For over a quarter of a century, I’ve attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and watched the event evolve into one of the most influential trade shows in the world. For product startups, CES is an unmatched opportunity to meet retail buyers, media, distributors, and potential partners—all in one place.
But here’s the truth: CES is only productive if you prepare properly.
Going in unprepared means wasted time, wasted money, and missed opportunities that may not come again until the next year.
With CES 2026 right around the corner, now is the perfect time to get organized, sharpen your pitch, and build a strategy that sets you up for retail success.
10. Perfect Your CES Pitch
Every person in your booth needs to deliver a consistent, confident, and compelling message. Too many exhibitors rely on vague or inconsistent pitches that confuse buyers or journalists.
Create your pitch well in advance, practice it with your team, and include a clear call to action—something like:
“I’ll email you our product sheet once I’m back in the office.”
A consistent pitch helps attendees remember you, even in the chaos of CES.
9. Bring Enough Staff
Exhibiting at CES isn’t cheap—so don’t sabotage your investment by understaffing your booth.
You never want key moments to be missed because someone stepped away for lunch or a meeting.
Make sure your team knows the basics:
- Warm greetings
- Professional demeanor
- Positive, approachable body language
A well-staffed booth not only improves engagement—it creates a better experience for buyers and press.
8. Schedule Appointments Early
CES is massive. Don’t rely on just walk-in traffic.
Weeks before the show, begin reaching out to:
- Retail buyers
- Journalists and media outlets
- Distributors
- Influential partners
Confirm these appointments again right before CES. Yes, some meetings will fall through—but you can easily reschedule after the show when you’ve already started the conversation.
7. Research Your Competition
CES is the perfect place to see what others in your category are doing:
- Who are they targeting?
- What messaging are they using?
- What features are they highlighting?
Set aside time to walk the floor and take notes. Understanding your competitors helps refine your pitch, pricing, and positioning—especially once you begin retail conversations.
6. Make Your Booth Fun and Memorable
CES attendees are overwhelmed with information, demos, and meetings.
Your booth needs to feel like a break, not more noise.
A laid-back, friendly, energetic atmosphere draws people in naturally.
It doesn’t need to be gimmicky—just engaging, inviting, and different from the standard trade show setup.
5. Give Live Product Demonstrations
Nothing attracts a crowd like a compelling product demo.
Practice your demos so they’re tight, engaging, and repeatable throughout the day.
Pro tip: Collect business cards or scan badges during the demo. This ensures every warm interaction gets added to your follow-up list.
4. Choose the Right Booth Giveaway
A smart giveaway boosts traffic and starts conversations.
If feasible, offer one of your own products as the prize—this is great for both attention and market feedback.
If that’s not possible, choose something small and useful (mints, branded accessories, etc.).
The goal is simple: make people stop long enough for you to make a meaningful connection.
3. Provide High-Quality Product Sales Sheets
Many CES attendees won’t have time to stop and talk—especially if your booth is busy.
Make sure you have well-designed product sheets available for quick pickup.
If your budget allows, load all your product info onto a branded USB drive. It saves attendees space and helps them keep your materials organized.
2. Create a Complete Media Kit
Press coverage can be one of the biggest wins from CES.
Prepare a media kit that includes:
- Company overview
- Product specs
- Pricing
- Awards or certifications
- High-resolution photos
- Contact information
Have the kit ready on a USB drive so you can hand it out instantly when journalists stop by.
1. Build a Strong Follow-Up System
The biggest mistake exhibitors make?
They never follow up.
As a former retail buyer, I handed out dozens of business cards at CES—yet most exhibitors never contacted me. That’s thousands of dollars lost on booth space, travel, and marketing.
Before CES even begins, build a follow-up process.
It can be as simple as:
- Log every conversation
- Categorize leads (hot, warm, cold)
- Send personalized emails within 48–72 hours
- Schedule post-CES calls or demos
A strong follow-up strategy turns CES conversations into real retail opportunities.
How AI Will Transform CES Prep and Retail Launches
CES 2026 will be one of the first years where AI-powered tools become mainstream in trade show and retail planning.
Startups can now use AI to:
- Create more targeted buyer pitches
- Analyze competitor booths in real time
- Predict which retailers are the best fit for their category
- Automate lead capture and follow-up
- Personalize product demos and messaging
- Plan retail pricing and promotions based on historical data
AI won’t replace your hustle—but it will make your CES strategy smarter, faster, and more effective than ever.
Kick Off 2026 the Right Way
Cheers to the excitement of CES 2026! Retailbound is looking forward to seeing the newest innovations hitting the show floor.
Not attending CES but planning to launch your brand into retail in 2026?
Since 2008, Retailbound has helped hundreds of product brands scale into more than 150+ retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Our team specializes in retail strategy, buyer engagement, and channel development for startups and established brands.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you grow in retail.
