Trade Shows: Maximize Your Leads
A trade show can generate a lot of work for you. You have spoken to a lot of clients who have an interest and want to be contacted by you. When a prospect seems interested, follow up with an approach that is tailored to their interests or needs in order to improve your odds at closing a deal. Use these tips to help you maximize the leads you get at a trade show.
Step 1:
Contact them again about the most important things immediately. Of all leads you get at a trade show, separate the ones that seemed the most interested or had the most pressing of needs from the ones you are not as sure of. If possible, take as much information and material about what you're selling to the trade show so you can immediately help out interested clients and customers. If you find someone who has a great interest in your product but you don't have what they want, get their information anyway and follow up with them within the next business day or two. Quickly getting the information out to your prospects indicates your desire to maintain a good professional relationship. For things that you cannot send via email or fax, think about using overnight delivery.
Step 2:
Follow up quickly. Follow up all leads within a couple of days to ensure you turn those interested passers-by into customers before your competitors do. A phone call to that lead will be good because they will likely remember you and be very pleased with the information they received about your services. Just putting a business card into a person's hand doesn't mean he'll follow up with you. More often than not, this is not the case. You cannot just sit there and wait for prospects to find you. Be proactive and call them. Also, go after every lead you receive. There is always a chance that a little request can make you a lot of money. Follow up promptly to demonstrate to your customers how much you value their business.
Step 3:
Keep track of your contacts. You must be careful as you begin to contact the prospects you made from a trade show as you might not remember where each one stands. Don't lose sales by forgetting details. Keep a record of conversations you have had by writing them down. Keep a log of what you spoke about with each possible lead including where they stand and how long before you should follow up on their decision. Make the most of prospects by not allowing a single one to slip away.
Step 4:
Keep a professional outlook. If the lead turns out to be a great deal or no sale at all, be professional at all times - you still might get a referral deal. Remember you aren't just representing yourself at a trade show. Your conduct and demeanor also reflects the company you represent, so always be professional and make positive impressions. Thank everyone you speak to, regardless of whether they buy from you or not. When working on a deal, be sure to take your time and be understanding. If you pressure your lead, they will not be comfortable and probably won't be a customer to your company. You never know what could happen - they might attend a trade show again later in the year and you definitely want them to want to stop at your booth again.
About the Author:
Tiffany Provost writes about marketing and other business tips for HowToDoThings.com.