If you’re like me you enjoy the challenge of a good trade show. The excitement of the booths, selecting the right theme and give away, and if all goes well, you come home with prospects galore. But just when you think you’ve gotten the most out of your trade show experience the desperation sets in. What will you do with that goldfish bowl full of names?
With careful planning and a little preparation, trade show lead management can be both pain free and productive. It starts by evaluating the reason you choose to exhibit at a particular event. Usually it’s the thought of a large number of pre-qualified prospects gathered together in a confined space. The question is how do you define pre-qualified?
Most trade show staff will do just about anything to secure the business card or entry form from a prospect. The value of that card or entry form multiplies tenfold if you are able gather a few simple pieces of specific information about that client and record them. It could be when their equipment lease is up, when their busy season is, or whatever tidbit of information will help you close the sale. Once the golden egg has been defined, it is essential to educate all members of your booth sales team so that they are consistently gathering these data elements.
Your key to successful sales after any lead gathering event is prompt follow-up. By using direct mail you can follow up with thousands of leads just days after an event. Use the weeks after a show to remind prospects of what they saw at your booth and call them to action to buy now! Try offering a ‘trade show attendees only’ special as a way of closing the deal.
John Rafner is Managing Director of Nice Lines Direct Mail a full-service direct mail, lettershop, fulfillment and promotional products organization located in Norristown, PA. You can contact him by phone at
(610) 279-1100, via e-mail at johnr@nicelines.com or visit the Nice Lines website at www.nicelines.com