When it comes to managing trade show leads, there are some proven tips and tricks that get results in real time.
Let’s be honest, the whole point of an event is to connect with and capitalize on the right leads.
Unfortunately, capturing them isn’t enough. You need to have a plan and platform that supports effective follow-up and engagement.
While innovative lead retrieval might seem like a priority exclusive to exhibitors, the fact is that nurturing trade show leads can benefit all event stakeholders.
Connecting with the right lead is the main objective for most event exhibitors. However, setting the stage (quite literally) to make those connections happen is the goal of any smart event manager.
Why?
A tale of strong leads
Ultimately, the ability to establish strong leads is what signals a successful event.
Exhibitors are happy because they feel that they’re realizing a significant ROI. Event managers are applauded for their efforts. Event attendees feel well served because they’ve been matched with the services, solutions or products they need.
As the events industry has evolved, increasingly becoming contactless, hybrid, and digitized, managing trade show leads might feel like a foray into foreign territory.
In actuality, the industry’s recent and ongoing evolution has made life easier for event planners. This returns more tangible, meaningful results for event stakeholders.
The trick is mastering how to manage trade show leads by nurturing them throughout each stage of your event.
If you or your company has exhibitor ambitions for the new year, you’ll want to review the following proven pointers for managing trade show leads.
Innovative exhibitor lead retrieval 101
Remember back in the day, whether you were attending or exhibiting, the most meaningful point of contact and connection between event stakeholders was a business card?
Of course, there was nothing wrong with that old system. However, we can probably all admit that it was clunky and prone to mishaps.
For example, did you ever flip through a stack of collected business cards only to blank on which ones matched which conversations you had during the event? Not exactly a foolproof or particularly effective lead retrieval solution.
Today, and especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, lead retrieval has shape-shifted into a far more strategic solution.
In fact, more than a solution, it’s a system that is easily accessible and replicated across events, no matter their scope or size.
Modern exhibitors can go ahead and relegate those business cards to the archives. Lead retrieval has gone digital, and is easily nurtured by a few targeted and time-saving tips.
While there are plenty of event and expo management platforms that exist to empower event exhibitors, none of them compare to the single tool that offers end-to-end solutions.
These solutions make managing trade shows leads easy. Below are nine effective tips and tricks to expedite your efforts on the exhibition floor.
How can exhibitors manage their trade show leads?
Harkening back in the day again, we can acknowledge that business cards proved quite limited in the types of connections and communication they could actually support. So, too, with sign-in sheets and a show of hands.
Now, event management solutions allow exhibitors real-time insights and information that are both accurate and actionable.
For instance, did you know that exhibitors can now easily manage trade show leads by leveraging the following nine tips?
Nine tips to nurture trade show leads
- Access data in real-time with the right end-to-end platform.
- Send surveys to your ideal leads in order to drill down even further about their problems and pain points.
- Add notes quickly and easily to assist you with meaningful follow-up conversations (read: no more blanking on the business card matching game).
- Rate your leads in order to prioritize follow up against metrics like easiest to close, most lucrative sale, potential for long-term investment, etc.
- Messaging via calls, texts, or emails, which you can send according to lead preference. (Pro-tip: make this a survey question… How would you prefer to receive follow-up communication? What’s the best way to reach you? You get the idea!)
- Save accurate and complete contact information for easy retrieval at the push of a button. Literally. Okay, maybe a swipe; whatever the action, it’s easier than digging through the crumpled pile of business cards or combing through session attendance checklists.
- Leverage your lead data on demand, thanks to the online portal that stores every detail.
- Set appointments without a lot of back and forth communication. The right platform will allow you to access calendars and seamlessly schedule meetings.
- Never miss a beat when it comes to lead retrieval data. Platforms like Expo Logic offer exhibitors the ability to access real-time information, where other companies will forward it in a matter of weeks. In today’s competitive marketplace, time is always of the essence. Accessing real-time information gives you the edge over your competitors by empowering you with actionable insights.
Obviously, in order to try these tips and tricks you need the right event management tool.
Allow us to introduce you to the finer points and potential of Expo Logic’s expo management solutions.
Exploring Expo Logic’s masterful lead management
Simply put, Expo Logic makes managing trade show leads seamless and successful for exhibitors.
End-to-end solutions supported by a robust platform allow exhibitors to:
- Make the right first impression with online event registration. This saves your attendees time, while giving you greater insight into how those attendees experience and interact with your event. Fun fact: a smooth and simple registration process can increase an event’s revenue while decreasing registration abandonment. As an exhibitor, this alone should make you appreciate the power of event technology.
- Continue making a great first impression 2.0, consider the effect of event check-in software. If you choose to exhibit at an event that supports seamless registration and online badge printing, your potential leads already love you. Contactless check-in has left its mark and, arguably, isn’t going anywhere. Events that empower attendees to check and print their own event materials, like badges, without ever having to interact with another human being, not only exceed attendee expectations, they are the expectations.
- Track attendee interactions and engagement to evaluate insights into how your exhibit is received and how any corresponding content is consumed.
- Realize greater ROI by exhibiting your product or services at an event supported by expo management solutions that streamline processes and exceed attendee expectations.
While each of these features and solutions seem to support an exhibitor’s efforts before and during an event, remember that the data storage and communication tools allow for targeted and fast follow-up after the event has ended.
What was once arguably the most tedious and time-consuming task facing event exhibitors is now quick, easy, accurate, and effective. When you consider research compiled by Marketing Donut, a UK-based marketing agency, 80% of sales need a minimum of five follow-ups to close a deal and 92% of representatives abandon their efforts before that fifth touch, well… the value of the right event management software for managing trade show leads cannot be overestimated.
