maximizing your trade show roi trade show lead follow up

MH Wood Consulting, LLC all rights reserved 2010

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Maximizing Your ROI at Trade Shows

Trade Show Lead Follow-UP

With

Melanie WoodOf

M.H. Wood ConsultingMarch 10, 2010


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This presentation was originally delivered in a live 3-part webinar series at www.PlannersConnect.com , Successful Meetings magazine’s community for meeting planners, exhibitors, business travel and other industry professionals.

We recommend you follow the link below to... View all three recorded webinars Download the handouts, workbooks, tip sheets and articles Join the discussion group for this event , post your own questions

Click here: http://bit.ly/ROI-Webinar-Group Registration and the webinars are free and privacy-protected


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Agenda

Brief Review

Nine steps to Developing your Post-Show Plan to Maximize Your ROI at Trade Shows


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Capturing Capturing Quality Sales Leads Quality Sales Leads is is vitally important to leveraging vitally important to leveraging your Trade Show ROIyour Trade Show ROI

Let’s briefly review your homework Let’s briefly review your homework and what might constitute a good and what might constitute a good lead for youlead for you… …



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The trade show is over. You’re exhausted The trade show is over. You’re exhausted from all of the excitement and work.from all of the excitement and work.

So---what are some of the things you tell So---what are some of the things you tell yourself about why you don’t have to follow yourself about why you don’t have to follow up immediately on those sales leads you up immediately on those sales leads you collected?? Chat to me….collected?? Chat to me….



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What we sometimes tell ourselves about not following What we sometimes tell ourselves about not following up immediately…up immediately…

Those contacts are just as tired as I am. They don’t Those contacts are just as tired as I am. They don’t want to be bothered now.want to be bothered now.

I should give them time to “catch up” at work.I should give them time to “catch up” at work. They might not be back in the office for a few days They might not be back in the office for a few days

so they can rest up.so they can rest up. And so on……And so on……



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What’s the reality about trade show lead follow-up? What’s the reality about trade show lead follow-up?

The attendees you talked with typically return The attendees you talked with typically return home more energized about their businesses and home more energized about their businesses and are more ready to take are more ready to take actionaction then. then.

Don’t let this opportunity go to waste!Don’t let this opportunity go to waste!



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Let’s be honest…how anxious do you think your sales Let’s be honest…how anxious do you think your sales team is to follow-up on the Trade Show Leads you team is to follow-up on the Trade Show Leads you bring back with you? bring back with you?

- - Chat with me….Chat with me….



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If your sales team isn’t anxious to follow-up on these If your sales team isn’t anxious to follow-up on these leads, why do you think that is??? leads, why do you think that is???

- - Chat with me….Chat with me….



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Key points to remember:Key points to remember:

80% of Exhibitors make no attempt to 80% of Exhibitors make no attempt to follow up on leads from Trade Shows!*follow up on leads from Trade Shows!*

43% of prospective buyers report receiving 43% of prospective buyers report receiving materials they had requested at a trade materials they had requested at a trade show show after after they had already made their they had already made their purchasing decision**purchasing decision**

**CEIR Center for Exhibition and Industry ResearchCEIR Center for Exhibition and Industry Research** ** University of Massachusetts Center for Marketing Communications StudyUniversity of Massachusetts Center for Marketing Communications Study



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Let’s hear from you..Let’s hear from you..

How many of you have a process in place for Trade How many of you have a process in place for Trade Show Lead Follow-Up? Chat to me…Show Lead Follow-Up? Chat to me…

If you have a process, tell me what it is….If you have a process, tell me what it is….


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The show may be over, but you’re work in maximizing your ROI for that show has just begun!

It starts with a plan….


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Step #1 Trade Show Lead Follow-Up

Assign one person the responsibility of physically collecting all of the leads taken at the end of each day at the show and bringing them back to the office at the end of the show.

If everyone is responsible---no one is responsible.


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Assign one person the responsibility of reviewing the leads, prioritizing them into one of three categories, distributing them and entering them into your Customer Database. Hot Leads Warm Leads Nurture Leads


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How to Prioritize LeadsHot Leads Call Now & Email Now within 3 days of the show

They have a budget for your product/service and an appropriate buying time frame

The contact has decision making authority You know you can deliver what they want You’ve agreed with the prospect on your “first step” with

them


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Step #3 (cont’d) Trade Show Lead Follow-Up

How to Prioritize LeadsWarm Leads Call & Email within 7 days

They might not be buying in the next 6 months but you’ve talked with the decision maker

You know you can deliver what they want You want to be sure you’re “top of mind” with them when

they’re ready to buy


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Step #3 (cont’d) Trade Show Lead Follow-Up

How to Prioritize LeadsNurture Leads Mail & Email within 14 days

They might not be buying in the next 12 months but you’ve talked with the decision maker

They may be unsure of exactly how they can best utilize you at the moment, but you see “opportunity” there

You want to be sure you’re “top of mind” with them when they’re ready to buy


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Step #4 Close the Loop ----determine: Who is responsible for lead management

reporting? When and to whom does the sales team report

their follow-up results?


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Step #5

Tailor your communication to your Prospect Mention specific information the prospect shared

while visiting your booth---Customize the content based on the needs they discussed with you. Don’t bombard your “Hot Leads” with loads of generic

marketing information about your company/product/service.


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Step #5 (cont’d)

Follow-Through on the Next Steps you discussed at your booth

Do what you promised!

Make appointments Email/send “fact sheets,” articles, studies that specifically

address each customer’s needs


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Step #6 Vary your communication to the prospect

Chat with me about some of the communication methods you could use for your follow-up


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Step #6 (cont’d) Phone calls Emails Snail Mail thank-you’s A “post” on your website/newsletters


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Step #7 Determine the number of times you’ll “touch” the

prospect, what methods you’ll and the intervals between the communication

Call, email, call Call, mail, email etc


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Step #8Let’s not forget the people you wanted to see but

didn’t and ….let them know you missed them and what you have to offer them.

- Do you have demo videos you can share with them that were done at or for the show?

- Can you extend special show pricing to them?


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Step #9

Differentiate yourself---Follow-Up!!

- It’s the chief way to gain ROI from your investment

- It sends a message of service and commitment on your part


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Sources you may find helpful www.exhibitoronline.com www.ceir.org


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M.H. Wood Consulting LLC

www.mhwoodconsulting.com

330-603-9836

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