For pet brands, trade shows are about much more than what happens on the show floor. While generating leads and connecting with buyers matter, some of the greatest value comes from the visibility, relationships and momentum a brand can build before, during and after the event.

Major industry events like SUPERZOO and Global Pet Expo bring together many of the audiences that influence a brand’s growth and reputation, including retailers, distributors, buyers, industry leaders, media and content creators. Few other opportunities put so many key stakeholders in one place, making trade shows a powerful platform for increasing awareness, strengthening credibility and telling a compelling brand story. 

But simply showing up isn’t enough. With hundreds of brands competing for attention, those that stand out are typically the ones that approach the show with a clear communications strategy. That means identifying the right stories and reaching out to media ahead of the event, maximizing opportunities on the show floor, and following up afterward.

Start Planning Long Before You Arrive

One of the biggest mistakes brands make is treating PR as a last-minute task. By the time a trade show is only a few weeks away, many journalists have already planned their editorial calendars, influencers have booked their partnerships and retailers have finalized their meeting agendas. Waiting until then often means missing valuable opportunities.

In our recent webinar, Sit. Stay. Get Coverage: Trade Show PR Strategy to Boost Sustainable Brand Visibility, we shared a 90-60-30 day framework to help brands plan their communications efforts well before the show begins.

Around 90 days before the show, define your objectives and messaging. Ask yourself:

• What are we announcing?
• Why does it matter?
• Who needs to hear this story?

Whether you’re launching a new product, entering a new category or sharing company news, every member of your team should be able to communicate a clear, consistent message.

About 60 days out, build the assets that will support your outreach:

• Finalize press releases
• Create a digital press kit
• Prepare a company backgrounder and/or product sheet that clearly explains what sets your brand apart
• Gather high-resolution assets including your company logo and product photoshopped

About 30 days before the show, begin proactive outreach:

• Don’t rely solely on the registered media list or hope attendees discover your booth by chance
• Get on the radar of pet industry publications, local and consumer media and content creators so meetings are already booked before the show floor opens

Give the Media a Story Worth Covering

One misconception many brands have is that a new product automatically counts as news. In reality, reporters aren’t looking for products. They’re looking for stories.

The product may be the starting point, but the real story is the innovation, impact or larger issue the brand is helping address. Think in terms of the bigger picture:

• What consumer problem does your product solve?
• What industry trend does it reflect?
• Is there an interesting founder story, company milestone or innovation behind a launch?
• Does your announcement represent something genuinely unique for pet parents or retailers?

When you provide context and explain why your news matters, you’re giving editors a much stronger reason to cover your brand.

Make Face-to-Face Conversations Count

Trade shows offer something that’s increasingly rare in today’s digital world: real, in-person conversation.

Rather than hoping an editor happens to stop by your booth, schedule dedicated meetings in advance whenever possible. These conversations allow you to go beyond a quick product demonstration and discuss industry trends, explain your brand’s mission and answer questions in a more thoughtful setting.

The same applies to influencers. Meeting content creators face-to-face gives both sides a chance to see whether there’s a genuine fit and can lay the foundation for authentic, long-term collaborations that resonate with their audience. Just as importantly, trade shows create opportunities to strengthen relationships with retailers, distributors and other industry partners. While immediate outcomes are valuable, many of the most meaningful business opportunities begin with conversations that continue well after the event.

Don’t Let the Momentum End When the Show Does

While your brand is still fresh in people’s minds, follow up with personalized emails, provide any requested product samples or images and continue conversations with the media, influencers and buyers you met onsite.

Trade show content should keep working for your brand, too. Media coverage, influencer content, product demonstrations and behind-the-scenes photos can all be repurposed across your website, social media, email marketing and sales materials, giving the content created around the event a much longer lifespan. 

A successful trade show PR strategy can drive stronger brand awareness, valuable new relationships, increased website traffic, higher social engagement, retailer interest and future media opportunities that continue to develop post-show.

Turn Your Trade Show Investment into Long-Term Growth

Every exhibitor invests in a booth. Fewer invest in a strategic communications plan that amplifies everything happening around it.

By developing a compelling story, starting outreach early, building meaningful relationships and maintaining momentum after the event, pet brands can turn a few days on the trade show floor into months of valuable exposure and business opportunities.

At Matrix Partners, we’ve spent more than 30 years helping pet brands maximize every stage of the trade show experience, from developing messaging and securing media meetings, to coordinating influencer outreach and executing post-show follow-up. The most successful trade show PR strategies don’t begin when the doors open. They begin months before the first attendee sets foot on the show floor.

Planning for an upcoming trade show? Complete this form to learn how Matrix Partners’ turnkey trade show PR services can help your brand stand out and maximize its visibility before, during and after the event.

Wags,
Alyson