalized email, message or phone call before they even get home. If you wait a week, you’re a distant memory. I love tying this to your offer and having a clear reason to follow up. ☑️ Personalized Video Recaps: Instead of a generic "thanks for stopping by" email, have your sales reps record a 30-second Loom video mentioning a specific conversation point. It’s un-ignorable. ☑️ The Content Goldmine: You just spent three days surrounded by experts and customers. Record content for repurpose; booth interviews, demos, and man on the street interview clips into a 6-month social media strategy. ☑️ The Data Debrief: Don’t just count leads; analyze them. Where did they come from? Which demo sparked the most interest? Use this data to justify your spend and sharpen your strategy for the next show. ☑️ Lead Handoff Audit: The biggest ROI killer is the black hole where marketing leads go to die. Schedule a meeting one week post-show with sales to ensure every high value lead has a clear path forward in the CRM. The bottom line is, trade shows are one of the most powerful physical touchpoints in the customer journey, but they only work if you treat them like a strategic campaign.

Trade shows don’t build pipeline. What you do before and after them does. Booth duty and badge scans aren’t enough. If you’re not prepping like a pro, you’re just along for the ride. Here’s the blueprint top reps use to turn trade shows into revenue: 01.) Before the Event: Frontload the Work Pipeline starts before your plane takes off. You need to: ⇢ Lock in meetings ahead of time ⇢ Build a hit list of target accounts ⇢ Craft a 10-second hook that cuts through the noise Execution tips: • Coordinate with SDRs to hit key contacts • Use LinkedIn, email, and calendar links to secure time • RSVP early to VIP events and happy hours • Research where your buyers will actually be 02.) On the Floor: Don’t Just “Man the Booth” Booth duty is not the job. ⇢ Stand out front ⇢ Engage like a human, not a pitch robot ⇢ Capture leads fast and clean Execution tips: • Walk the floor - hit partners, competitors, and customers • Bring a customer advocate to back you up • Skip internal chit chat - stay locked on buyers 03.) After Hours: Where Deals Actually Start The best conversations don’t happen during exhibit hours. ⇢ Ditch the pitch ⇢ Go deep with 2–3 high-value convos ⇢ Be a real person, not a walking demo Execution tips: • Know which events matter and show up early • Stay sharp - people remember how you carry yourself • Listen more than you talk 04.) Meetings: Don’t Demo, Discover This is not a Zoom call. ⇢ Ask about pain, urgency, priorities ⇢ Skip the fluff ⇢ Nail your notes Execution tips: • Show up early, end on time • Get alignment on next steps • Use the meeting to open doors, not close deals 05.) Follow-Up: Be the Rep Who Closes Loops Ghosting kills momentum. ⇢ Follow up within 48 hours ⇢ Personalize based on what they said ⇢ Share useful next steps, not generic decks Example: “Great chat after the RevOps panel - sounds like onboarding pain is a big blocker. Here’s that case study I mentioned. Let’s reconnect next week?” Remember: ↳ Trade shows are a sales sprint, not a team retreat ↳ No plan = no pipeline ↳ The reps who prep are the ones who win Want the full Trade show Guide as a one-pager as PDF? Get it here: https://buff.ly/AFnvUUt

