TRADE SHOW MAGIC · DENVER, LAS VEGAS & NATIONWIDE
STOP THE AISLE. FILL THE BOOTH. HAND SALES A WARM LEAD.
Shawn Preston is a trade show magician who turns foot traffic into a crowd, a crowd into a conversation, and your product message into something people actually repeat. 25+ years working booths nationwide.
YOUR BOOTH HAS EIGHT SECONDS. HE ONLY NEEDS THREE.
Shawn Preston has spent 25+ years working trade show floors, where the competition isn’t the booth across the aisle — it’s everyone’s schedule, their sore feet, and the exhibit hall exit.
He stops people who had no intention of stopping, holds a crowd through your message, and hands them to your team while they’re still smiling. Based in Denver, working shows nationwide.
Nobody walks a trade show floor hoping to be sold to. My job is to give them a reason to stand still — and to make sure that once they do, they remember whose booth they were standing in.
Shawn Preston
THEY’VE PUT HIM IN THEIR BOOTH.
THE MATH OF A BUSY BOOTH
YOU ALREADY PAID FOR THE FLOOR SPACE. THE HARD PART IS GETTING ANYONE TO STAND ON IT.
Most booths are a variation on the same problem: good product, good people, and an aisle full of attendees walking past at speed. Banners don’t stop them. Swag stops them for four seconds and buys you nothing.
A crowd stops them. People stop for other people. Shawn builds that crowd every fifteen or twenty minutes, all day — and while it’s gathered, he delivers the two or three things you need attendees to remember, in language you approve in advance.
Your team stops chasing badges and starts having conversations with people who already know what you do.
BEFORE YOU BOOK,
The practical stuff.
- Lead time
- 6 to 12 weeks; earlier for major shows
- Booth size
- Works in a 10×10 — no stage, sound, or power
- Show days
- Single day to a full multi-day run
- Format
- Short sets on repeat through the show day, every 15–20 min
- Branding
- Performs in your shirt and badge
- Messaging
- Your product talking points built into the act, approved in advance
- Insurance
- Liability coverage carried; COI for your venue on request
- Coverage
- Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, and nationwide
SLEIGHT OF HAND. COMEDY. AND YOUR PRODUCT MESSAGE, DELIVERED BY SOMEONE THEY’LL ACTUALLY LISTEN TO.
Trade show magic isn’t a magic show that happens to be at a trade show. It’s a different job with different rules: no stage, no lighting, no captive audience, and a crowd that re-forms from scratch every fifteen minutes.
Shawn writes your message into the act itself — the product name, the positioning line, the one differentiator you need people repeating at the next booth. It lands inside the trick, not as an ad break after it. Then he steps aside and lets your team do what they came to do.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE FLOOR.
What it looks like on the floor
Shawn Preston brings a sense of wonder and magic to an event. His magic is top-notch, and his presentation sure does draw a crowd. My company has hired Shawn for tradeshows in Denver, CO, and Long Beach, CA, and both events were highly successful in no small part to Shawn's magic, ability to draw a crowd, and professionalism. If you are looking for a way to make your event stand out, Shawn is your magician!
Words cannot describe Shawn's work. My company hired Shawn for a trade show in Denver. He was so fantastic we re-hired him. What I like most about him; He takes the time to learn about your organization and incorporates the themes in his "tricks". His "tricks" and mind reading are fantastic. You and your guest will be blown away. If you are considering an entertainer for any event, this is your guy!
WHAT EXHIBIT MANAGERS ASK.
How does a magician actually generate booth traffic?
People stop for crowds. Shawn performs short, high-impact sets in your booth space that pull attendees out of the aisle, hold them for several minutes, and end with your team positioned to start a conversation. He repeats it every fifteen to twenty minutes for the full show day, so traffic builds rather than spikes once.
Can he deliver our product message?
Yes, and it’s the point. Shawn learns your product and positioning before the show and writes your key messages directly into the routines. You review and approve the language in advance — nothing goes out on the floor that you haven’t signed off on.
How much space does he need?
A 10×10 is plenty. He works standing, at eye level, with no stage, no sound system, no power, and no setup time. If you have a larger footprint or a demo area, he’ll build around it.
How long does he work each day?
A standard show day, with sets running throughout and short breaks between. Multi-day shows are normal — most clients book him for the full run rather than a single day, because day two and three are where competing booths run out of energy.
Will he wear our branding?
Yes. Shawn regularly performs in client shirts, badges, and booth attire so attendees read him as part of your team, not a hired outsider.
Does he help capture leads?
He hands warm, engaged attendees directly to your staff at the natural end of each set — that’s the handoff your team should be ready for. Scanning and capture stay with your people and your system, which is how it should be; the goal is that they’re talking to someone who already wants to talk.
What shows and cities does he work?
Denver and the Colorado Convention Center are home, plus Gaylord Rockies and Broomfield-area venues. He travels nationwide for clients — Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, and anywhere else your show floor happens to be.
Is he insured?
Yes — Shawn carries liability insurance and can provide a certificate of insurance for your venue on request.
How much does a trade show magician cost?
It depends on the number of show days, the city, and travel. Most exhibitors budget it against booth cost rather than entertainment cost, because the return is measured in conversations. Send your show and dates and you’ll get a straight number.