In addition to any company-planned direct mail/email campaign that might go out prior to an exposition, a good sales team member should send personal letters or notes to key people in key accounts. The general subjects of a personal direct mail piece should focus on your personal invitation to the booth to see new products, to meet key company personnel, and/or to learn of a new technology or application that the customer might be able to use.
As that customer’s contact with your company, you should know each of them well enough to know of something that might interest them. If not, invent some excuse to get them to meet you at the show. The purpose is to make a direct connection between the customer and your company's products and personnel.
Make sure that the letters are personal (not in the style of a form letter ). Carefully select the wording of the letter, making certain that it clearly conveys an appealing invitation. The most effective letters are done on personal stationary, not company letterhead. Make sure that the stationary is "different" (i.e., more elegant-looking) even if it has the company logo on top.