Think BIG: Influencer-First Strategies at Trade Shows + Compensation Considerations

What’s hot right now:

Standing out at trade shows starts long before the booth

Scrolling through LinkedIn, it’s clear: food trade show season is in full swing (will I see you at the NRA Show in May?!). And while the floor is full of product drops, merch walls and innovative packaging, the real show stoppers aren’t just investing in design—they’re investing in strategy.

Trade Show Approaches are Shifting

To see success in 2025, brands must treat trade shows as multi-touch campaigns, not standalone events. To stand out in a sea of booths, presences must be intentional, integrated and impossible to ignore.

That kind of visibility and impact requires early planning, cross-functional coordination and bold creative thinking:

Pre-show execution now starts 6+ months out. Trade show visibility isn’t just about what happens on the floor. Ideally, it’s not the first time attendees see your brand. Executing a campaign that spans pre-show buzz, on-site presence and post-show follow-up—through social content, PR, speaking engagements and paid placements—builds recall, relevance, and authority.
You’re paying a pretty penny, so don’t miss out on the earned opportunities. Earned opportunities are baked into every show. Tap into press rooms, request updated media lists and look into speaking opportunities. Trade shows typically plan panels a year out, and they often give speaking opportunities to sponsors. Thought leadership builds credibility and visibility – so prospects and media seek you out.
Sales enablement now demands more than cold outreach. Reaching out to buyers pre-show isn’t new—but the way it happens has shifted. Today’s B2B buyers expect personalization, relevance and insight from the first touchpoint. They are increasingly self-directed, and are tuning out generic pitches. To earn a meeting, brands need to lead with value—whether that’s a compelling insight, a branded report or a smart POV tailored to that buyer’s business.
B2B brands are taking notes from B2C as booth experiences evolve into brand activations. The brands getting attention aren’t just showing products—they’re creating moments. Think:
- Interactive tasting bars for emerging product launches.
- A TikTok-inspired trend wall where attendees can vote on what’s “here to stay”.
- Private influencer-led tastings that double as content capture and popular meet-n-greet.
Content capture is baked into the plan, not an afterthought. Trade shows are packed with moments that deserve to live beyond the four walls of a convention center—but too often, brands leave and never look back. More teams are now hiring content creators to document the experience. Whether it’s short-form social content, interviews with clients and partners or real-time coverage of product demos, every conversation becomes a content opportunity.
Influencer-first strategies are gaining traction. Some of the most compelling trade show moments are built around influencers—where creators help amplify booth traffic, deliver insights or curate trend-forward experiences.

Kim and Scott Vargo at the Inspired Home Show conducting an Influencer Demonstration.

Scott Vargo at the Inspired Home Show conducting an Influencer Demonstration.

Kim and Scott Vargo of @yellowbrickhome partnered with EVEREST to do a live trade show demonstration at the Inspired Home Show in Chicago [Belle client activation].

Influencer-First Strategies

Many of the trends that show up on the trade show floor—like mushroom-based everything or nostalgic flavor mashups—start online. Influencers can help translate those movements into meaningful moments.

For example, imagine a vegan content creator leading a tasting of plant-based appetizers. These integrations don’t just build buzz—they create relevance with specific audiences your buyers care about.

When brought in early, influencers can also support sales enablement + help set up conversations:

Pre-show: Poll influencer audiences to get proprietary data on food preferences or consumer trends. Share these insights with prospects before the show to help set meetings.
During the show: Invite influencers to participate in live demos. They can serve as trendsetters, thought leaders and a draw for mini focus groups to pique attention on the floor. Influencers with credibility in specific dietary or lifestyle communities—gluten-free bakers, halal recipe creators, low-FODMAP foodies—can attract interest from buyers aligned with those needs.
Post-show: Extend the life of your activation through social content, recaps or thought leadership that speaks directly to niche audiences. Sales teams can use influencer content as follow-ups for prospects they were unable to connect with.

Industry News:

Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN) latest edition of Influencer Insider, fueled by Brilli™, is live, and it’s all about influencer compensation + campaigns with ROI.

Brands must treat influencer partnerships with the same consideration as paid media or advertising buys. They’re strategic investments with the power to support top and bottom funnel goals.

When partnering with influencers, you’re not only paying for their content; you’re paying for their reach and their credibility amongst incredibly engaged audiences. So when thinking about compensation, remember: it isn’t just about the cost of a single deliverable—it’s about the value of access, influence and results.

Hear more from three foodie influencers and Belle’s founders in the latest edition.

Influencer Insider: Why restaurants are underestimating influencers as a resource

News we’re noting:

2025 State of Media & Readership Report – op-eds on timely topics are growing in popularity, which places an even greater emphasis on company thought leaders.
New Unilever CEO to hire ‘20 times more influencers’ in major marketing boost – was this headline rampant on anyone else’s LinkedIn feed? I’m not surprised to see this; influencer-first strategies are the future.
Brands hire Gen X and boomer influencers as the ‘power of the silver influencer’ rise – influencers don’t just have pull with younger generations (see above bullet).
Sprout Social hired an influencer as their SXSW Correspondent – love this creative use of B2B influencers to build relevancy and grow awareness.
Consumer angst is striking all income levels – Consumers are practicing caution and being more intentional with their spending. This makes communicating brand values and differentiators that much more important.

Fresh off the press: Client wins

Belle headlines

Speaking of trade shows… Will you be at the NRA Show in May? I’ll be there and would love to connect! On Saturday, Belle’s founder, Kate Finley, will speak on “The Secret Sauce to Successful Influencer Marketing Campaigns” panel alongside NRN Editor-in-Chief, Sam Oches, and two foodie influencers. The group will explore why foodservice marketing strategies should be social-first, how influencers provide value beyond content creation, and ways influencers can convert social media likes into foot traffic.

In more fun news: Our work with Nestlé was highlighted as a top packaged food influencer campaign by Influencer Marketing Hub. We paired micro + nano influencers online with IRL sampling events to drive demand for their frozen pizza.