As featured on New Hope 360, our latest blog post covers expert tips for a successful Expo West from some industry veterans!
Prepping for Natural Products Expo West (Anaheim, Calif. March 4-7) and a busy trade show season? We’ve got you covered. We recently attended New Hope Network’s and Naturally Colorado’s Beyond the Booth panel to bring you key tips for trade show success in 2025—from budgeting to booth design to investor meetings.
Moderated by Rob Dunsworth of the Better Being Co., the lively and insightful panel featured Andy Whitman (Loft Growth Partners), Chennelle Diong (GoodLove Foods), and Henry Hughes (Bobo’s), who shared candid advice on what works, what doesn’t, and how brands—big and small—can stand out at events like Expo West. With Peak State Coffee and Bobo’s fueling the conversation, attendees left with new strategies and new ideas. Here are the top insights from the discussion:
Chennelle answered the first question: “How do you balance your priorities and budget?”
• If time allows and there is a pitch competition, apply! This is an efficient and effective way to pitch both the audience and the judges on your company and products.
• Experience the expo as an attendee first in order to assess what you might want to do with a booth later (as budget allows.)
• At Newtopia Now, they did the StartUp CPG group booth with a big banner and table cover. Even considering time, and expenses like collateral, it was relatively affordable that way.
Andy added: “Do what’s right for you – as you scale up, you’ll find everything costs more (equipment, storage, etc.)”
Everyone spoke about the importance of being prepared:
Henry said that Bobo’s spends 6 months prepping for Expo West! The bigger brands have already picked their spot for next year. He pointed out the value of both being prepared, but also of not panicking if something goes wrong.
• Think through every little thing you might need, such as paper towels and scissors – but then don’t panic if you’ve forgotten something! Just roll with the punches.
• Get good sleep – it takes a lot of energy to talk to people all day.
Andy agreed that pre-show planning is paramount: “Know what to expect!” He recommended that you think through all the types of people that will be there (e.g. potential employees.) “If you don’t have a game plan, the show will manage you!” Some tips:
• Consider having 2-3 email addresses for the different types of folks – e.g. one for service providers, so you can move on quickly to potential retailers.
• Plan out food and bathroom breaks! Make sure you have plenty of water! If you’re only walking the floor (and don’t have a booth), you can still have a great show, but you need to work harder to connect with the right people. Try to set up meetings with distributors in advance of the show. He sets up quick meetings from 6 am onwards!
Rob also spoke about planning and intentionality:
• Figure out how to tell your story. (Folks, on this note – check out our blog post on “How to Create Key Messages at Expo West.”)
• Know your goals – what exactly do you want to accomplish, what does success look like for you?
Chennelle reminded us to bring several pairs of comfy shoes with you to the show room floor so you can alternate them during the day!
Everyone had insights to share in response to the question: “What mistakes do people make with their trade show attendance?”
Chennelle spoke about the importance of a well-thought-out booth:
• Don’t just have a beautifully designed booth, also consider the engagement piece. That’s why you’re there!!
• From a branding perspective, what is the main thing you want to get across?
• Interactive pieces are fun! What might make people talk about you? (e.g. the Goodles conveyor belt.) Think about the photo opp!
• Map out where you want to go in advance (2025 Expo West Floor Plan here.)
• Think about bringing the element of hospitality to your booth, making it less “transactional.”
Andy added some great tips for those with a booth:
• Don’t assume you need to spend a lot on your booth – and when budgeting, don’t forget extra expenses like booth storage and shipping. You can carry some things with you on the plane.
• Don’t forget to figure out a way to make sure your food stays hot – you don’t want a buyer to be eating a cold slice of pizza, for example.
• Walk around before the show floor is open to meet other people at their booths.
• Don’t get stuck in your booth – walk the show and steal ideas from other people!
• You will need time to “get away”/ recharge. Plan some downtime. Go to a dive restaurant far away to escape the madness!
And he added some great advice for EVERYONE attending the show: “Have a big breakfast to help with all the sweet snacking later!”
Rob had some interesting points:
• Be “on” for everybody!
• Everyone in your booth needs to know your key messages. (Again, check out our blog post on “How to Create Your Key Messages for Expo West.”)
Henry chimed in with more great tips for folks with a booth:
• If someone is picking up a sample at your booth, go out of your way to talk to them (or bring a brand ambassador to do so.) You never know who’s getting that first impression of your product!
• He agreed that self care is important. “Go outside and eat lunch – get a real meal. Even if it’s at the food trucks in the courtyard.”
He added one more interesting idea: “Maximize your time there by renting a big house for your team. It adds an element of team building – the feeling that “We’re building something here.””
Andy expanded on pitching to investors at Expo West:
• There are all kinds of investors there – do your homework ahead of time. Who are the 5 people you want to talk to? Try to set up a meeting ahead of time (consider Monday and Tuesday, even Friday afternoon.)
• Create a “reason to believe” document as a tool (this is different information than what the retailer wants to hear.) Don’t bring a 15 page deck, but do have a one-page with 6-8 bullets, and laminate it since you’ll be using it over and over. Tell the velocity story, data, comparison attribute. Your goal is to get someone interested enough that you get another meeting. (You can create a similar version for retailers, too!)
• Make sure you’re taking advantage of whatever app the show uses to connect people (e.g. Beacon Discovery.) He has a “shopping list” and he “goes hell bent” to see those people at the show.
We wrapped up with one final question: “What do you recommend the most as a giveaway promo item/swag?”
• Chennelle recommended something postcard-sized – more robust than a business card – so you can share those key messages you’ve created!
• Andy added that he doesn’t carry anything around. He just scans people’s badge – make sure you have a QR code that leads to something that tells your story! He walks away with approx 1,000 photos and emails them to himself, or sends them to his virtual assistant to process.
From strategic booth design to investor pitching, this expert panel made one thing clear: success at Expo West requires thoughtful and careful orchestration of countless details. Whether you’re walking the floor or staffing a booth, preparation is everything – and it starts NOW, well before the show begins.
We’ve been attending New Hope expos for almost 20 years, managing the media, speaking, emceeing the Pitch Slam, and coordinating media events for clients. Contact us to see how we can help you get the most out of this year’s Expo West by helping craft your key messages; pitching your company, products and team to media and influencers; PR support at Expo West; or a trends and competitors report from the show that is specifically tailored to you and your company’s needs (because who has time for that when there are 3,000 exhibitors and 65,000 people to talk to?!)
