On the heels of a tradeshow, many small businesses are left sifting through an endless amount of business cards, collateral materials and premium products collected across the show floor. While it may be tempting to file one’s loot in a ‘to be dealt with later pile’, to temporarily leave it packed away with one’s tradeshow display or simply gloss over it in favor of a power nap, lost time = lost opportunity. It’s time to tackle that tradeshow follow-up.
First…
Sort your leads. If you made notes on business cards or collected data intake sheets, start by sorting through the pile and culling out the folks who asked for additional information, a follow-up phone call or to schedule a meeting. Craft personalized emails and leave tailored voicemails for those folks before the close of business today. Afterall, Monday will be three full days after the tradeshow and a time when many exhibitors and attendees will get to tackle their own follow-up lists. Remember, the early bird gets the worm!
Second…
Debrief with your tradeshow team. Whether it was your first time exhibiting or your thriteenth consecutive trip to the show, there are lessons to be learned from the experience. What went well? What feedback did you receive on your booth / premium products / educational seminar? What did you admire about other exhibitors / presenters? Synthesize this information into a short memo for team-wide distribution and identify any immediate action steps as well as important reminders and action steps for future trade shows.
Third…
Strengthen new connections. If you had a great conversation with a fellow-exhibitor, met a job seeker who could potentially make a great addition to your team, or finally connected with a member of the business community who you have been eager to meet, consider sending them a personalized LinkedIn invitation or sending a ‘nice to meet you’ tweet. Be mindful of the volume of folks who exhibited at and attended the tradeshow and deliver a message that is targeted and timely. For example, if you met a printer with unique capabilities and discussed a potential project, make note of it in your message. In a sea of thousands, it can be challenging to remember the face and name of every single person who you connected with during the show.
Effective tradeshow marketing requires a strategic blend of pre-show, during-show and post-show marketing. A great booth and great conversations with attendees are strong first steps to generating tradeshow ROI but follow-up is key to optimizing the return on your tradeshow experience.
