What an Exhibitor Welcome Letter Must Include
A welcome letter has one job: get the exhibitor from "we booked" to "we know what to do next" in a single read. The person who booked is often not the person who runs the booth, so write it to be forwarded. Put the booth and the deadlines near the top and leave show marketing out.
| Item | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Booth number, size and type | The thing they bought, in writing | Booth 412, 10x10 inline |
| What the booth includes | Stops service orders for things already included | 8 ft back drape, ID sign, 2 badges, directory listing |
| Paid and balance due | Avoids a surprise invoice later | $1,200 deposit paid; $1,800 due June 1 |
| Portal login or link | Where profiles, staff, forms and payments happen | Your portal link and login email |
| First two or three deadlines | The ones that cost money or a listing if missed | Directory profile May 1, insurance certificate May 15 |
| Exhibitor manual and service kit | The rules and the order forms | Link, not attachment |
| Move-in and show hours | Travel and freight get booked early | Move-in Sept 9, 8 AM to 5 PM |
| One named contact | Exhibitors need a person, not a no-reply address | Name, email, phone |
Leave out what isn't decided yet. If the floor plan may still change, say so in one line and promise to tell them in writing if their booth moves. The rules on relocation belong in your exhibit space contract, not in the welcome letter.
When to Send It
| When | Purpose | |
|---|---|---|
| On booking | Order confirmation | Receipt: booth, amount, invoice |
| Within one business day | Welcome letter | Next steps, portal login, first deadlines, contact |
| When the manual is ready | Manual and service kit announcement | Rules, order forms, discount deadlines |
| Before each deadline | Onboarding and payment reminders | Only to exhibitors who haven't finished |
| 1 to 2 weeks before move-in | Final logistics | Move-in, badges, freight, contacts onsite |
The full sequence, including payment reminders, final logistics and post-show emails, is in exhibitor email templates. If your manual and service kit aren't ready when exhibitors book, say in the welcome letter when they will be, then send the exhibitor service kit announcement on that date.
4 Copy-Ready Exhibitor Welcome Letter Templates
Replace every bracketed field. Send from a named person with a reply-to address someone reads, and keep one main link per email.
Welcome Letter Mistakes to Avoid
- Attaching a 40-page manual instead of linking it, so the email lands in spam or nobody opens it
- Sending from a no-reply address, so questions go nowhere
- Listing every deadline from now to move-out; give the first two or three and point to the portal for the rest
- Leaving out the balance due date, then sending a surprise invoice
- Writing only to the person who booked, who may not run the booth
- Promising a booth location the contract says can change
- Sending the welcome letter weeks after booking, when the exhibitor has already called to ask what's next
Welcome letters work best when they point to one place where the exhibitor can see everything about their booth. An exhibitor portal gives every exhibitor the same login for profile, staff, forms, documents and payments, so the welcome letter can stay short. If you're sending the letter after a rebooking, the exhibitor rebooking email templates include a rebooking confirmation, and the exhibitor FAQ template answers the questions that arrive after the welcome letter goes out.