Systems to help you follow up leads after a Trade Show

Systems to help you follow up leads after a Trade Show

You went to a trade show, met some great people and handed out a load of business cards and also received a lot in return, but what now?  How are you going to track, manage and turn those leads in potential business?

Unfortunately, less than 80% of contacts made at trade shows are followed up, and this is mainly due to the lack of processes within the business.

So, here are a few tips and tricks …

For a business to run efficiently, there needs to be a Standard Operating Process (SOP) in place for everything, especially for converting leads into customers/sales.  SOPs are not limited to the office, they’re for when you are at trade shows too.

 

Whilst you are at the trade show

Trade shows are busy, hard work and tiring, which makes remembering who you spoke too sometimes very difficult.  There will be those who are a ‘good fit’ for your company and those who are not, the hard part is remembering which one is which!

TIP 1:   Place an ‘N’ or ‘Y’ on the card after you have spoken to them (keep this to yourself though, not for public viewing!)

TIP 2:   Place the business cards into different pockets – e.g., your right pocket for the ‘good fit’ and exciting prospects. Your left pocket for the ‘not that useful’ ones. Just don’t forget which pocket is which!

 

Back at the office

When you get back to the office, it’s easy to prioritise upcoming events and ‘to dos’, but there is still work to be done on the trade show you’ve just attended.

Tip 1:  Allocate follow-ups to someone or complete yourself.

If you are a company that does not have admin support, either inhouse or virtually, it is vital you schedule time to complete the follow-ups as soon as possible.  The longer you leave it, the less likely they will remember you.

If you do have admin support, pass on the business cards as soon as you can.

TIP 2:   If you don’t have one already, invest in a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to store these details

No matter the size of your business, you need a CRM and it doesn’t always have to cost money. From a simple spreadsheet to a purpose-built platform, a CRM will help you manage your leads and convert to sales.

Take the business cards and enter the details onto your CRM, then with the ‘good fit’ ones you can label these to follow up. The bonus here is you’ve  already sorted which ones they are whilst at the trade show, saving loads of time.

TIP 3:  Have an email template ready to go. There are generally 2 templates you need

1. Good to meet you, would be great to chat further

2. Good to meet you, would be great to see you again at the next trade show

Depending on how you would like the relationship to develop, depends on which one you send.

TIP 4:  Have a bookable calendar link in your follow-up email

No one has time to go back and forth through emails, scheduling a time to meet.  With a bookable calendar (such as Calendly, Chilli Pepper, Acuity and so many more) your lead can choose a time that suits them best within your availability.

TIP 5:  Follow-up your emails

Set reminders in your CRM or calendars to chase your leads, remember they are just as busy as you are after a trade show.

Also remember, too many follow ups can be a turn off, set a number that works best for your industry.

 

In summary …

To ensure attending trade shows does not only become a cost to the company, but generates income too, have SOPs in place.  Dedicate time to follow up on leads, or if you don’t have the time, employ / freelance someone to do it for you, otherwise what did you go for?

The investment in planning your sales funnels will be worth every second … good luck and hope to see you at the next trade show.

 

Get in touch to book a conversation and make sure you follow us on LinkedIn.

    Want to know what Trade Shows are coming up that could help your business? Looking for valuable information, tips and more on how to expand your company globally? For this and much more informative articles, signup to our newsletter.

    No Comments

    Post A Comment