Trade Shows & TikTok: A strong strategy for a successful brand launch

In 2025, the momentum of social media acceleration requires brands to adopt a tactical approach to be seen.  Marketers must concentrate on strategies that maximize ROI, in terms of money and time. But what strategies guarantee a successful brand or product launch? Certainly, Trade Shows are ideal for B2B, TikTok for B2C, or combined.  “In the TikTok era, having an eye-catching booth design is crucial, but creating a captivating buzz around your booth is what truly sets you apart”. Make sure your booth presence generates excitement and a conversation piece to attract qualified leads.  Let's discuss it

Trade Shows:

Powerful lead generation machine

The trade show industry is experiencing a significant rebound; it's a trend. Trade shows are the 2nd most effective marketing tactic for generating leads, after the company site.  81% of trade show attendees have buying authority, and 72% are more likely to purchase from exhibitors they meet during the event. Certainly, it continues to deliver a strong ROI when executed correctly.

To certify the success of your marketing event, focus on three key factors: The exhibit theme & design (a captivating eye-catching booth), a call-to-action strategy (to ensure brand recognition & qualify leads), and, crucially, delivering an unforgettable customer experience (to build trust).  To achieve this goal, pay attention to the following recommendations:

1. AI Networking App.  This type of app is designed to help you capture and connect with potential leads during the show, in addition to your appointment attendees' previously worked agenda.  AI offers innovative solutions to network with potential leaders at conventions. For instance, Moots AI provides tools such as instant badge scanning that enrich contact profiles with LinkedIn data in seconds. In addition to suggesting transcription of conversations and personalized follow-ups.  To support field sales teams in leveraging their lead strategy at any event.

   
   

2. Create a Buzz at your Booth.   All around your exhibit, you must attract and invite people to stop by.  Consider a "conversation starter."  A crucial aspect of succeeding with your social media content during the show is to incorporate colors, shapes, and textures in your visual communication.  Colors and elements are key to provoking emotions that encourage connections. People enjoy taking selfies, capturing images, and sharing content that appeals to their senses.  As well as a perfect strategy to capture leads organically.  

   
   

   And of course, TikTok, today's platform for rapidly converting viewers into customers, works perfectly for product launches or as part of a social media strategy at a Trade Show.  Also, TikTok plays a significant role in beauty, with the US beauty category amassing 1.73 trillion total views.  44% (nearly half) of the 600 billion brands' views on TikTok are paying.  Beauty companies are investing heavily in the platform to grab consumers' attention.  For instance, if your business is a beauty store on Amazon, Premiere Shows will be ideal for you.  Beauty conventions are fertile ground that offer a visual and sensorial experience—a product-testing experience you cannot replicate online, but one that a TikTok campaign can support. Your opportunity size may be bigger than you think. However, based on your business needs, include this powerful platform in your next exhibit to enhance your marketing plan.  A Partnership with an influencer—preferably from the beauty industry—can help generate fresh, creative content to support your strategy. Let's go viral!

TikTok, today's platform for rapidly converting viewers into customers,  plays a significant role in beauty, with the US beauty category amassing 1.73 trillion total views, making it ideal for leveraging your beauty event.

3. CTAs Giveaways.  It’s all about the details.  Focusing on providing a memorable experience in everything (branding, marketing & sales).  So, work on a high-value call to action, like a stunning tote bag that invites attendees to stop by.  Over 52% of attendees are more likely to stop by if a giveaway or freebie is available. NeoCon, one of the most important events of the year for the commercial design industry, emphasizes creativity in tote bags as a strategy around the show, and attendees love it. Definitely, this is an incredible, insightful show that Marketers could visit to bring new ideas to the table; highly recommended.

   
   

   As a Marketer, I had the opportunity to work diverse conventions across differentindustries, including the International Surfaces Event (TISE) for several years.  So, for the TISE exhibit in 2023, we incorporated a wall that showcased trends.  We used frames to communicate the most popular cities in the world, using materials that reflect the ADN brand — such as wood — alongside new product introductions like moss, cladding, and stone.  It was a beautiful wall that generated a lot of curiosity.  Many attendees stopped by to take pictures, making it a great conversation starter.   Surprisingly, a lot of people expressed interest in purchasing the frames.  And today, many of those frames can be found in the RIVA Spain Galleries throughout the state. If you're curious to see it, take a look at the following RIVA Spain Case Study about a successful brand relaunch strategy at a Trade Show.

Trade shows are the #2 most effective marketing tactic for generating leads, after the company's site.  In fact, converting a lead from a trade show costs 38% less than relying solely on sales calls.

4. Event follow-up. After the trade show concluded, the lead-capturing strategy continues. A great way to leverage your exhibition after the event is through a 360 virtual tour of your showroom.  This technology allows you to include custom information about your brand as a guideline to support leads during a virtual walkthrough video in an email marketing campaign and on your website.  Furthermore, it serves as a valuable sales tool for your team's upcoming meetings. Companies like Stunning Panoramas specialize in delivering these services for conventions.

Trade Shows are a powerful marketing strategy; however, planning requires significant time, energy, and resources—but it’s delightful.  In short, the value and challenge lie in maximizing event ROI to guarantee a successful execution.

Sources by: CVENT, Global Products Expo, Moots & NIQ

Is your 2026 Trade Show strategy set?

Marca Marketing, experts in Beauty, Entertainment, Design, and Beverage conventions, is here to help!