How to Generate Leads and Sales from Trade Shows

They are finally back! After several years of ghost town exhibit spaces, trade shows are finally back for the world to learn, network and provide that forum for a warmer environment to begin building relationships.

Attending trade exhibitions may be a great chance for B2B companies to increase brand recognition and generate leads. In fact, 92% of trade show attendees vist to learn about exciting products and services and 46% of trade show attendees are in executive or upper management roles!

Trade exhibitions give companies a place to display their goods, network with other business owners, and meet new clients. To make the most of the experience, it’s crucial to stand out among the many exhibitors vying for customers’ attention. In this post, we’ll look at some of the top methods for getting business from trade exhibits, including how to stand out from the crowd, how to use technology, and how to follow up with leads.

You can reach your trade show objectives by working with MarketReach, a B2B appointment setting, telemarketing, and lead generation business. To help you get the most out of your trade show experience, we offer professional lead generation, appointment arranging, and telemarketing services. Call on your prospects pre-show to invite them to your booth, and post-show as follow-up.

Plan Ahead and Establish Specific Goals

Plan ahead and establish specific goals before visiting or exhibiting at a trade fair. This will assist you in maximizing your outcomes. 28% of exhibitors start planning their trade show marketing 1 to 2 months before the show, By planning more than 2 months ahead, you’re already ahead of the leading 28% of exhibitors.

Not sure what your specific goal for your next trade show is? Try selecting one of the goals in the list below and make sure that is your core focus at the trade show:

• Building brand awareness
• Generating leads
• Closing sales or building a relationship towards a sale
• Networking with industry leaders and peers
• Gathering competitor intelligence

Make Use of Technology to Increase Engagement

Through the use of technology, trade shows may now provide more than just brochures and in-person contact. By utilizing technology, you can communicate with attendees and provide them a more memorable and interactive experience.  Conference organizers are now offering scanning technology through your phone to a badge even for attendee-only participation, which then captures the prospect’s information and allows export into excel. In the past, this was only offered to exhibitors.

To boost participation and engagement at your booth, think about using one or more of these technologies to grab your prospects’ attention:

• Interactive touchscreens and demos
• Virtual and augmented reality experiences
• Social media integration and contests
• Gamification to increase participation and engagement
• Make Your Booth Stand Out

Create a Booth that Stands Out

Your booth is your stage, so use it to your advantage. In fact, 54% of businesses attend a trade show simply because their competition is there – so you can count on your competitors being there and bringing their best.

Ensure that your booth is eye-catching. Be stocked and ready with digital and print marketing material, and come with a strategy to engage the prospects that visit you. Most importantly, what questions will you ask each prospect? Make sure their experience at your booth is as positive and impactful as possible by checking off every box on this list below:

• Use bright colors and bold graphics to attract attention
• Offer free samples, giveaways, and contests to encourage engagement
• Incorporate comfortable seating areas and refreshments
• Hire either professional trade show models or your own knowledgeable staff to engage with attendees

Compile and pursue leads

It’s essential to obtain leads and contact them after the trade event. This follow-up will assist you in converting the leads from trade shows into actual sales. The trade show floor – particularly for B2B – is not really the time to make a sale. Rather – be memorable, capture information, write notes after the prospect leaves  your booth, for post-show follow up. You can collect leads by asking guests to fill out a lead form, collect business cards and email addresses to create a contact list, and employ lead scanning technologies to capture leads fast and efficiently. Some shows will even offer an attendee/exhibitor list which is the ideal scenario. 

Studies have shown that it takes about 3.5 sales calls to close a lead from an exhibition. That is fewer than the average of 6 calls for an average lead.

Analyze Your Results and Improve Your Strategy

Following the trade fair, it’s critical to assess your performance and improve your strategy. This will enable you to evaluate your efforts and make adjustments for upcoming trade exhibitions.

Make sure to collect robust data from your trade show for these KPI’s at a minimum:

• Number of leads generated (rate the leads A, B, C)
• Sales closed
• Brand awareness and recognition
• Attendee engagement and participation

Conclusion

In conclusion, trade shows can be a great approach for B2B companies to increase lead generation and brand recognition. Plan ahead, establish specific goals, use technology to increase interaction, make your booth stand out, gather and follow up on leads, and assess your outcomes to get the most out of your trade show experience. Contact MarketReach for professional B2B appointment setting, telemarketing, and lead generation services. Calling on attendees, pre-show as well as following up post-show is our specialty. Ensure you get your money’s worth from the original financial layout of the show by proper follow-up on those leads!