CHICAGO — Trade show organizers spend countless weeks bringing their event from conception to execution.
However, once your show has packed up and attendees have headed home, it’s already time to prepare for the next round — if you haven’t already started.
Trade Show Executive’s (TSE) Young Professionals Corner sat down with Andria Gibbon, CEM, the North Ameican Trailer Dealers Association’s (NATDA) Executive Director, and Rachel Grundner, CEM, NATDA’s Director of Sales, to create a guide to the post-show process, with real-world examples from the NATDA Trailer Show — which just picked up a crystal trophy at the 2026 TSE Gold 100 Awards & Summit.
“Enjoy your breather for your designated time, then assess how you can make it better next year,” Grundner said. “Review your current processes and where you can streamline things and become more efficient. Have a plan, rock it and know it is okay to pivot.”
Your Guide to the Post-Show Process
1. You Should Start Onsite
Gibbon explained that your post-show process begins when your event’s current edition is in progress.
“You should be taking a lot of notes on things going right/areas that need improvement, from names of temporary staff that are excelling at their assignments that you may want to return the following year to changes onsite to your security schedule that made a difference, including even the smallest items like how a window decal looked odd in a place you thought it would stand out,” Gibbon said. “Your brain will be decompressing upon your return from the show and it’s very easy to forget the little details, so I always take a lot of notes onsite.”
Grundner added that, onsite, the sales team focuses on finalizing renewals. By post-show, they expect to already be a good way into rebooking as they start next year’s sales cycle one month prior to the current year’s event.
“However, there are many exhibitors and sponsors who prefer to wait to see how the current year goes,” Grundner explained. “We incentivize timely decisions with deadlines for discounted rates or first right of refusal on exclusive sponsorships. Our time immediately post-show is spent finalizing these renewals to ensure that we have a significant headway into the new year one-month post-show. This opens the opportunity to focus on new business, upselling and media sales through the remainder of the show cycle year.”
2. Take a Break and Show Gratitude
Gibbon shared that ensuring your team gets a couple of days off with the office shut down right after the show goes a long way.
“Also, we express a lot of gratitude and appreciation for one another’s work,” Grundner said. “It’s important to us all here that everyone feels seen and supported. We always check in with one another, celebrate each other and offer help where we can. We don’t silo off into our departments — we know and trust each of our responsibilities, and with time management awareness can help others when they are in the weeds.”
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3. Check in with Yourself
“I find that post-show is an incredible opportunity to evaluate yourself,” Gibbon said. “When you are onsite, this is the most stressful thing you do all year, so take a look at how you treated your team members, contractors and vendors, and how well you managed your stress levels. Everyone has the opportunity to grow by simply examining themselves and their contribution.
“Don’t see it as downtime — rather, view it as an opportunity to review, process what you have learned from this year and determine how you will adjust for next year while you have time to breathe.”
4. Check in with Stakeholders
When you return from your break, Gibbon advises you to have debriefs with your team, contractors and vendors for a full picture of what everyone thought and their experiences, and really listen to their experience, pros & cons and suggestions/changes for future: You don’t have to implement everything you hear, but truly listening to everyone will give you a different perspective and help you guide changes for the future.
Grundner noted that not touching base with exhibitors and sponsors immediately is a mistake.
“Once your event is over, it’s on their mind for a brief period of time as they do their own follow up, and then they are moving on to what is next on their plate,” Grundner said. “While our days are spent thinking, planning and dreaming about our own trade show, our exhibitors and sponsors are more concerned with their own business objectives. Strike while the iron’s hot and before communication slows, and the phones feel ‘heavy.’”
NATDA also checks in with how its team is feeling, making sure they feel empowered and inspired to jump into planning for next year and have a sense of ownership and desire to communicate and share opportunities for growth.
“The event is only as good as the team that puts it on — and having everyone come off an event ready to jump in, with excitement, to make next year even better, is huge,” Grundner said. “Working in this industry can be stressful and exhausting, but if you have a team who genuinely loves what they do and has a desire to work together to make it better, even the intense moments are exciting.”
Related. The 2026 NATDA Trailer Show Breaks Records
5. Have a Realistic Timeline for Numbers
Gibbon added that it is also vital to set a realistic timeline for audits, PRs and final reporting based on your resources.
“Within the 30 days past the event, you should be auditing your numbers, writing your PRs, working with marketing on post-show recaps, collecting post-show survey data and formalizing your plan for the next year with any major changes you want to make to your schedule, special features, etc.,” Gibbon said. “Most likely you are already selling into next year, so the faster you can make any major changes the better to give you more time to communicate those as you are selling.”
6. There’s Always Room For Improvement — Especially if You Leverage Your Network
“There is ALWAYS opportunity for improvement,” Grundner said. “Whether it be to increase efficiency or experience itself, it’s important to be open to feedback and be willing to explore. Additionally, reach out to your resources — other industry professionals who are rockin’ it — and ask what is working for them and what hasn’t. This trade show community loves to share! Never, ever, hesitate to ask questions — if you want to succeed, the quickest way to learn is to ask and take into consideration the response.”
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