I just turned a $50K exhibition investment into $2M+ in the pipeline. I hear many business owners say that exhibitions are just a 'marketing expense' with 0 ROI. Unpopular opinion: If exhibitions aren't working for you, you're doing them wrong. I'm tired of hearing business owners blame exhibitions for their own lack of strategy. "Exhibitions don't generate ROI." "Trade shows are dead." "It's just a networking event." Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. These are the same people who show up unprepared, pitch everyone like a robot, and wonder why they get ghosted. Last week at Anuga, Germany, I set a goal for 5-6 orders. We closed 11. Exhibitions aren’t easy, but most people are lazy. Here's what separates winners from complainers: Week 1 - Pre-Exhibition (Where 80% fail): Set concrete, measurable goals or don't bother going. Research your targets like your business depends on it (it does). Identify exactly who you're meeting—no "let's see who shows up" Study the country's business culture. Ignorance kills deals. Relationship building > product pushing. If you don't get this, stay home. Week 2 - Exhibition Execution (Where another 15% fail): Arrive before everyone else. If the show opens at 10, I'm there at 9. Keep your pitch tight and benefit-focused. No one cares about your company history. Give existing customers VIP treatment—they're your greatest asset. Read body language. Listen more than you talk. Solve real problems. Week 3 - Post-Exhibition (Where the final 5% separate themselves): This is where deals are WON or LOST. The exhibition isn't over when you pack up. Follow up within 24 hours. Not "when you get around to it." Convert conversations into commitments, not more "let's stay in touch" Answer objections immediately But here's the real difference: I don't go to exhibitions to sell. I go to understand businesses, their pain points, their sleepless nights. When you solve real problems, orders become inevitable. On the last day of Anuga, one company came to the exhibition just to meet us. They found us, spoke with us, and left. A week later? Deal closed. The energy you bring is the energy you attract. So let me ask you directly: Are exhibitions a cornerstone of your growth strategy, or just another checkbox you tick because "everyone's doing it"? Because if it's the latter, save yourself the money.

Expo West is 7 days away. And every year I watch a few founders make the same expensive mistake. “We’re going to Expo.” “Great. Why?” The pause that follows usually tells me everything. Sometimes the answer is: “Because we went last year.” “Because we need more stores.” “Because it’s good visibility.” All reasonable. But I’ve watched brands spend $25K, $75K, even $250K on three days — and walk away without a clear answer to whether it was worth it. Because trade shows don’t create strategy. They magnify whatever intention you walk in with. If you’re there to raise capital, your booth, your meetings, your proof points should reflect that. If you’re there to win distribution, walk in with a target list, a clear ask, and a reason to say yes. If category position is the goal, decide what you want repeated—and what you’re not. So before you think about booth design, giveaways, or the perfect sell sheet, get your team aligned on one sentence: What would make this show actually worth it? Be specific. • Retail meetings in a defined channel? • A new distribution partner? • Investor traction? • Strengthening your reputation in a key category? If you can’t clearly name what you’re there to accomplish, you won’t know whether it worked. The brands that walk away saying “that was worth it” don’t necessarily have the biggest, shiniest booths. They have the clearest intention. If you’re heading to Expo West, what outcome would make it worth it for you?

To tradeshow or not to tradeshow, that is the question. In a world where we can fully exist virtually, it’s becoming harder and harder to justify attending tradeshows and conferences. They’re expensive, not just in money, but even more in time and energy. On the surface, they seem wildly inefficient. You lose travel time. You’re jet-lagged. Your routine is disrupted. You’re not performing at your best. And usually, multiple team members feel that same impact. When you compare that to stacking your calendar with Zoom calls, automated AI sequences, targeted outreach, and digital campaigns… tradeshows can feel like the ultimate waste of time. But yesterday, after breaking this down with a group of tech founders, we landed on the same conclusion: We MUST do tradeshows. And it really comes down to three core reasons: 1. Branding & Trust Showing up matters. Industry events signal health, momentum, credibility, and presence. Yes, social posts help, but a physical booth with real people creates a much stronger affirmation that your company exists, is growing, and is committed to the industry. 2. Lead Generation & Relationship Depth Lead gen should be less than half the goal. The real value? Meeting existing customers face-to-face. Because those in-person conversations go miles beyond a 30–60 minute Zoom call. You get honesty. Emotion. Ideas. Unfiltered feedback. Some happen on the show floor. Others over dinner, drinks, or late-night conversations. It’s almost impossible to measure the ROI of these moments — but they’re often the most valuable part of attending. 3. Network & Industry Pulse Being surrounded by 20, 50, or hundreds of vendors gives you a real-time read on the industry. You see where the market is heading. You feel the sentiment. You discover new players. You observe what the established ones are doing. You share knowledge. You learn the hidden tips and tricks. The insights you get from walking a tradeshow floor simply can’t be replicated online. No matter your size or budget, don’t over-index on digital channels and miss the tradeshow opportunity. ROI may not be immediate, but the compound interest of showing up year after year, strengthening relationships with clients, prospects, partners, vendors, and industry leaders… That payoff is bigger than most people realize. Show up. It matters.

