It is that trade show time of year and with oil prices on a downturn, it is more important than ever to evaluate trade show ROI. We just finished a big week at NAPE Summit 2015 and wanted to share some tips with you to master your trade show follow up to ensure you get the best results after the show.
1. Follow Up Immediately
Focus your attention on the most import prospects, customers and leads. These are the people who seriously expressed interest in your products or services. During the show, collect business cards, contact information and details on what they are interested in. Once you are back in the office, compile a detailed database and begin your follow up campaign. Keep in mind as a rule of thumb that you get the best results after five follow up attempts.
2. Social Media
Utilize social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This is also a great place to post photos of your booth and highlights during the show. Social media can also be used to learn about the prospects you have met at the show. You can use sites like LinkedIn to look up people you met before you call them. This will help you reach those new prospects and interacting with them on social media will help you to build report. You can also use these tools to keep informed on their latest news to target their business needs.
3. Give a Personal Touch
In the digital age we are in, sending hand written thank you cards is not out of style. Sending a hand written thank you card to important leads obtained at the show adds a personal touch on a follow up. It is also a good idea to send thank you notes or emails to show organizers to foster a good relationship for the future.
4. Measure your results
It is important to track how much business you close and measure the leads that turn into business. This will help you to determine if the show was a good fit for you. Start with benchmarks in 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month increments. This will help you to evaluate your trades how investment.
