Let’s assume your team is back at office from a tiring trade show. What’s the next step? A lot of people fail to realize that the days immediately following a trade show are the most important for carrying on momentum and generating ROI.
It’s important to capitalize on leads gained at a trade show. This can be done through timely and smart follow-throughs. The following steps will make the post-tradeshow experience more rewarding for your company:
1. Immediately add leads to a database
Gather all leads gained at the trade show and organize them in a database. Store these contacts under a unique label such as “Trade Show Visitors”. Add notes for leads that are more promising than others, remembering important snippets during the conversations.
2. Send emails to leads within a week after the trade show
Craft a personalized and engaging email to remind the prospect about your services. Your email should include a call to action that politely encourages recipients to visit your company’s website, watch a demo, or download a free PDF.
3. Call promising leads
Emails are great but some prospects deserve more attention that others because they showed a keener interest in your services. These leads deserve a phone call where you can have a meaningful and customized conversation. Strengthen the bond with promising leads and convince them that your brand offers more value proposition that competitors.
4. Ask for referrals
Don’t hesitate to request for referrals at the end of your email or call. The request should be in a non-aggressive and pleasant manner. For example, you could ask a question like this – “Can you recommend someone who could benefit from my services?” This question is polite and non-intrusive, encouraging the prospect to share more leads for your business.
5. Request for feedback
Share a feedback form with people you met at the trade show. The form can be shared via email or direct mail. You could also ask for feedback through a phone conversation. Make sure that the feedback has questions that are relevant to your industry. You could also ask about their experience at your booth. And gain insights on any limitations your product or service may have.
6. Leverage the power of LinkedIn.
Connecting with trade show leads on LinkedIn will help to take the business to a whole new level. Endorse their skills and comment on their posts to showcase your business as a genuine and caring one.
7. Write blog articles aimed at addressing questions posed by prospects
You probably received a lot of questions regarding your product/service during the trade show. Or maybe you got some negative feedback that needs to be addressed urgently. Create articles that will help you focus on resolving any query the prospect may have on his/her mind.
8. Measure the success achieved at a trade show
It’s important to take the time to understand how well your business fared at the trade show. Did you achieve the goals set by your business before the trade show? How many leads did you generate from the trade show? How many calls and emails did you send out after the trade show? Ask yourself these questions so that you are better prepared to handle the next trade show.
We hope this article helps to plan your next post-trade show experience in a better manner. Don’t hesitate to shop for quality promotional tradeshow products and distribute them among booth visitors at the next trade show.