The best way to share a brochure at an exhibition is to send it straight to the visitor's phone, while they are still at your stall. On WhatsApp, the visitor scans a QR code or gives you their number, and your catalogue arrives in a chat they will actually open again. Unlike a printed handout, it can't be left in a hotel room, and it confirms you have their correct number.
This guide covers why it works, three ways to do it, and how to stay on the right side of WhatsApp etiquette.
Why printed brochures underperform at exhibitions
Printed brochures are expensive to design, print and transport, and you either run out on the busiest day or ship boxes back after the show. Visitors collect a bag full of them from many exhibitors, and most are never read. A printed brochure also tells you nothing: you don't know who took one, so it creates no lead.
A digital brochure sent on WhatsApp reverses all of this. Every brochure sent is tied to a named visitor, it costs nothing extra per copy, it's always the latest version, and it sits in the visitor's chat with your business name — making it easy for them to message you later.
Three ways to send brochures on WhatsApp at a stall
1. Manually from a staff phone
A staff member saves the visitor's number and forwards the PDF from their own WhatsApp.
- Pros: no setup.
- Cons: slow at a busy stall; leads end up scattered across staff phones; the conversation leaves with that staff member; and repeatedly forwarding the same file to many new contacts from a personal number risks the account being reported or restricted.
2. A click-to-chat link or QR code to your WhatsApp Business number
You create a QR code that opens a chat with your business number (WhatsApp supports links of the form wa.me/<number>). The visitor sends a message, and you reply with the brochure — manually, or with a quick reply in the WhatsApp Business app.
- Pros: the visitor starts the conversation, which is the right way round.
- Cons: someone still has to answer every chat during the show, and leads are not organised by event or interest.
3. An automated WhatsApp flow behind the QR code
The visitor scans your stall QR code, sends the pre-filled message, answers a few questions in the chat, and receives the right brochure automatically. Their details and answers are saved as a lead.
- Pros: works for many visitors at once; every brochure sent creates a qualified lead; staff are free to talk to people.
- Cons: requires a tool built on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
How to prepare a brochure for WhatsApp
- Use PDF. It looks the same on every phone and can be forwarded inside the visitor's company.
- Keep the file small. Aim for a few megabytes at most so it downloads quickly on crowded mobile networks. Compress large images before exporting.
- Design for a phone screen. Large text, one product per page, and your phone number and website on every page.
- Make separate documents for different needs — a full catalogue, a price list, a single-product sheet — so visitors receive what they asked for. For a large or frequently changing range, a digital catalog that visitors can browse and enquire from can work better than a PDF.
- Name the file clearly, for example
CompanyName-Catalogue-2026.pdf, because the file name is what the visitor sees in the chat. - Include a clear next step: "Reply to this chat for a quote", or a direct phone number.
WhatsApp etiquette and rules for exhibitors
WhatsApp works because people trust it as a personal channel. Treat it with care:
- Let the visitor start the conversation. A visitor who scans your code and sends a message has chosen to talk to you. Adding numbers and messaging people who never asked is how business numbers get blocked and reported.
- Send what was asked for, not everything you have. One relevant document is more useful than five.
- Be clear about who you are — your company name and the exhibition where you met.
- Know the 24-hour rule if you use the WhatsApp Business Platform: after a customer messages you, you can reply freely for 24 hours; after that, a business can only start a conversation with a pre-approved message template.
- Don't flood visitors after the show. A small number of relevant, well-timed follow-ups beats daily promotions. See the trade show follow-up strategy for a sensible cadence.
- Respect opt-outs immediately.
Using the brochure moment to qualify the lead
The moment a visitor asks for your brochure is the best moment to learn what they need. Offer a choice:
Each choice tells you something. A visitor who asks for the price list or wants to talk to sales is probably a hot lead; one who only wants the catalogue may be earlier in their research. Record this with the lead so your sales team calls the hottest leads first.
Measuring brochure sharing
Track how many visitors received a brochure, which documents were requested most, and how many of those visitors replied or converted. Over a few exhibitions, this tells you which products attract the most interest at each show.
How StallLead handles brochure sharing
In StallLead you upload your brochures once. When a visitor scans your stall QR code, a WhatsApp conversation asks your questions and shares your documents automatically. You can configure options such as "Get price list" or "Talk to sales" that send a specific document or reply, and tag the visitor as a hot, warm or cold lead based on their choice. For visitors your staff add manually, a "Share via WhatsApp" button starts the conversation with an approved message so they receive your documents too. See the WhatsApp features or book a free demo.
Frequently asked questions
How do I share my brochure on WhatsApp at an exhibition?
Display a QR code that opens a WhatsApp chat with your business. When the visitor sends a message, reply with your brochure as a PDF — manually, with a quick reply, or automatically using a WhatsApp Business Platform tool that also saves the visitor as a lead.
Is it better to give printed or digital brochures at a trade show?
Digital brochures are usually better: they cost nothing per copy, are always up to date, stay on the visitor's phone, and every brochure sent identifies an interested visitor. Keep a few printed copies for visitors who ask for them.
Can I send WhatsApp messages to exhibition visitors after the show?
Only to visitors who have shared their number with you and expect to hear from you. On the WhatsApp Business Platform, you can reply freely within 24 hours of the visitor's last message; after that you need a pre-approved message template.
What file format is best for a WhatsApp brochure?
A compressed PDF of a few megabytes, designed for reading on a phone, with your contact details on every page.