The Opportunity: Nearly 30,000 affluent, dual-homeowners who actively spend on outdoor living. 43% are planning a major build or renovation. These aren't tire-kickers — they paid $25+ per person to walk in. They're ready to buy. The only question is whether they leave Kyle's booth as a contact in the CRM or just a memory.
01 The Problem With Trade Shows
What typically happens vs. what should happen
Kyle has a great booth — live product demos, strong branding, cottage vibe:
Kyle's booth — retractable awning, Sombrano umbrella, Muskoka chair, branded banners. The booth IS the product demo.
But here's the industry reality:
The Leaky Bucket
- 79% of trade show leads are never followed up. Industry-wide, this is the #1 failure point.
- Most exhibitors collect business cards in a fishbowl, stack them on a desk Monday morning, and "get to them when they can."
- By Wednesday, the lead is cold. By Friday, they've called someone else.
- Without a system, a $6,000+ booth investment becomes an expensive weekend of standing.
Our advantage: Kyle already has AI-Employee.ca. That means we can capture, tag, score, and auto-nurture every lead before he even packs up the booth. This is the Zero Lead Loss system applied to a trade show.
02 The QR-to-CRM Lead Capture System
How every booth visitor becomes a contact in the pipeline
cottage-life-show-2026, lead-source:trade-show, plus product interest tag. Enters "Trade Show Leads" pipeline.Why QR + AI-Employee.ca Beats Everything Else
| Method | Problems |
|---|---|
| Business card fishbowl | No follow-up system, cards get lost, no data capture |
| Paper sign-up sheet | Illegible handwriting, manual data entry, no automation |
| iPad at the booth | One device = bottleneck, gets sticky, people queue up and walk away |
| QR Code → AI-Employee.ca | Everyone has their own phone. Unlimited simultaneous scans. Data goes straight to CRM. Automation fires instantly. |
03 Incentive Ideas — Why Should They Scan?
People don't scan QR codes out of the goodness of their hearts. They need a reason.
Contest: Win a Cottage Season Starter Pack
Prize bundle: premium patio umbrella + Muskoka chair set (value ~$1,500). Draw after the show.
- Cottage-themed = perfect match for this audience
- Muskoka chairs + umbrella are aspirational — people picture themselves on the dock
- Umbrella showcases Kyle's actual product line
- Lower cost than giving away a full awning install, but high perceived value
- Announce winner via email = one more touchpoint with ALL entrants
- Requires Form 5 contest approval from show organizers
Contest: Win a Free Retractable Awning Installation
Grand prize: Free retractable awning installation (retail value $3,000-$5,000). Draw after the show.
- Highest perceived value = most scans
- The prize IS the product — winner becomes a case study + testimonial
- Every entrant is a qualified lead (they want an awning)
- Higher cost to Kyle but bigger draw
Free "Shade Planning Guide" + Show-Only Pricing
Scan to get a downloadable guide: "The Cottage Owner's Guide to Shade Solutions" + unlock show-exclusive pricing (valid 30 days).
- No contest approval needed
- Guide positions Kyle as the expert
- Show pricing creates urgency
- Lower scan rate than a contest, but higher quality leads
Show Special + Contest Combined
Everyone who scans gets show-exclusive pricing. Plus, automatically entered to win the grand prize.
- Double incentive = maximum scans
- Immediate value (pricing) + delayed excitement (draw)
- Every scan gets both the offer AND contest entry
- Best of both worlds
Our recommendation: Go with the Cottage Season Starter Pack contest. It's cottage-themed, matches the show audience perfectly, showcases Kyle's product line, and at ~$1,500 it's a manageable cost that still generates massive perceived value. The Muskoka chair + umbrella combo is exactly what this crowd dreams about. Plus, the contest gives you a reason to email every single entrant again when you announce the winner.
04 The Post-Show AI-Employee.ca Workflow
The automated nurture sequence that turns scans into booked consultations
Email/SMS Sequence (Starts Monday, March 30)
| Day | Channel | Subject / Message | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Mon) | Email + SMS | "Great meeting you at Cottage Life!" | Reconnect while memory is fresh. Include photo of booth. Remind of show pricing deadline. |
| Day 3 (Wed) | "Which shade solution fits your cottage?" | Educational — product comparison (awnings vs pergolas vs canopies). Links to website galleries. Soft CTA: "Not sure? We do free consultations." | |
| Day 7 (Mon) | Email + SMS | "Your show pricing expires in 7 days" | Urgency. Specific pricing reminder. Direct booking link for free in-home consultation. |
| Day 10 (Thu) | "See what we did for [client name]'s cottage" | Social proof — before/after photos, testimonial. Shows real results on real cottages. | |
| Day 14 (Mon) | Email + SMS | "Last chance — show pricing ends tonight" | Final urgency push. After this, pricing reverts to standard. Clear CTA: call or book online. |
Contest Winner Announcement (Day 21)
Three weeks after the show, announce the contest winner to ALL entrants via email:
- Congratulate the winner
- "Didn't win? Here's a consolation offer — 10% off any installation booked by April 30"
- This gives you ONE MORE touchpoint with the entire list
- The consolation offer catches people who were on the fence
Pipeline Stages in AI-Employee.ca
| Stage | Trigger |
|---|---|
| New Lead | QR scan + form submitted |
| Engaged | Opened 2+ emails or replied to SMS |
| Consultation Booked | Scheduled free in-home measurement |
| Quote Sent | Custom quote delivered |
| Won | Deposit received / contract signed |
| Lost | Declined or went cold after 60 days |
05 Booth Optimization Ideas
Small additions to Kyle's existing setup that increase engagement and lead capture
QR Code Signage (Must-Have)
Large, visible QR code sign — not a tiny sticker on the table. Think 18"x24" minimum on an easel or mounted to the banner stand.
