Even when the show is over, you should continue to communicate with folks you met during the experience. To the contrary, this is the most critical stage in the conversion process from prospect to customer. There are a few measures you must do in order to ensure that your follow-up communication is successful.
1. Create a marketing campaign with multiple touch points.
Examine your leads to better understand their target demographics, and then create personalised, multitouch material to nurture them through the sales process. For example, after meeting someone at a tradeshow, you may send them an email with a link to a free booklet they can download. Send them a coupon in the mail when a certain amount of time has passed. After that, make a hard-sell phone call to seal the deal.
2. Keep up with them on social media.
You can connect with prospects on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and others simply by providing their names. The development of your online network is equally as vital as the development of your physical network. Utilizing social media, you can send out messages to your entire network or contact specific folks that you didn’t have enough time to speak with during the presentation.
3. Follow-up as soon as possible
When it comes to flipping prospects, time is of the essence. If you don’t follow up with your leads, your competitors will do so before you do. Distribute brief thank-you notes or emails to attendees soon following the event, expressing gratitude for their participation and offering to address any additional questions they may have. A quick contact is what will transform an icy cold relationship into a blazing hot one.
4, Carry out an internal review of your team’s overall performance.
How did you fare in the end, now that all is over? Take a step back and look at the situation a month, six months, and a year after the event. What was the final number of prospects you were able to capture and convert? Have you considered if the expenses connected with participation in the trade show were worthwhile in light of the revenue you received? How does that stack up against other marketing/advertising strategies you are currently implementing – and how well does it perform?
Trade show marketing has enormous potential, and brands of all sizes are beginning to take notice of this. Improving business ties, raising visibility, increasing conversion rates, and making more compelling statements are just a few of the benefits that organisations reap from participating in trade exhibitions.
Create goals, targets, and timetables in advance of creating trade show marketing materials so that you may design, practise, and fine-tune your entire presentation before it goes on display. The concept of your exhibit should be appropriate for the event, and your booth should be properly constructed, visually appealing, useful, and distinctive. Give visitors a cause to come to your booth and have a good time, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the company that is behind the logo.
Having the right tools should make it much easier to get started with your first event marketing campaign now that you’ve gathered them all together. Follow the techniques outlined above to make a long-lasting impression on those who matter.