This article is the third in a three-part series helping manufacturers maximize their return on investment in trade shows.
In this part, we discuss following up with the leads you’ve generated.
Part I: How to Increase Manufacturing Trade Show Booth Traffic
Part II: How to Work a Manufacturing Trade Show Booth
This should sound familiar: the fortune is in the follow-through. It sounds cliche, but according to SalesForce, it’s true. It may take 6-8 touches to generate a viable sales lead. So, if you’re scanning badges or collecting business cards at an industry trade show, you should also plan on doing a lot of follow-up afterward.
We all know exhibiting at a trade show or even walking one can be exhausting. You’re on your feet all day. You’re away from the office for several days. And when all the networking and travel is over, you just want to rest.
Unfortunately, the longer you wait to follow up with the contacts you made, the less likely they are to recall your conversation. Make this important stage as much a part of your trade show strategy as the pre-show build-up and working the show, itself.
And if you’re looking for more help with generating and nurturing trade show leads, we’ve worked with a number of trade show clients and can help you execute a successful strategy!
In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we discussed how Butterfield Color and BW Manufacturing each built anticipation before the World of Concrete trade show. They each highlighted the work they do and how they stand out from their competition. Once the trade show ends, however, many manufacturers like them struggle to build on the momentum they created.
After World of Concrete, Butterfield posted a link to its 2019 photo gallery via social media. The company also used social media to announce and promote its Project of the Year award winners. Both posts saw tremendous user engagement.
BW Manufacturing followed up with trade show attendees in an email marketing campaign to thank them for attending the show and visiting their booth. They included photos from the show and also announced the winners of an on-site raffle. The final email (and each of the previous three in the campaign) had a higher than average open/click rate.
The email campaign was managed by Idea Marketing Associate, Holly Walsh.
“When following up after a trade show it is important that you do so within a week,” Walsh said. “Remind them why you are emailing them and include a photo of your booth or something to visually help jog their memory. Creating buzz around your follow up during the show will also increase anticipation of your follow-up email.”
Sometimes, it’s not until after a trade show ends that we realize what we could have done better. If you only exhibit once or twice a year, be sure you meet as a team afterward to document impressions and lessons learned.
Questions to ask yourself after a trade show ends:
For many companies, the end of a trade show is just the beginning of the sales process. To maximize your return on investment, be patient and intentional in your follow-up. Resist the urge to start selling right away. Instead, plan on delivering several touches that explain how your company solves your customers’ challenges. Include links to valuable website content and ask email recipients to follow you on social media.
About: Since 2009, Idea Marketing Group has helped manufacturers who are invested in digital. We build custom websites paired with digital marketing strategies to grow your customer base and improve inbound lead generation. We are highly rated on Google and Clutch.co as a top web design agency for manufacturers. We eat, sleep, and breathe websites!
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