Sean Riley: You are listening to Unpacked with PMMI, where we share the latest packaging and processing industry insights, research, and innovations to help you advance your business. Hi, I'm Sean Riley, and this is Unpacked with PMMI.
In this episode, we sit down with Amber Miller, Director of Marketing, and Jen Krepelka, Director of Digital Media, both with PMMI Media Group. PACK EXPO Las Vegas will be here before you know it, and together we explore how thoughtful pre-show marketing can significantly boost booth traffic and engagement at trade shows. Amber and Jen share tips for drawing the right attendees to your booth before the show floor opens, and dive into how to maintain those valuable connections once the event concludes. From digital targeting and email campaigns to on-site presence and post-show follow-up, they share real-world insights and best practices to help exhibitors make the most of every phase of their trade show presence. Let's have a listen.
So with all the fancy introductions out of the way, welcome to the podcast, Amber.
Amber Miller: Thanks for having me.
Sean Riley: The pleasure is all ours. Welcome to the podcast, Jen.
Jen Krepelka: Good to be here.
Sean Riley: Also, the pleasure is all ours. We have a ton to get to, so let's jump right in. Amber, let's kick things off with pre-show marketing at PACK EXPO. Can you explain to our listeners why it's so important to start pre-show marketing well before PACK EXPO? What's a reasonable time to start?
Amber Miller: It is very important—if not crucial—to your success at the show. Attendees aren't going to know that you're there unless you tell them. The show is huge. PACK EXPO Las Vegas is going to welcome over 2,300 exhibitors and well over 30,000 attendees. Our 2023 show had 32,000 attendees. Just think about all those people trying to find the right solutions.
You want to make sure that your brand and solution are familiar to them and that you're a must-see on their plan with their team or individually. There can be a lot of exhibitors in one category. I recommend starting pre-show marketing three months before the event and then really ramping it up during the final four weeks with more personalized and segmented marketing.
Sean Riley: From a marketing perspective, what are some ways to spark pre-show engagement from attendees?
Amber Miller: There are ways you can do free or complimentary marketing, and then there are also paid options. First, organic social media—any of your followers—and if your salespeople can share posts, their networks will see them too. The more shares, the better.
You can also use account-based marketing tactics. Personalized messaging inviting people to your booth can be very effective. Our research shows that shorter subject lines and personalized approaches engage attendees more. Sending a personalized email from your salesperson can really cut through the clutter.
Another thing is third-party lists. You might get emails saying, "We can get you the attendee list for PACK EXPO." That is not true. We don't share that list with anyone outside PMMI Media Group. Always use a verified official list, such as PMMI Media Group's.
Then there’s the Customer Invite Program. If you're an exhibitor, you can send a code from PMMI to your customers so they can register for free. It's trackable and linked directly to your outreach. Also, make sure your profile is up to date because attendees search the site while preparing for the show.
Sean Riley: Jen, anything to add to that?
Jen Krepelka: Amber touched on it, but I'll elaborate a little. Make sure your digital presence is up-to-date—and that goes beyond just your website. Ensure your PACK EXPO Map Your Show profile is current. If you're a PMMI member, update your ProSource profile too. It's easy, it's free, and it ensures attendees see the most current information.
Sean Riley: Perfect. Jen, we've established there are tons of attendees and exhibitors. Exhibitors want to drive the right attendees to their booths. What are some tactics to identify and target booth visitors before the show begins?
Jen Krepelka: One of the best tools is Game Plan. It's a printed piece personalized for each attendee based on the product categories they selected when registering. It's organized by hall, making it super easy to use when walking the show floor—or planning their route ahead of time. If someone's interested in your category, you want to be in their Game Plan. It's a no-brainer for driving the right traffic to your booth.
Sean Riley: It's like a map they can walk around with. Oh, I love that.
Amber Miller: Game Plan is segmented by hall and category. If you want to walk through a hall and only find suppliers of conveying solutions, that's easy with Game Plan. Some suppliers might be in multiple halls too. Through our data analysis, we've seen that exhibitors who used Game Plan received double the leads compared to those who weren't included.
Sean Riley: I love that it's a physical product you can walk around with. That has me sold right there. Everyone should at least look into the Game Plan. How about some digital channels or tactics for reaching your audience before the show?
Jen Krepelka: Another great way is through PMMI Audience Network campaigns. You can target pre-registered attendees on LinkedIn and Facebook based on the categories they selected when signing up. It's a smart way to show up in their feed in the weeks leading up to the show.
Sean Riley: Attendees receive a ton of marketing before shows. You mentioned personalizing. How important is it to personalize communication and how can exhibitors tailor their messaging to stand out?
Amber Miller: With 2,300 exhibitors and many competitors in the same solution category, you must stand out. Hyper-segmenting your data and personalizing your messaging can make the difference between someone visiting your booth or not. Use your CRM’s merge fields, send personalized emails from salespeople, and do A/B testing—HTML emails versus text emails.
Consider doing "by invite only" campaigns or focusing on solving the attendee’s challenges, rather than just promoting your booth.
Sean Riley: I like that. How about leveraging existing customer relationships to ensure they visit your booth?
Amber Miller: The Customer Invite Program is great for that. Pre-book meetings with your customers so they have a specific time to visit your booth. Host a happy hour at your booth with invites handed out to good leads you scan on the floor. You could even print coasters with QR codes to RSVP. Giveaways like stress balls, footballs, or higher-value items like AirPods can incentivize visits too.
Sean Riley: Okay, so the show is over. Post-show follow-up is key. How do you make sure your leads don't get lost—especially pre-show leads?
Amber Miller: Using a lead scanner is smart. We offer a complimentary platform post-show where you can track leads. If you ran PMMI Media Group campaigns, you can consolidate those leads too. Make notes about your conversations so your follow-up can be personal. Sales should reach out directly, and marketing should personalize mass emails as much as possible.
Sean Riley: Again, personalizing is key. Jen, from a digital standpoint, what strategies can exhibitors use to move engagement further down the funnel after the show?
Jen Krepelka: PMMI Media Group offers tools like Second Look—another personalized printed product mailed to attendees post-show. There's also the PACK EXPO Wrapped, a post-show newsletter, which helps reconnect with attendees who may or may not have made it to your booth.
Sean Riley: Do we have a tool to measure the long-term impact of lead nurturing?
Jen Krepelka: Yes. Leadworks is a powerful tool that tracks campaign performance and booth leads. Tools like Converge and Scout help identify prospects who had multiple touch points, like clicking an ad, visiting your website, and stopping by your booth.
Sean Riley: What’s one single piece of advice you would give an exhibitor looking to drive more traffic and get better leads at PACK EXPO Las Vegas?
Amber Miller: Start pre-show marketing early. It enhances both lead traffic and lead quality. Use your own segmented in-house data and complement it with outside media from PMMI Media Group to ensure you're reaching the right contacts.
Sean Riley: Jen, what about you?
Jen Krepelka: Building on what Amber said, don’t wait until you’re on-site to start promoting. Have a pre-show presence, an on-floor presence, and a post-show plan. Keep everything updated and track your progress with Leadworks. Treat it as a full funnel campaign strategy, not just a three-day event.
Sean Riley: Love that. I want to thank you, Amber and Jen, for taking the time to educate our audience about the marketing that needs to take place before PACK EXPO. Thanks again.
Amber Miller: Thanks, Sean.
Jen Krepelka: Thank you.
