If Trade shows are an important marketing tool for your company or organization, you will want to make the most of your time and investment. Whether you are attending your first or tenth show, reviewing keys to success is always a good idea.
Trade shows put you in front of potential customers and provide the opportunity to earn their trust and learn about their needs, as they relate to your products or services. This article will take a look at your interactions with attendees and offer some key points to enhancing business relationships at your next trade show.
Convey your goals
Your sales team and any additional staff you hire for a trade show must understand the companies over-all goals for the event. Are you looking to develop partnerships with new clients, increase brand exposure, or make a number of small sales? These are decisions that need to be made ahead of time and relayed to everyone you have on the trade show floor. If your goal is to develop lasting relationships with buyers in your industry, your staff shouldn’t focus on meeting as many people as they can, but rather connecting deeper with potential clients.
Attend all trade show networking events.
Check the event website thoroughly for any pre-show and cocktail hour networking opportunities. Developing a relationship is much easier in a relaxed environment; the two of you can talk shop down the road. If you’re interested in building connections these are opportunities you don’t want to miss out on.
Check the guest list
Sometimes a trade show will publish a list of attendees prior to the event. Check this list and take note of the companies you’d like to connect with. Reach out before the show to set up a meeting during the event.
Qualify leads
Create a list of questions you will use for lead qualification. While it’s great to foster relationships with anyone in your industry, some will be much more beneficial to your organization than others. Provide this list of questions to your trade show staff before the event. Hiring trade show models to qualify leads will make the most of your sales team’s limited time, and keep them engaged with serious prospects rather than casual booth visitors.
Follow up
I read a statistic somewhere that marketers don’t follow up with 80% of the leads from a trade show. This figure seems rather large to me, but it’s true that nothing happens with many of the leads gathered at trade shows.
Don’t fall into this bad habit. Following up is the most important part of any trade show! Reach out to everyone you met after a show and thank them for their time. After making initial contact, sit down with your team and develop a marketing strategy for the more serious prospects.
