That’s a wrap. Now that your trade show is over, and you’ve packed up the booth, what’s next? Here are the top 4 marketing and business development tactics to ensure your trade show follow-up provides you with a solid ROI on your trade show season.
1. Evaluate your show and visitors
Having meaningful recap sessions after a trade show sets expectations for what comes next. First, rate the quality of your leads. Then, find all your visitors on LinkedIn and connect with high-value opportunities.
2. Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up
Your work begins when the show closes. Make sure you are top of mind for the prospects who visited you – this is not an easy task. Provide your business development team with an easy-to-execute follow-up plan. This should include e-mail sequences, conversation starters, valuable thought leadership documentation and a solid drip campaign.
3. Become easy to find, and listen to what the market is telling you
What did you see at the show from your competition that you liked or didn’t like? What drove traffic to busy booths? Did you use tactics that forced prospects to seek you out? Does your website provide a specific landing page for each show so you can tag opportunities well after the show is over?
4. Pre-plan your next show
Utilize traffic-driving tactics before the next show opens. Promote the opportunity for exclusive content when visitors come to your booth. Collect contact information by providing gated content that they can unlock at the show. Be social, but not salesy. A show is a time to build relationships, not ask for orders. If you are selling, sell the next conversation – and get it on the calendar!
Trade show marketing is one-part booth work and six-parts relationship building. We want you to have a well-thought-out program designed to allow incremental improvements every time you attend a recognized industry event. You should be conversational and on brand, and your messaging should be clear and concise. For more ideas, or to engage the experts at TKG, ask for some of our time. We are happy to give it with a clear and direct conversation. Remember, we are all about partnerships, not projects.