👉 ICSC New York cuts through the noise fast. After days of meetings with investors, retailers, and landlords, the same themes kept resurfacing again and again.   This episode of What's in Store? breaks down six clear signals from the conference floor based entirely on real conversations and active deal discussions. No predictions. No panel soundbites. Just what is actually driving underwriting, expansion, and capital today.   6 Key Takeaways from ICSC New York:   🔹 Cap rates are being driven more by tenant and business risk than by interest rates alone 🔹 Retail supply remains extremely tight with many retailers focused only on locations they can realistically execute 🔹 Value add net lease deals are seeing strong demand especially assets with shorter lease terms or below market rent 🔹 New store openings are performing and supporting continued physical retail expansion 🔹 Long term credit tenant deals are hard to come by and investors are stepping up to compete. 🔹 Retailers are reinvesting in their stores through remodels, upgrades and reconfigurations often without landlord contributions   Together these six signals explain why retail fundamentals remain durable.    Click below to watch or listen on your preferred platform: 📺 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/euzpaBWw 🎙️ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ebXkXZiG 🍎 Apple: https://lnkd.in/es4hRb2h   Have some take aways from the show floor? Drop them in the comments below 👇 Chris Ressa, DLC Management Corp. CBRE CBRE Retail CBRE Capital Markets #iaconocre #karlyiacono #whatsinstore #commercialrealestatenow #retail #retailrealestate #retailtrends #icsc 

Trade show season is right around the corner, and these conferences are no joke. They are a big investment and are essential to your pipeline, finishing 2025 strong, and getting off on the right foot in 2026. Trade show strategy shouldn't sit alone with marketing or sales. This has to be a co-owned strategy, co-owned tactics, and most importantly, shared results. How can we do this together in the months leading up to the show/=? -> Identifying the right targets: Who is attending the show and how many primary targets do you want to go after? What is your right to win with the targets? -> Aligning on messaging: Once you know your targets and your right to win with each, marketing and sales need to work together on high-level and personalized messaging to each. -> Understanding the different personas: Are decision makers attending the show? Or are they influencers who can help force a decision or be a change agent inside the organization? Who you're talking to means tailored messaging, even inside the target company. -> Building a plan of attack: With all that in place, you can create a plan for how you'll approach each company and each target. By taking a targeted approach, you can make sure your team is prepared and your trade show efforts lead to real results. You'll also be in step with each other, which should help you pivot and adjust along the way, which we know happens at every show.

“Our first trade show didn’t have fancy lights or viral buzz—just honest conversations that changed everything.” Sometimes, all it takes is one face-to-face moment to start a brand story. Products need to be touched, smelled, applied. But more than that—brands need to be experienced. That’s why we believe in-person industry events are more than just exhibitions. They’re ecosystems of trust, visibility, and relationship-building. I still remember our very first trade show. We walked in with big dreams, a modest stall, and no idea what to expect. But within hours, salon owners were stopping by—curious, honest, and hungry for better solutions. They tried our products, gave raw feedback, and shared challenges we’d never hear through a screen. That day changed how I understood marketing: - You don’t build brands with campaigns. - You build them through conversations. Why We Prioritize In-Person Events: → Real-time feedback = real impact Nothing beats face-to-face dialogue for product clarity. Some of our best product decisions came from those unfiltered exchanges. → Presence beats impressions When someone feels your product, sees your demo, and connects with your purpose— you become memorable in a way digital can’t replicate. → Trust moves faster offline Many of our strongest partnerships didn’t begin with strategy decks. They started with 5-minute conversations at a booth. This year, we’re showing up with more than just new products. We’re showing up with perspective. To meet professionals who care not just about trends—but about transformation. Because at Richelon, we’re not just growing a brand. We’re growing with the industry. #BrandBuilding #BeautyIndustry #InPersonMarketing #TrustMatters