Trade show invitation email templates
Eight trade show invitation emails for B2B sellers: the first invite, a booth meeting request, reminders and a note to people who cannot attend.
By the PromptLab team31 October 20264 min read
Most visitors at a trade show walk the aisles with a loose plan and a full calendar. If you want a buyer at your stand, you need to ask before the show, with a reason to come. A short, specific invitation sent three to four weeks ahead does more than any banner.
These templates cover the invitation, the meeting request, the reminder and the polite note to someone who cannot come. For what happens afterwards, see trade show follow-up email templates and how to follow up after a trade show. The trade show checklist covers everything else you need before the doors open.
The first invitation
Subject: See us at [Show name], stand [Number]
Hi [First name], We'll be at [Show name] in [City] on [Dates], stand [Number], hall [Hall]. As a customer, we'd like to see you there. We'll have [Product or sample] on the stand, and [Person] from our technical team will be there to talk through [Topic]. Would you like a time slot? I can hold 20 minutes on [Day]. [Your name]
Send it three to four weeks before the show to existing customers. Give a reason to come that isn't just "visit us".
Subject: Are you going to [Show name]?
Hi [First name], I'll be at [Show name] on [Dates], and I noticed [Company] works with [Product category]. If you're attending, I'd like to show you [Product] and hear what you're looking for. We're on stand [Number], hall [Hall]. Could I hold a 15-minute slot for you on [Day]? [Your name]
Use it for prospects you haven't met. Ask whether they're going, so you can drop it if they're not.
Booking a meeting
Subject: [Time] on [Day] at [Show name]?
Hi [First name], I'd like to book you a slot at [Show name]: [Day] at [Time] on stand [Number]. We can look at [Topic, for example the new grade or your current spec] and I'll bring [Samples or price list]. If that time doesn't work, tell me yours and I'll make it fit. [Your name]
Use it once the buyer has replied that they're going. Propose a specific time and say what you will bring.
Subject: A private look at [Product] during [Show name]
Hi [First name], During [Show name] we're holding a private session on [Day] at [Time] for a small group of customers: [Topic, for example a sample trial of the new range]. It runs 30 minutes and ends with questions. Seats are limited, so let me know if you'd like one. [Your name]
Use it for a smaller, higher-value group. Say how many seats there are and mean it.
Reminders
Subject: See you next week at [Show name]
Hi [First name], A quick reminder that we're at [Show name] next week, stand [Number], hall [Hall]. [If booked: We're meeting on [Day] at [Time].] If you can't make the date, I'm there until [Day] and happy to find another time. [Your name]
Use it five to seven days before. Repeat the stand number and the booked time.
Subject: We're at stand [Number] today
Hi [First name], We're open today and tomorrow at stand [Number]. If you're on the floor, come by and say hello. I have [Sample, price list or news] to show you. If today is busy, send me a message and I'll come to you. [Your name]
Use it on the morning of the show. Offer to find them in the hall.
For people who cannot attend
Subject: Sorry to miss you at [Show name]
Hi [First name], I understand you can't make [Show name]. If it helps, I can send the samples and the spec sheets for what we're showing, or set up a 20-minute call after the show to go through them. Which would be more useful? [Your name]
Use it when a buyer replies that they won't be there. Make the offer specific, so they don't have to reply "maybe later".
Hi [First name], it's [Your name] from [Our company]. We're at [Show name] on [Dates], stand [Number]. Would you like to meet there? I have [Product] to show you. Which day suits you?
Use it for buyers who already message you on WhatsApp or Telegram. Keep it to two lines.
How to personalise them
- Lead with the buyer's interest. "We're showing the new low-VOC grade you asked about" beats "visit our stand".
- Invite fewer people, with a time. Twenty booked meetings are worth more than two hundred open invitations.
- Give your stand and hall in every message. Buyers at a show won't search for it.
- Check your list first. Don't invite someone who has an open complaint. Resolve that before you ask for a meeting.
Send them from your CRM
Build the invitation list from your accounts and contacts, send from your own mailbox and keep the replies on the account. Log each booked stand meeting on the account, so the whole team can see who is coming and when. The follow-up calls after the show, on Google Meet, Zoom or Microsoft Teams, can be recorded and summarised on the same account.
Frequently asked questions
When should I send a trade show invitation?
Three to four weeks before the show for a first invitation, a booking request once they've shown interest, and a reminder a week before. Sending later than two weeks leaves little time to fit into a buyer's schedule.
How long should a trade show invitation be?
Under 100 words. Give the dates, stand number, a reason to come and one question. Details go in a second email once they reply.
Should I invite everyone on my list?
Invite customers and prospects who match what you will show. A narrow, relevant list gets more replies than a broad one and protects your sender reputation.
What do I offer to make people come?
Something specific: a new product to see, a sample to take away, a technical expert to meet or a private session. A gift alone rarely moves a buyer who is short of time.
Can I send invitations from my CRM?
Yes. In PromptLab you can run an email campaign from your own mailboxes and reply from the shared Inbox. A first invite to a handful of key accounts is usually better as a personal email.