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Can A Trade Show Boost Your Small Business?
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Article 7: After The Show
For most exhibitors, the key to trade show success is effectively following up on leads generated from the show. And the best way to do this is to create an organized system for lead follow up as quickly as possible after the show.
This system should specify how leads are handled and qualified (for example, A, B and C leads), dictate specifically what kind of follow-up each kind of lead should receive, and set timelines and processes for following up. Ideally it will be managed in a computerized database that will follow leads through to closed sales, thus helping you measure the results of your efforts.
“Traditional wisdom holds that a trade show lead goes cold in about 72 hours. So, prompt follow-up is absolutely essential,” says Stephen Schuldenfrei, president of the Trade Show Exhibitors Association, the national trade association for event marketing professionals.
The best way to ensure prompt follow-up is to set the stage for it before leaving for the show. If possible, communicate leads to someone back in your office who can send out fulfillment materials before the show is even over, so they’re waiting for prospects when they return.
Keep in mind that different companies will define trade show success differently. To measure the success of your trade show efforts, you’ve got to have some goals. For instance, your goal may be to sell more of your current products to existing customers, sell more to new customers, or introduce new products and services to existing and/or new customers.
“You’ve really got to know what your sales economics are going in,” says Schuldenfrei. “For example, maybe you need 20 ‘A’ leads, 40 ‘B’ leads, or some combination of the two in order to close 10 sales, which will net you $50,000. Knowing this, you can set goals for leads, and then follow these through to sales to determine your return on investment from the show.”
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Can A Trade Show Boost Your Small Business?
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