We are a few weeks past NRF, and like so many of you who may be reading this blog, the Ketner Group team is still digesting all the news, events and meetings from the 2026 Big Show.
This year’s conference saw more than 40,000 attendees and over 1,000 exhibitor booths. I’m sure you have read several different summary posts and articles from NRF, but here are a few of our favorites: Chain Store Age, Retail Touchpoints and Modern Retail.
As well, for those of us on the PR and communications side, approximately 300+ press and analysts (US and international) were in attendance. (I’ll come back to these numbers later.)
As part of our ongoing support for our clients, Ketner Group works to arrange in-person media and analyst briefings at events like NRF. These meetings are not only a great opportunity to communicate new announcements or campaigns to our key media and analyst contacts, but they are a fantastic way to establish and/or maintain relationships with industry influencers.
Over the many years that I’ve been attending events like NRF, Shoptalk, Groceryshop, NGA, etc., we (the Ketner Group team and our clients) have had the good fortune to get to know and even become good friends with the media and analyst who cover this industry.
The in-person interactions are priceless and are one of the many reasons why our agency has become specialized in retail tech.
But no matter how great our connections are, the hard truth is that it is becoming more difficult each year to get a significant number of meetings on the books for our clients during a large tradeshow like NRF.
Here are a few reasons why this is happening.
The Math is Not Math’ing
At my first NRF in 2003, there were only 300 exhibitors, and I was able to secure at least 10-12 (if not more) media appointments for my clients during those early years.
Fast forward 10 years later in 2013, NRF hosted around 500 exhibitors. Same story, the Ketner Group team was able to maintain a good clip of scheduled appointments at the Javitz, 8-10 on average.
In recent years, however, as more players have entered the retail tech field and innovation continues to increase, the math simply does not add up. There is just not enough time in during the three-day event for media and analysts to meet with all 1,000 exhibitors as well as the dozens of vendors who attend NRF but have opted out of having a booth.
The competition for the media’s time is simply too great, especially with must-see sessions and external events they are obligated to attend. (Not to mention that many reporters are not completely packing their schedules with vendor meetings at major events anymore, rather committing to booth drop-ins.) To keep a sane schedule, they must limit their time to vendors who can make it worth their while.
The Media Have Their Own Tradeshow Goals
The last few years have hit the media industry hard both in the US and internationally. As well, even within our own industry, we have seen many changes, smaller newsrooms and the shuttering of long-standing publications.
Because of the financial implications of the changing media landscape, publications have had to adjust their overall goals, especially as it relates to tradeshows.
Now more than ever, it is critical for them find ways to ensure they are reinforcing their industry credibility AND finding ways to help their bottom line.
Not only are some media sending smaller number of editors and reporters to cover events, but in a few instances, they are moving to a pay for interviews model.
Lastly, we have also seen many of the big publishers, media outlets and analyst firms invest more heavily in their own booths at NRF. The booths serve as vehicle to promote digital and print advertising programs, conduct podcasts and onsite interviews, hosting their own meetings and more.
Retailer Interviews Are the Main Differentiator, Announcements Are Table Stakes
I am going to be very honest, if you are a vendor making a huge financial commitment at a major tradeshow like NRF and do not have a significant announcement or campaign up your sleeve, you are literally shooting yourself in the foot. That is just table stakes at this point.
Having an announcement or an eye-catching campaign differentiates your approach to the conference, and with engaging marketing collateral and a buzz-worthy social media strategy, creates attention leading up to or during the show to drive prospects to a booth.
These announcements, however, are more about storytelling around the show and do not always translate to a media booth interview.
Of course, the media are happy to learn about new tech companies, hear about the latest survey, or have face-to-face time with key executives, but it is not really what they are looking for when thinking about a future story.
The media want retailer stories! What’s more, they want to TALK to the individuals who work for retailers and brands!
Unfortunately, even having a customer announcement at a major tradeshow like NRF is often not enough if the opportunity to speak with said retailer is not in the cards. As a technology vendor, if you are not offering retailers who are open to interview to the media, you need to be prepared for them to pass on a booth visit.
Changing Your Goals (and Mindset) for Tradeshows
So, where does that leave technology vendors who have spent thousands of dollars to put their best foot forward at a major tradeshow, with the goal of securing high-value media appointments?
It is important to set your team up for success and make the appropriate expectations. If your sole goal for tradeshows is to get media appointments (as well as meetings with key prospects) then you MUST plan accordingly.
A gigantic tradeshow like NRF is not something you can begin planning for just a few months in advance. (For NRF specifically, timing is critical due to the event being so close to the holiday season when retailers are their busiest.)
Based on our 20+ years of attending NRF and other events, as well as observing the trends over the last few years, below are some tactics to keep in mind when preparing for these shows:
- Include PR in your tradeshow planning when you get started. This includes identifying a press release or campaign strategy 4-5 months in advance.
- Ensure your tradeshow press strategy is confirmed and ready to go at least 1-2 months prior to the event. We highly recommend distributing a pre-show press release before an event to drive booth attendance from customers, prospects and partners. As well, make sure you have an announcement or two for after an event – this ensures marketing and communications momentum.
- Try to brief with key media analysts in advance, especially if you have a major announcement planned. If you have a retail customer willing interested in speaking to media but they can’t attend the conference, no worries, they can be part of pre-event briefings. (Reminder, if you have a dedicated PR partner, they can assist in making sure that you are talking with the right editors in advance of a tradeshow.)
- If you do have a willing customer, invite them to the event and offer to set up media interviews for them at the show. Better yet, take advantage of your retail customer’s presence at the event and set up video testimonials that you can use for future press and/or marketing opportunities.
Interested in chatting about your tradeshow goals in 2026 and how we can help bring them to life?
Drop us a line at [email protected], and we’ll be glad to talk!
Austin