- Clear headline: "WIN A COTTAGE STARTER PACK — Scan to Enter"
- Visible from the aisle — people should scan while walking by
- Consider two signs: one at each side of the booth
Before/After Photo Display
A tablet or digital frame cycling through before/after installation photos. Cottages, patios, decks — show the transformation.
- People stop to watch visual content
- Starts conversations naturally: "Is that Muskoka?"
- Way more engaging than static brochures
"Cottage Comfort Zone" Experience
Kyle already has the Muskoka chair and umbrella. Lean into it — make one corner of the booth an Instagram-worthy "cottage patio" vignette.
- Add a small side table with a fake drink / book prop
- Invite people to sit, take a photo, share it
- Sign: "This could be your patio — sit and imagine"
- Photo-worthy moments = free social media exposure
Fabric Swatch Station
Display the full range of awning fabric options. Let people touch, compare, take a favourite home.
- Tactile engagement keeps people at the booth longer
- Taking a swatch home = reminder on the kitchen counter
- Conversation starter: "What colour would match your cottage?"
06 Pre-Show Marketing (Do This Before March 26)
80% of trade show attendees visit booths they planned to visit before the show
Two Weeks Before the Show
- Social media posts (3-5 posts): "We're coming to Cottage Life Show! Booth #__. Come see our retractable awnings and pergolas live. Plus — enter to win a Cottage Season Starter Pack!" Tag @cottagelifeshows.
- Email blast to existing AI-Employee.ca contacts: Anyone in the GTA/cottage country area — personal invite with booth number and show hours. Include complimentary ticket offer if exhibitor passes are available.
- Facebook/Instagram ad (optional): Target cottage owners in GTA. Budget: $200-500. "See us at Cottage Life Show — enter to win a Cottage Season Starter Pack." Link to show ticket page or a pre-registration landing page.
One Week Before
- Instagram Reel / TikTok: Quick video of Kyle setting up product samples. "Getting ready for Cottage Life Show — come see us at Booth #__"
- Email reminder: Second touch to existing database with show details + contest teaser
During the Show (4 days)
- Daily Instagram Stories: Booth shots, crowd shots, product close-ups, customer reactions
- One post per day: Different product highlight each day (Thu = awnings, Fri = pergolas, Sat = umbrellas, Sun = signage)
- Hashtags: #CottageLifeShow #CottageLife #StoreFrontAwning #CottageSeason #OutdoorLiving
07 How We Measure Success
What good looks like after the show
| Metric | Target | How We Track |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Scans | 200-400 | AI-Employee.ca form submissions tagged cottage-life-show-2026 |
| Email Open Rate (sequence) | 40%+ | AI-Employee.ca email stats |
| Consultations Booked | 15-30 | AI-Employee.ca pipeline stage "Consultation Booked" |
| Quotes Sent | 10-20 | AI-Employee.ca pipeline stage "Quote Sent" |
| Closed Deals (within 60 days) | 5-10 | AI-Employee.ca pipeline stage "Won" |
| Revenue from Show Leads | $25K-$75K+ | AI-Employee.ca opportunity values |
The math: If Kyle captures 300 leads, converts 8% to consultations (24), and closes 40% of those (10 deals) at an average of $5,000-$8,000 per installation — that's $50,000-$80,000 in revenue from one weekend. Even at half those numbers, the ROI on booth cost is massive.
08 Implementation Checklist
What needs to happen and when
| When | What | Who |
|---|---|---|
| This week | Decide on incentive (contest vs. guide vs. hybrid) | Kyle + Paul |
| This week | Submit Form 5 contest approval to show organizers (if running contest) | Kyle |
| Week of Mar 2 | Build AI-Employee.ca landing page + form | Paul |
| Week of Mar 2 | Build AI-Employee.ca workflow (auto-tag, instant confirmation, nurture sequence) | Paul |
| Week of Mar 2 | Create "Trade Show Leads" pipeline in AI-Employee.ca | Paul |
| Week of Mar 2 | Write all 5 nurture emails + SMS messages | Paul |
| Week of Mar 9 | Design + print QR code signage (18x24" minimum) | Kyle (or Paul's design) |
| Week of Mar 9 | Create "Shade Planning Guide" PDF if using guide incentive | Paul |
| Week of Mar 9 | Test full workflow end-to-end (scan → form → tags → emails) | Paul + Kyle |
| Week of Mar 16 | Pre-show social media posts begin | Kyle (Paul drafts) |
| Week of Mar 16 | Email blast to existing database | Paul via AI-Employee.ca |
| Mar 26-29 | SHOW DAYS — capture leads, post daily content | Kyle + team |
| Mar 30 | Post-show nurture sequence auto-starts | AI-Employee.ca automation |
| Apr 13 | Contest winner announcement email | Paul via AI-Employee.ca |
| Apr 27 | Show pricing expiration + final push | AI-Employee.ca automation |