Tip #10 – Follow Up.

The show is over. Or is it? Make sure all of your hard work at AMTS isn't in vain by promptly contacting those connections you've made. Don't be part of the 80% of exhibitors that don't follow up on show leads.¹ The same methods you used for pre-show marketing can be used for post-show marketing, only now you have a larger, more accurate bank of qualified prospects that you've seen face to face, whom will be more likely to listen to your message.   

As skylinetradeshowtips.com suggests, "Think of your first day back from the show as the last day of the show. Have your fulfillment packages prepared ahead of time, so you can send your responses right away."² A sincere, simple "thank you" for visiting you at the show goes a long way, but only if it's received while you're still fresh in the prospect's mind.

The first step is to organize your leads into hot prospects, warm leads, and cool contacts, which was ideally sketched out in whatever way you determined to Capture Leads. Hot prospects are those who've asked for specific information or a follow-up appointment, and they should be contacted within two days of the show, before your competition can reach them. Warm leads could use your product or service down the line, but may not be in the market to buy right now, and should be contacted within five days. Cool contacts are attendees that visited your booth and gave you contact information but are not truly your target. While you may not feel it is worth the time to follow up with these contacts, just remember that you never know what position or job they may have in your industry in the future, and your goal is to cultivate all leads and keep them actively engaged in your company until they are ready to purchase. While you may not have a solution for them now, invite them to be on your newsletter E-blast list, for example, as a way to stay in touch.

With your initial follow up after the show complete, you are off to a better start than most of your competitors. But remember that 60% of all sales from show leads close more than seven months following the event and 40% more than a year following the event.³ Be careful not to presume your success at the show hinges on sales closed that month. And don't stop marketing to your newly found prospects a few weeks after the show. Include them in your overall marketing plans as the year continues, so that when the time is right, and they are ready to buy, they think of you.

 SOURCES:

1. 2009 Center for Exhibition Industry ResearchReport

2. http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/trade-show-marketing-in-9-steps/

3. 2009 Tradeshow Week Survey