How Schneider Electric generated a multi-million-pound pipeline through smart pre-show targeting

B2B marketers are increasingly looking beyond the exhibition hall to maximise trade show ROI. A standout example is Schneider Electric’s approach at Hannover Messe – one of the world’s largest industrial trade shows – where a savvy pre-show and multi-touch pre-show targeting strategy helped turn booth buzz into a robust sales pipeline. This case study breaks down how Schneider Electric achieved (and exceeded) its goals, and what lessons B2B marketers can learn from their success.

Background: turning a trade show into a lead engine

Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy and automation solutions, faced a familiar B2B challenge: how to generate meaningful leads and pipeline from a major trade show appearance. Hannover Messe attracts a complex audience of OEMs, industrial engineers, and senior decision-makers – exactly the people Schneider wanted to engage. Simply showing up with a booth was not enough. The team’s objective was to expand the opportunity beyond the show floor – building awareness beforehand, driving booth engagement during the event, and nurturing prospects afterwards. In short, Schneider needed to translate a few days of activity into a long-term, revenue-generating customer journey.

The trade show, Hannover Messe (Hanover Fair), is a massive industrial technology exhibition in Europe, and competition for attention is fierce. Schneider’s presence at the show was a key calendar moment for its marketing team, but they knew that relying only on foot traffic during the event would limit their impact. The challenge was clear – reach the right prospects with the right message before, during, and after the show to ensure high-quality lead capture and pipeline growth.

Strategy: pre-show targeting and a full-funnel approach

To meet its goals, Schneider Electric built a three-stage campaign around the event:

• Before the event: The team executed smart pre-show targeting to build buzz and secure engagement in advance. Using LinkedIn’s precise B2B targeting capabilities, they ran Sponsored Content ads to raise awareness among their niche audience (industrial automation OEMs and engineers) and Sponsored Messaging Ads inviting prospects to register for Schneider’s Hannover Messe initiatives. By starting the conversation early, they ensured that key attendees already knew about Schneider’s presence and value propositions before arriving at the show.

• During the event: Schneider sustained engagement in real time. They shared live updates from the trade show stand via social media to keep the wider audience informed. More importantly, they offered valuable content on-site – for example, promoting an event-specific whitepaper about Industrial IoT through LinkedIn Sponsored Content targeted at attendees. Attendees who visited the booth could download this gated content, which fed their details directly into Schneider’s lead system via LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms. This tactic ensured booth interest was immediately captured as digital leads.

• After the event: The campaign did not stop when Hannover Messe closed its doors. Post-show, Schneider sent out targeted follow-ups – including LinkedIn Message Ads offering in-depth content on relevant topics (like IoT) to re-engage those who showed interest. The message was clear: keep the conversation going. By nurturing leads with content after the event, Schneider translated booth conversations into ongoing sales dialogues. It is worth noting that fast follow-up is critical – industry data shows only around 5–10% of trade show leads convert on average, and timely post-show outreach dramatically improves the odds.

This full-funnel approach – from pre-show outreach to post-show nurturing – exemplifies how B2B marketers can treat a trade show as a campaign, not just a three-day stint. Schneider’s use of LinkedIn was pivotal because it allowed precise audience targeting and lead capture all on one platform. The ability to reach exactly the right professionals (by job title, industry, and so on) and capture their details via auto-filled forms removed friction for both attendees and the marketing team.

Other B2B brands have deployed similar pre-show strategies to great effect. For instance, Amazon Business worked with an agency to run geo-fenced digital ads around conference venues and hotels, ensuring their brand was front-and-centre for delegates even before they set foot in the expo. Many savvy exhibitors also leverage email and direct mail in the run-up to events. According to Elevation Marketing (an agency behind Amazon’s trade show campaigns), tailored email outreach to show registrants – kept informational rather than overtly promotional – can significantly boost open and response rates leading into an event. Likewise, some companies execute creative direct mail drops targeting confirmed attendees of an upcoming show. In one example, SaaSMQL mailed out custom trade show invitations (including a branded poker chip as a gimmick) to select prospects in their ICP who were attending a conference, inviting them to visit their booth and redeem the chip for a VIP gift. These pre-show tactics plant the seed early, so by the time the event starts, target prospects are already aware of your brand and inclined to seek you out.

Execution: engaging attendees on the floor (and beyond)

Once the show began, Schneider Electric’s plan shifted to on-site execution and real-time engagement. Their booth team was armed with marketing support ranging from live social content to lead capture tools. A few notable execution elements drove their success:

• Integrated lead capture: Every touchpoint at the Schneider booth was linked to a digital follow-up. By using LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms for content downloads and event registrations, Schneider ensured that booth interactions instantly became leads in their database. This eliminated the common lag between scanning a badge and actually following up; instead, leads were captured with full context (for example, which content they downloaded) in real time.

• Compelling booth content: The event-specific whitepaper on the Internet of Things (and likely other thought leadership content) gave booth visitors a reason to engage and share their details. Rather than just pitching products, Schneider offered something of value that addressed attendees’ interests (industrial IoT trends), aligning with the show’s tech focus. This content marketing approach at the booth helped qualify leads – those who downloaded the paper indicated genuine interest in Schneider’s perspective on industry innovation.

• Social media amplification: Schneider did not rely only on physical foot traffic. By posting live updates and highlights from their stand, they amplified their trade show presence to a wider LinkedIn audience. This kept remote prospects engaged and drove additional traffic to the content landing pages. It is a reminder that a booth event can generate digital engagement far beyond the venue if leveraged well.

