Obtaining Substantial Leads
The most common method of gathering trade show leads is the "fish bowl approach." However, there's something lacking from those business cards, giving sales people little desire to follow-up with leads that have insufficient information. Perhaps, because of this, approximately 80 percent of leads gathered are not followed-up.
Here are tips to use to give your leads substance:
Here are tips to use to give your leads substance:
1. Send a pre-show mailer to trade show attendees encouraging them to visit your exhibit. For example, you may want to send a card that is redeemable for some sort of tangible item at your trade show exhibit.
2. Make a prior list of promising customers/trade show attendees and strive to address them by name - makes a great first impression.
3. Greet every visitor with a handshake and use his or her name, if wearing a badge.
4. Fax or overnight your leads back to your fulfillment department each day of the trade show. This enables your sales force to connect immediately with prospects.
5. Your exhibit staff should take pertinent notes that will help make the sale. For example, is the prospect on a timeline? Do they have a specific need? Are they already familiar with your product? By doing so, you will identify how your company can offer the most help.
6. Most importantly, always ask open-ended questions. This technique encourages conversation. For example, "Tell me what you're looking for in the show."
Remember, trade shows are very effective tools to create qualified leads. They could also be an effective media to create sales - but only if the leads are followed-up in a timely manner.