Post Trade Show Playbook
While trade shows and events are excellent venues for generating interest, a rock-solid follow-up strategy is required because once the prospect leaves the showroom floor, they can quickly lose interest if they’re not properly engaged afterward.
Statistics show that most interested prospects lack the follow-up required to obtain a subsequent meeting and continue the conversation.
As a result, companies participating in these events need an effective playbook for successful trade show follow-up to realize a good return on investment.
The Problem
Finding leads has become more difficult, and keeping a prospect engaged throughout the entire sales process is likely a close second.
Many circumstances can take away a prospect’s attention, which is why a rock-solid process for maximizing every hard-earned lead sourced at an event is vital for a return on investment.
From our experience, this outdated follow-up approach is a significant cause of revenue forfeiture from trade shows.
Marketing
Prospects who receive an email saying, “Thank You for attending,” from the general marketing email with an offer to answer any questions about their products.
- The problem is the email will be among hundreds of other companies in these prospects’ inboxes after the event.
- While marketing should engage with the prospect, it shouldn’t be considered adequate follow-up from the marketing@ address since it comes across as generic and impersonal.
- It also conveys to the prospect that a follow-up from the company isn’t a priority because it’s not from an individual.
- Stopped by the booth.
- They would like to gain a better understanding of their needs.
- Answer any questions about their product.
- Because, like with an internal sales team, the partner will have the same challenge with persistence (2-3 calls).
- Leads will be expecting the company to call them, not a partner.
- It can put a partner in an awkward situation if asked about competitor solutions.
- We’ve found that internal sales teams are entrenched in existing business and have little bandwidth to qualify leads from trade shows in exchange for established business opportunities.
- Often inside sales teams focus on account management or channel partner enablement and lack the training and resources needed to be successful.
- Most aren’t certified on software platforms required to be effective.