How to Use Direct Mail to Achieve Better Trade Show Results

Premium Pronto Banner Stand Kit

Premium Pronto Banner Stand Kit

With the explosion of social media platforms, it’s logical to think that these communication portals would be a good means of promoting your trade show participation. While embracing the new, however, don’t make the mistake of thinking that good old direct mail is ineffective or passé in this digital age.

In fact, direct mail can be a powerful tool for building booth traffic, targeting specific prospects, generating leads and creating awareness of your involvement in a show, while simultaneously promoting your product or service.

And because everyone else is emailing, tweeting and Instagramming, your direct mail efforts will stand out even more on the recipient’s desk.

Here are ten suggestions that can help your next direct mail campaign boost your trade show display results:

1. It’s All About The List:
You can have the best direct mail promotion ever devised, and it will flop if it’s sent to the wrong list.

Your ideal list will be made up of key prospects and current customers within a 100-mile radius of the show site.

The list should be pared down to just those prospects with an interest in the product or service you’re promoting at the show. Ask your sales staff for names of their hottest leads.

2. Special Events:
Create an even more specialized list to be invited to your hospitality suite, executive briefing, new product introduction, seminar or other event held in conjunction with the trade show.

If the event isn’t a big deal, include notification of it in your main mailing. If it’s something major, make the most of promoting it with a separate special mailing.

3. Gift Redemption Card:
Consider including a small card in your mailing, instructing the reader to bring it to the booth to receive a special gift or enter a separate prize drawing.

If you include your booth number on the card, it will also serve as a reminder for the recipient to visit your exhibit.

The offer of the gift is the enticement to see you. The gift doesn’t need to be something expensive or elaborate—just unique and/or scarce. It’s human nature to desire something not everyone else can have.

Also consider numbering the gift redemption cards sequentially, giving each recipient a unique number that can be used for a prize drawing, for example.

4. Make It Personal:
Personalization of direct mail pieces has become de rigueur, and you just can’t get away with a non-personalized form letter any more.

But these days, it’s simple to customize mailings. You can increase your mailing’s response and add a human touch by having salespeople add brief handwritten notes to the letters that will be mailed to their prospects.

5. Create A Sense Of Urgency:
This is one thing that all good direct mail pieces have in common—that urge for an immediate response from the recipient.

OTM-bamboo-collapsible-trade-show-table-and-chairs

Bamboo Collapsible trade show tables and chairs

Your mailing should give the reader a clear, obvious reason to read the letter completely and act quickly.

Some mailing pieces make use of a “teaser”: a short message written or printed on the outside of the envelope.

For example, “Action Required: RSVP By July 15th,” with the piece mailed in time to arrive a few days before that date.

6. Offer A Choice That Benefits You Either Way:
Many of the people you invite won’t be able to attend, for a variety of reasons.

If you do nothing more than send the invitation, you’ve lost out on reaching non-attendees—many of whom could still be prospects.

However, your mailing can do double duty and still allow you to “close” on those no-shows by including a pre-stamped reply card, offering them an information packet or a way to schedule a salesperson’s call or visit.

7. Make Your Event Bigger Than It Is:
How can you get your prospects or customers excited about doing what you want them to do, even if it’s not so interesting to them?

You create an event in or around your exhibit.

A live presentation can bring your trade show product offering or service to life. Click To Tweet

A celebrity or celebrity impersonator can add excitement to your exhibit. A magician can spellbind your booth visitors while explaining your newest product.

If you choose this tactic, publicize the event, rather than just your participation in the show. If you’re using the celebrity approach, offer prospects and customers the opportunity to have their picture taken with the celebrity. With the magician, hold a drawing for an executive magic set.

8. Sell Exclusivity:
Trade shows have an air of exclusivity to them: the products displayed aren’t for the eyes of the general public.

Direct mail, being a personalized communication, is also tinged with exclusivity.

in a rush - displays in 8 days

In a rush? Get Your Displays in 8 Days!

Combine them and get double the impact!

If you’re introducing a new product, technology or service that hasn’t been seen before, make a point of this in your mailing piece.

Emphasize that the reader will be among the very first to see what you’re offering—something not everyone in the business gets to see.

Being part of the “in crowd” is flattering to your recipients, and it can help increase your response rate.

9. Try An “Off The Cuff” Promotion:
While it’s been done many times, this technique has proven its ability to draw people into your exhibit. What am I referring to?

A trade show mailing piece that includes a single cufflink. As your letter will explain, the cufflink is a free gift, and its mate is awaiting the reader when he visits your exhibit—with the gift redemption card—to complete the set.

Mailing a Mini Mag-Lite holster (embossed with your logo) and presenting the flashlight itself at your booth is another way of using this approach (while appealing to both genders). If you can modify this concept so it uses your product, you’ll have an outstanding promotion.

10. Good Things Come In Threes:
A series of targeted mailings can increase your response rate dramatically, so it may be beneficial to mail multiple times to the same list.

You might start with a postcard that mentions you’ll be exhibiting at the XYZ Show.

This postcard’s only purpose is to pique the reader’s interest. Follow up with your complete package: letter, gift redemption card and reply card.

Split the third mailing: to those who respond to your second mailing, send a personal letter confirming the details. Those who didn’t respond should receive a simple follow-up reminder.

For more, check out how to use post cards to boost results or essential networking tips for trade shows.


We’ve offered you some new ways to think about direct mail here. Now it’s up to you to create a mailing package that will get your customers and targeted prospects into your trade show exhibit. And if you need any help with the booth itself, leave that up to us.

We can help you create an outstanding exhibit, or just spruce up your current display with new banner stands or literature racks. For more information, call us at (425) 556-9511 or email [email protected].