Useful pre-show meetings start with the person you need to meet and the decision the conversation could help advance. A crowded diary achieves little if the relevant specialist is absent or appointments conflict with running the stand. Checked on 3 November 2026, this guide offers a suggested six-week plan, adaptable messages and a way to record contact permission, confirmation and location without turning preparation into indiscriminate outreach.
In short
- Choose companies and roles that match your objective, with a clear reason for each invitation.
- Separate existing customers, new opportunities and distributors, then prioritise meeting relevance.
- Check the lawful basis, permission and channel before sending a marketing message.
- Use the organiser's appointment platform or buyer programme where available, after reading its conditions.
- Treat an appointment as confirmed when both sides agree the time, place and purpose.
- Allow time for hall-to-hall travel and visitors arriving without appointments.
Pre-show meetings begin with a focused shortlist
Write the participation objective in one sentence: find distributors for a product, discuss a project requirement or show an existing customer an improvement. Build a company shortlist recording the relevant role, reason for suitability and information source. You may need a purchasing contact, technical manager or distribution partner. The most senior title is not always the best person for the initial conversation.
Use company websites, speaker programmes and legitimately published exhibitor information without collecting unnecessary personal data. Record the available channel and basis for using it, then assign an internal owner to each company. Where two colleagues know the same person, coordinate one approach rather than sending competing invitations. Keep a short explanation of each priority so the shortlist remains connected to the business objective.
A suggested six-week plan through opening day
This is an editorial planning framework, not an official deadline. If you start later, combine tasks where practical. Preserve checks on contact information and staff availability rather than compensating by sending more invitations.
| Stage | Task | Channel or tool | Suggested owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks before | Define objectives, segment companies and check contact basis | Team file and customer system | Participation and sales leads |
| 5 weeks before | Research each organisation and prepare the invitation rationale | Company sources and organiser platform | Account owner |
| 4 weeks before | Send suitable invitations with specific time options | Authorised email or meeting platform | Account owner |
| 3 weeks before | Follow up where permitted and update statuses | The appropriate existing channel | Meeting coordinator |
| Two weeks before | Confirm staff, demonstration, place and language | Shared calendar and written confirmation | Team coordinator |
| One week before | Resolve conflicts and prepare meeting briefs | Stand schedule and meeting file | Team leader |
| Previous day | Remind confirmed attendees and check changes | Agreed contact channel | Meeting coordinator |
| Event day | Confirm attendance, manage delays and allow walk-ins | Team log and operational contact | Stand manager |
Choose the channel before drafting
Email works well for a structured invitation whose details can be revisited. LinkedIn can help identify professional roles or support appropriate contact, but a publicly visible profile or email address does not grant unrestricted marketing permission. Use telephone or WhatsApp with established contacts where you have a valid basis for that channel. Respect the person's preference and any request to stop.
Connect the invitation to a discussable need: a project type, distribution market or technical challenge. Offer two time options and a clear benefit, with room to decline without pressure. Do not promise an outcome you cannot control or use a customer's name as an endorsement without permission. If the appointment does not suit, ask how the person prefers to arrange it rather than automatically adding them to ongoing marketing.
Consent and privacy in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt
Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law Implementing Regulation addresses consent for direct marketing, clear sender identity and a mechanism to stop messages. Make permission records and opt-outs part of the workflow. A business card is not blanket permission for every campaign or for sharing details with another supplier.
The UAE government portal explains its personal-data protection framework. Check the processing basis and applicable rights with the responsible specialist, alongside rules for the communication channel. An overseas customer-management tool or an agency receiving the contact list needs a separate review of access, transfers and retention.
Egypt's Personal Data Protection Center publishes electronic direct marketing guidelines covering consent, licensing or permits, creator and sender identity, marketing purpose and opt-out mechanisms. Check your activity's requirements before launching a campaign; a previous relationship should not be treated as permanent permission. This is general planning information, not legal advice for your circumstances.
Organiser platforms and buyer programmes
Ask whether there is an appointment system, when it opens, who can use it and how recipients accept requests. Qualified buyer programmes are another route; The Design Show's hosted buyer programme is one example. Read eligibility, obligations and included services. Registration should not be assumed to provide paid travel or a guaranteed number of meetings.
Complete your company profile and desired meeting categories, then explain the relevance of each request. Transfer accepted appointments to the team calendar after checking the time zone and hall. If the same invitation exists in email and the platform, connect the records so it does not become two appointments or two colleagues independently following up one person.
Five message templates to adapt
Use these with recipients you may lawfully contact. Replace brackets with accurate details and add the sender identity, contact information and opt-out mechanism required for marketing messages. The confirmation and reminder templates refer to an appointment already agreed.
1. First invitation
Subject: Discussing [requirement] at [exhibition] Hello [name], I am [name] from [company]. We would like to introduce [product or service] and discuss its suitability for [specific requirement]. Would [first option] or [second option] suit you at [location]? If you would prefer not to receive marketing invitations from us, please let me know and I will stop them. [Contact details].
2. Invitation follow-up
Hello [name], I am following up our invitation to discuss [topic] during [exhibition]. We can show [useful information or demonstration] at the meeting. If relevant, would you prefer [first option] or [second option]? Please tell us if this is not a priority; you can also ask us to stop invitations. [Name, company and contact details].
3. Appointment confirmation
Hello [name], confirming our meeting on [date] at [time and time zone], at [hall and stand or meeting point]. [Names and roles] will attend from our side to discuss [topic]. Please acknowledge the details and let us know about any language or access requirements. For changes, contact [contact details].
4. Previous-day reminder
Hello [name], a reminder of our meeting tomorrow at [time and time zone], at [precise location]. We will discuss [topic]. I am available through [contact details] if your schedule changes or you need help finding the meeting point. We look forward to meeting you. [Name and company].
5. Rescheduling
Hello [name], we need to change our appointment on [date and time] because [brief reason]. Please accept our apologies. Would [first alternative] or [second alternative] suit you? The discussion remains [topic]. We will send an updated confirmation once the time and place are agreed. [Name, company and contact details].
Keep a meeting log and room for the actual day
| Company and role | Meeting objective | Contact basis and channel | Status | Time and place | Team owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Company and role] | [Specific decision or requirement] | [Permission record or approved basis] | Invited, accepted, confirmed or declined | [Details after confirmation] | [Name] |
Avoid consecutive appointments with no transition time. Account for moving between halls, preparing the demonstration, staff breaks and unplanned visitors. Allocate responsibilities so the stand continues operating when a colleague leaves for a meeting. The value of pre-show meetings lies in a schedule the team can deliver and adapt, rather than the number of filled calendar slots.
Next steps
- Use the trade fair selection checklist to define the audience you want to meet.
- Review the event data privacy guide with your data lead.
- Continue with the exhibition leads and sales guide to organise post-event follow-up.
We checked this information on 3 November 2026. Dates and terms can change, so confirm on the official site before you book or travel. To suggest a correction, contact us.
