How to follow up after a trade show

You came home with a pocket of cards and a head full of conversations. Here’s a plan to turn them into answers: what to note at the stand, when to write, and a short email to adapt.

Guide · Jeric Guillermo, who makes Metwith · 29 October 2026

The plan

1. At the stand, write one line. What they need, what you promised, anything personal they mentioned. A line written in the moment beats a page written a week later.
2. That evening, scan the day’s cards. A card in a pocket is easy to lose, and the face behind it fades faster.
3. Give each person a day. The ones who asked for something, within a day or two of getting home. Everyone else, within the week, before the fair blurs together.
4. Write short. Where you met, the one thing you talked about, and one next step.
5. If there’s no answer, one friendly reminder about a week later. Then let it go, and keep them in Contacts for next year’s fair.

An email to adapt

Subject: Good to meet you at [the fair]

Hi [name],

It was good to meet you at [the fair] on [day]. You mentioned [what you talked about], so here is [what you promised].

Would [a call, a visit, samples] next week work for you?

Best,
[your name]

Change every part in brackets. The line about what you talked about is the one that gets answers: it shows you remember them, not just their card.

With Metwith

Metwith keeps the plan for you, so nobody waits because their card is in the wrong jacket.

1. Start an event for the fair. Every card you scan there remembers it.
2. Scan each card and add a note and a follow-up day while you still remember.
3. On the day, the person is on Metwith’s Home, with your note and an email ready to send. On your Apple Watch too.
4. Mark them followed up, and look back at the event to see who’s still waiting.

Questions

How soon should you follow up after a trade show?

Within a day or two of getting home for people who asked for something, and within the week for everyone else. Later than that, the fair has blurred together for them too.

What should a follow-up email say?

Where you met, the one thing you talked about, and a single next step. Three or four sentences are enough.

How many times should you follow up?

Once, then one reminder about a week later. If there's still no answer, keep their card for the next time you meet.