B2B trade show success is all about the follow-up. The most effective approach is to have a systematic plan. But research conducted by EXHIBITOR Magazine says that fewer than 70 percent of organizations have any formalized process.
So, the question is how do you create a winning trade show follow-up system?
Setting up your trade show follow-up tactics
Don’t expect each sales person to invent their own follow-up plan. That makes for a lot of duplicate work and inconsistent content.
Instead, collaborate with your team before the show to document a follow-up process. If you have a CRM or task management system, schedule follow-up reminders and track when they are completed. Alternatively, use a tickler file: It may be low tech, but it works.
Here are the most important things to grasp:
- Develop the trade show follow-up plan before you go to the show.
- Collaborate with your sales force so they are invested in the process.
- Create autoresponder series, email templates, case studies and any other materials you need for your follow-up program early. Make sure everything is set up and ready to start as soon as you return to your office after the show.
- Track what works and what doesn’t for your business and market. Before your next trade show event, adjust your process to reflect lessons learned.
After the event: Sorting your trade show leads
The first thing I suggest you do is score your leads, sort them into piles and type them into a spreadsheet.
HOT TRADE SHOW LEADS
These are leads that are ready to buy and expressed interest in your solution. Any lead that you score as hot should be assigned to a salesperson to follow-up.
WARM TRADE SHOW LEADS
These leads are worth your time but as they are not ready to buy right now. Add them to an automated lead nurturing campaign to help keep your company on their radar.
COOL TRADE SHOW LEADS
These prospects won’t be making a deal any time soon. I recommend adding them to your email newsletter marketing list for long-term nurturing.
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TRADE SHOW LEAD QUALIFICATION CHART
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| HOT | WARM | COOL |
| Is a member of your target market – business size, revenue, industry and so on. | ||
| Very interested | Somewhat interested | Might be interested |
| Immediate need | Said they would need in the future | Don’t need or don’t realize they need |
| Budget allocated | It is likely funds could be made available | The organization is right-sized to be able to afford your product or service |
| If the warm lead is already an open prospect in your CRM, bump them up to hot status. | ||
Promoting and demoting your trade show leads
For each phase of your follow-up, determine the triggers for retiring or promoting the prospect to the next activity level or into your other nurturing workflows.
For example, a hot lead who does not respond within three months or a certain number of touches might get moved into your warm leads system. But if a warm lead calls, he might get transferred to the hot leads campaign.
The trade show follow-up plan
Exactly how you follow up depends on the size of your sales force and the tools you have available. The sample plan below is suitable for manufacturers, consultants and other B2B organizations.
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SAMPLE TRADE SHOW FOLLOW-UP PLAN
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| HOT LEADS | WARM LEADS | COOL LEADS | |
| ASAP – aim for 3 days after the show | Make contact in person via a call or handwritten note | “Thank you for visiting our booth” automated email | |
| Add contact to your lead nurturing-email newsletter list.
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| 1 week | Call from territory manager
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An automated email with a call to action button they must click to confirm they are entered into your grand prize draw
Clicking takes them to a landing page where they can download a high-value content piece or show collateral while they wait for the drawing
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| 1 week + 3 days | Resend email in 3 days to anyone who did not click the call to action
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| Week 2 | Send an automated email announcing any prize draw winners
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| Week 3 | Send an email that asks a relevant question to stimulate a response and position you as a partner and advisor, not just a salesperson | Dispatch an automated email with some valuable information or insights from the show | Add contact to your standard lead-nurturing campaign such as your email newsletter |
| Week 4 | Send a personal email with some valuable information or insights from the show | Add contact to a 3 to 7 piece autoresponder (automated email sequence) that has strong calls-to-action | |
| Week 5 | Send a personal email and include a case study that is relevant to the lead | ||
| Week 6 | Send some informative market information you think your contact will find valuable
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| Week 6+ | Develop a contact plan to continue to reach out to the lead for the months ahead | ||
| Month 8-10 | Personal email that reminds the prospect you met them at last year’s event and that you are planning/not planning to exhibit again.
A personal invitation to visit your booth |
Automated email about attending the current year’s event and an invite to your booth. | |
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Board Member since 2012
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Board Member since 2014
American Copy Editors Society (ACES)
