Trade show follow-up templates for email and WhatsApp

Here are 14 trade show follow-up templates for email and WhatsApp, in the order you send them: the same evening, the next two days, day 3, day 7 and day 14. Each one says who you are, mentions what the visitor asked about and asks for one thing. Replace the parts in square brackets, swap the sample names (Amaka at Delta Freight) for your own, and send.

Three checks before you send

Permission. WhatsApp’s Business Messaging Policy says, as of October 2026, that a business may only contact people who have given their mobile number and opted in to hear from it. Meta’s opt-in guidance adds that the opt-in must make clear the person is agreeing to WhatsApp messages and must name your business.

Meta’s guidance lists opt-in in person or on paper among the accepted methods, so a signed form or an agreement at the stand counts. So the WhatsApp templates below are for visitors who ticked your consent box or messaged your number first. Everyone else gets the email versions, as long as the rules below allow it.

The 24-hour window. The same policy says you can reply in your own words for 24 hours after a person’s last message. After that, a business on the WhatsApp Business Platform (the version that CRMs and shared inboxes connect to) can only send approved message templates.

Submit your versions of the messages below for approval before the event. Our guide to the WhatsApp 24-hour rule explains how the window works.

The law where you exhibit. In the UK, the ICO’s guidance on electronic mail marketing (as of October 2026) treats emails, texts and direct messages alike. Marketing to individuals needs consent, with a narrow exception for existing customers.

Companies, limited liability partnerships and Scottish partnerships can be emailed without consent, but sole traders and some other partnerships count as individuals. Either way, you must say who you are and give a working way to opt out. The ICO notes that this guidance is under review, so check the page.

In Nigeria, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission says the Nigeria Data Protection Act covers organisations operating in Nigeria and anyone processing the data of people there, and that consent can be given in writing, orally or electronically (as of October 2026). The Commission’s 2025 General Application and Implementation Directive lists consent as needed for direct marketing (as of October 2026), and we found no business-to-business exception in it. So do not assume the UK company rule applies to Nigerian contacts. This is general information, not legal advice.

The sending schedule

Hour 0 is when the show closes on the day you met the lead. At a three-day exhibition, run the schedule for each day’s conversations.

The rhythm is a practical starting point. It does not come from a study. For the full plan around these messages (sorting, calls and the debrief), see how to follow up leads after a trade show in 48 hours.

Same evening: hot leads

Send these while the visitor still remembers your face. Keep the WhatsApp version under 60 words.

1. Hot lead, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight here. We spoke at our stand at [event] today about [what they asked about]. I have [the thing you promised] ready. Can I call you tomorrow at 10:00 or 14:30 to go through it? Reply STOP if you would prefer no messages from us.

2. Hot lead, email

Subject: [Event]: the [topic] details you asked for

Hi [First name],

Thank you for your time at the Delta Freight stand today. You asked about [topic], and you mentioned [one detail: a date, a volume or a current supplier].

[The thing you promised] is attached.

Could we speak for 15 minutes tomorrow? I am free at 10:00 and 14:30 [time zone]. If neither works, reply with a time that suits you. If you would prefer no further emails from me, tell me and I will stop.

Amaka
Delta Freight
[Phone number in international format]

3. Reply to a visitor who messaged you at the stand

Their message opened the 24-hour window, so you can answer in your own words tonight.

Hi [First name], thanks for messaging us from the stand. This is Amaka at Delta Freight. You asked about [topic]. Two short questions so I send the right information: when do you need this to start, and who else is involved in the decision?

Day 1 to 2: warm and cold leads

Warm leads get the thing you promised plus one question. Cold leads get a short thank-you and an easy way out.

4. Warm lead, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight. Thanks for stopping at our stand at [event] yesterday. You said [company] will review [topic] in [month or quarter]. Here is the [guide or price list] I promised. Which matters more to you at the moment: [option A] or [option B]? Reply STOP if you would prefer no messages from us.

5. Warm lead, email

Subject: What we discussed at [event]

Hi [First name],

Good to meet you at [event]. You told me [company] is looking at [topic] for [month or quarter], and that [their main concern] is the sticking point.

I have attached [the guide, price list or answer you promised]. Page [number] covers [their main concern].

One question: is [option A] or [option B] the bigger priority for you? Your answer tells me what to send next. If you would prefer no further emails from me, tell me and I will stop.

Amaka
Delta Freight

6. Cold lead or badge scan with no note, email

Subject: Thank you for visiting Delta Freight at [event]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for stopping at our stand. We did not get much time to talk, so here is what we do in one line: [one sentence in plain words].

If [topic] comes up at [company], reply to this email and I will answer you myself. If it is not relevant, tell me and I will not email again.

Amaka
Delta Freight

7. Cold lead, WhatsApp (opted in only)

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight. Thanks for visiting our stand at [event]. I will not fill your phone with messages. If [topic] comes up at [company], reply here and I will answer you myself. Reply STOP and I will not message again.

8. Hot lead who missed your call, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight. I tried to call just now about [topic]. Is 16:00 today or 09:30 tomorrow better for a 10-minute call? If you would prefer everything in writing, say so and I will send it here. Reply STOP if you would prefer no messages.

