How to Maximize the Impact of Attending a Trade Show: After the Show

By Karl Berger, Fractal Sales Solutions

This is the third of a three part series on how to get the most out of attending, not exhibiting, at a trade show. 

The three phases of an effective trade show strategy include efforts Before, During and Post show.  Previously, I provided some pointers on preparing for and attending your trade show (The links are here BEFORE and AT THE SHOW).  Today’s addendum is focused on the activities after the show.

Let’s consider you have left the show, have some good prospects, and many more where you have gathered information about their challenges and how you might approach them in the future.  Below are a few actions to perform after the show.  Note: there is a common theme.

Follow Up
Unless there is a specific urgency or task, I would wait 10-14 days to allow the exhibitors to return from the show, address business paused by the trade show effort and execute their follow up messages. I am not a fan of a hard sell here, just a warm contact and request an action to re-engage.

Follow Up Higher Up
There will be those contacts that you met, gathered some insight on company challenges or needs, but did not get a good contact or next step. Using your available sales tools, craft a message and deliver high up in the organization.  Remember that if you thought Exhibitors managed their time ruthlessly, wait until you meet the C-Level support staff! Make sure your message is well written, short, and actionable.

Follow Up your Follow Up
My informal research suggests that 90% of companies that reached out to me after a trade show, did so only once. There are a lot of opinions on how many times one should reach out, but I KNOW it is more than one!

Incorporate Contacts in Drip Marketing Campaign.
Let’s say, unsurprisingly, you did not meet your entire quota from a trade show. Do not belittle the value of the data and contacts you did manager to gather.  Incorporate them into some follow up strategy.  Sales is all about working hard to be at the right spot at the right time to “get lucky”.

I hope you found these pointers useful and productive; I would love to hear your trade show ‘war stories.’  Best of luck!

Karl Berger is President of Fractal Sales Solutions and helps business owners to achieve breakthrough growth.  If you cannot tell, he is a sales leader at heart, with a history as a CEO, so he is always looking at the bottom line.  To learn more about Karl please see his LinkedIn page at http://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-berger-0152062. To learn more about how Fractal Sales Solutions can help you, feel free to contact him at karlberger@fractalsalessolutions.com