What To Do After Your Trade Show

October 15, 2022

What to do after a trade show? With the right strategy, you can easily convert your leads into sales to grow your business.

Last weekend you went to a trade show. It went well! You set up a good booth. You had your best people on the job. Friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging. You set up an attraction! Perhaps a Spin Wheel that drew people in for a fun time and a small prize.

For your efforts, you’ve accumulated a stack of potential leads. Names, contact information. Details you think you might be able to use to expand your customer base and improve your bottom line. But how?

In this article, we discuss exactly that. Read on to learn more about what to do after your trade show.

Call a Meeting

First things first, get your marketing and sales divisions on the same page. At this stage, it’s a good idea to go through the list of potential leads. Sort them into groups based on the likelihood of converting them into sales, and consider what sort of outreach strategy will be appropriate for each individual.

Personalization is key here. You’ve had face-to-face interactions with these people and your outreach efforts should reflect this. But don’t sacrifice your human touch at the altar of personalization…

“Why hello there, trade show Joe. How are things in the Raleigh-Durham metro area for Public Relations Account Executives like yourself?”

Sounding like a robot is a good way to ensure you never get a response.

You should, however, proceed with a degree of familiarity—particularly with the lead’s needs. Reference the pain points they described to you at the trade show, and express why you think you have a solution for those problems.

When applicable and appropriate, it’s a great idea to have someone who made contact with the lead in-person at the show follow up with them. However, any personalization you can offer at all will be a huge boon.

Initiate a Targeted Drip Campaign

Now that you’ve developed a strategy, it’s time to put it into action. Enroll your leads in a targeted drip campaign that is tailored to describe solutions to their specific pain points. Consider having multiple campaigns for the different groups of leads you created so that they can be as relevant as possible. Keep outreach consistent and regular, but not excessive.

Most email marketing experts recommend a rate of about one email a day. However, you will ultimately need to implement the strategy that feels most befitting the situation.

Public Acknowledgement

Also, consider publicly acknowledging the people you met on social media. There is a caveat to this suggestion: not everyone will necessarily want the public attention. However, if you determine that the leads you would like to highlight are receptive to this form of acknowledgment it can be a great way to make them feel appreciated while also establishing a new point of contact. If you have a photo from your interaction with them at the trade show, that can act as a fun excuse to tag them and engage with them online.

Debrief. Again.

Once you’ve begun your outreach campaign, it’s a good idea to call another meeting so you and your teams can debrief and determine which contact strategies are bearing fruit, and which might need some tweaking. Communication between departments is crucial to make sure you are optimizing your campaign.

You may find that some sales conversions are almost instant, while others will take some time and finesse. By regularly reviewing the situation with your team, you ensure that you are implementing the right strategy for your needs.