If your event leads are sitting in a spreadsheet tonight, send it to Socianet. The free 48-hour pipeline conversion turns it into a live pipeline with stages, owners and next steps within 48 hours, with no obligation.

Day 3: the second message

Change the content, and if you can, the channel. Send something the lead can use even if they never buy.

9. No reply yet, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight again. One thing that may help while you compare options: [a useful fact, a short checklist or the answer to a question they asked]. Would a 15-minute call on [day] help, or is [month] a better time to pick this up? Reply STOP if you would prefer no messages.

10. After a call: the quote (quotation) recap, email

Subject: Your quote from Delta Freight: [reference]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for the call on [day]. As agreed, your quote (quotation) is attached.

In short: [scope], [price], [start date], valid until [date].

The one thing I need from you is [a decision or a piece of information]. I will call on [day] at [time] to answer questions, unless another time suits you better.

Amaka
Delta Freight

For the messages that follow a quote, use our WhatsApp templates for following up after a quotation.

Day 7: one clear question

By now a long email will not be read. Ask one question that takes five seconds to answer.

11. Still no reply, email

Subject: One question about [topic]

Hi [First name],

I have not heard back since [event]. That usually means the timing is off or I sent the wrong thing. Which is closest?

1. Still interested, but later in the year.
2. Interested, but we need something different from you.
3. Not a priority now.

Reply with the number and I will act on it.

Amaka
Delta Freight

12. Still no reply, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight. Checking whether [topic] is still on your list after [event]. If it is, I can hold [day and time] for a call. If plans have changed, a one-word reply is fine and I will update my notes. Reply STOP if you would prefer no messages.

Day 14: close the file politely

A closing message tells the lead you will stop, and leaves the door open. Our guide on how many follow-ups to send before you give up covers the evidence on when to stop.

13. Closing message, WhatsApp

Hi [First name], Amaka from Delta Freight. This is my last message about [topic] from [event]. I will close the file on my side so you are not chased. If it becomes useful later, reply here at any time and I will pick it up myself.

14. Closing message, email

Subject: Closing your file from [event]

Hi [First name],

I have written a few times since we met at [event], and I do not want to crowd your inbox. I will close your file today.

If [topic] comes back onto your list, reply to this email. You will reach me directly.

Thank you again for stopping at our stand.

Amaka
Delta Freight

When someone asks you to stop

WhatsApp’s policy (as of October 2026) says a business must respect every request to stop, on WhatsApp or off it. Confirm once, mark the contact as opted out the same day, and send nothing further.

Understood, [First name]. I have removed you from our messages. Thank you for letting me know.

Subject lines for the emails

Name the event and the topic. The reader should know who you are before opening.

• [Event]: the [topic] details you asked for
• What we discussed at [event]
• [First name], the [price list or guide] from the Delta Freight stand
• Your quote from Delta Freight: [reference]
• One question about [topic]
• Closing your file from [event]

Leave out “Re:” on a first email and anything that hides the fact that you are a supplier.

How to edit the templates

• Fill in the detail. The line about what they asked for is the reason the message gets a reply. If your stand notes are thin, send template 6 or 7.
• One ask per message. A call, a question or a document. Pick one.
• Offer two times. “10:00 or 14:30” is easier to answer than “when suits you”. Check their time zone first.
• Use their words. Quote or quotation, enquiry or request, client or customer. Copy what they said on the stand.
• Use the name they gave you. If the form says Dr Okafor or Mrs Shah, start there until they sign off with a first name.
• Send in working hours. Between 09:00 and 17:00 where the lead is, unless they messaged you first.
• Promise only what you can deliver. If prices are not final, say when they will be.

Log every send against the lead: date, channel, template number and the reply. A pipeline or a shared sheet both work, as long as the whole team can see it. For speed targets after any enquiry, see how fast you should respond to a lead.

Frequently asked questions

How soon should I send a follow-up email after a trade show?

Send it within 48 hours of meeting the lead, and on the same evening for hot leads. Start counting from the close of the day you met them, since a three-day show can otherwise leave day-one visitors waiting most of a week.

What should a trade show follow-up email say?

Four things: who you are, where you met, what they asked about, and one clear next step. Attach whatever you promised on the stand. Under 120 words is a sensible length.

Can I follow up trade show leads on WhatsApp?

Yes, if the person gave you their number and opted in to messages from your business, which WhatsApp’s Business Messaging Policy requires as of October 2026. A signed stand form or a consent box that names your business and says they agree to WhatsApp messages is a sound way to record it. If they did not opt in, use email, within the rules above.

How many times should I follow up after an event?

Four or five contacts over two weeks is a workable plan: the first message, a second on day 3, a question on day 7 and a closing message on day 14, with a call for hot leads. We have not found a reliable study that sets a number for event leads.

What do I send to a badge scan with no notes?

Send a short thank-you that says what you do in one line and invites a reply (template 6). Do not pretend to remember a conversation. Next time, add a one-line note to every scan before the visitor leaves the stand.

Sources

• WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (checked 2 October 2026)
• Meta for Developers: get opt-in for WhatsApp (checked 2 October 2026)
• ICO: electronic mail marketing (guide to PECR) (checked 2 October 2026)
• Nigeria Data Protection Commission: FAQs (checked 2 October 2026)
• Nigeria Data Protection Commission: General Application and Implementation Directive 2025 (checked 2 October 2026)