• On-site personalisation: While not explicitly detailed in Schneider’s story, we can infer that their sales reps at the booth knew which prospects had engaged with pre-show ads or content. This is a huge advantage – for example, if a target account clicked a Sponsored Content ad pre-show, the Schneider team could be ready to greet them with relevant talking points. In fact, 82% of trade show attendees have buying influence, so making a strong, personalised connection on-site can directly accelerate pipeline.

One particularly innovative example of trade show engagement from another B2B tech firm shows how creative tactics can convert into pipeline. A cybersecurity company preparing for a major tech expo wanted more than generic swag – they needed a gimmick that tied into digital lead capture. Their solution was a smart notebook giveaway: a branded hardcover notebook embedded with an NFC chip that would launch a special microsite when tapped by a phone. Attendees who picked up the notebook could access product videos and download resources via the chip, and in exchange their info was tracked in the CRM through the microsite. The result? This creative swag not only attracted crowds, it also bridged the physical and digital experience. Booth traffic jumped 57% year-over-year and post-show email engagement rose by 38%, as prospects continued interacting with the online content. Most impressively, the marketing team traced two enterprise deals directly to interactions triggered by the NFC-enabled notebooks – clear proof that an interactive giveaway can lead to real pipeline.

Results: from booth buzz to pipeline growth

Schneider Electric’s holistic trade show strategy delivered on its promises. Although exact figures remain confidential, the LinkedIn campaign beat all targets for event registrations and lead generation tied to Hannover Messe. In addition, Schneider recorded significant lifts in brand awareness during and after the show – a sign that their content was resonating with the right audience. By thinking beyond the booth, Schneider effectively translated trade show engagement into tangible sales pipeline. Every lead from the event was already nurtured through content and captured with context, making the sales team’s follow-up job much easier.

This success underscores a broader trend: B2B companies that integrate digital marketing with trade show appearances see far better ROI. When the marketing team seeds interest early and has a follow-up plan, a trade show can become a high-ROI lead generation channel rather than a costly networking exercise. In fact, 52% of business leaders say trade shows provide the greatest ROI of all marketing channels – but that is only true if you work smarter than the competition. Schneider’s case shows that “working smarter” means targeting and engaging prospects before they even walk into your booth, and continuing the conversation long after they walk out.

It is also noteworthy how multiple channels were orchestrated in Schneider’s campaign. LinkedIn was a linchpin for targeting and lead capture, but the strategy could easily include email, direct mail, search ads, and more. For example, a similar approach by Aggregate Industries in the UK used a full-funnel LinkedIn ad strategy (video ads for awareness, retargeting for interest, and lead generation content offers) to build a pipeline for a new product – achieving 20% above target for leads and a 24% lower cost-per-lead than expected. These cases illustrate that blending online tactics with face-to-face events can significantly amplify pipeline output while keeping costs efficient.

Key takeaways for B2B marketers

Every organisation and event is unique, but the Schneider Electric case provides valuable lessons for B2B marketers aiming to turn trade show investments into revenue results:

• Start engaging early: Do not wait until the event to reach your prospects. Use pre-show marketing – LinkedIn targeting, email campaigns, direct mail invites, even geo-targeted ads – to make sure your key audience knows who you are and what you will offer at the show. Schneider’s pre-show ads and others like Amazon’s geo-fenced campaigns put their brands on attendees’ radar ahead of time, meaning warmer conversations on the day.

• Offer value, not just sales pitches: Attract prospects with content and experiences that address their needs or curiosity. Schneider offered an IoT whitepaper download at their booth; the cybersecurity firm offered a high-tech notebook with bonus content. These value-adds make your booth memorable and give prospects a reason to interact (and provide their contact details).

• Integrate digital and physical channels: Break down the wall between your booth and your digital marketing. Use social media for live event updates, integrate lead capture forms (on tablets or via QR codes or ads) right at the booth, and consider interactive tech (like NFC swag or QR-linked demos). The goal is a seamless journey: an attendee who visits your stand should immediately enter your digital funnel for easy follow-up.

• Capture leads with context: It is not just about scanning badges – it is about knowing what each lead showed interest in. Tools like LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms or event apps allow you to tag leads by campaign or content. This way, when sales follows up, they can tailor their message (“Hi, I saw you downloaded our IoT insights paper at Hannover Messe…”). Contextual follow-ups have a far higher chance of conversion than generic ones.

• Follow up fast and nurture: The fortune is in the follow-up. Do not squander the momentum – reach out within days (if not hours) after the show while your brand is still fresh in the prospect’s mind. Schneider’s post-show message ads with additional content kept prospects engaged after the event. Whether by email, LinkedIn, or calls, ensure you have a post-show lead nurturing plan. Remember that only a small percentage of leads convert without effort; a prompt, personalised follow-up can dramatically improve that conversion rate.

By treating trade shows as a multi-touch, full-funnel campaign, B2B marketers can significantly boost their pipeline and justify the investment. Schneider Electric’s Hannover Messe playbook – combining smart pre-show targeting, engaging content offers, real-time social updates, and diligent post-show follow-up – turned a few days on the expo floor into months’ worth of sales opportunities. For UK marketers and beyond, the message is clear: success at trade shows is not just about stand design and smiling staff, it is about the strategy that starts long before the show and continues well after. With the right approach, a trade show can spark millions in pipeline – and even be your best-performing marketing activity of the year.

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