There are many programs designed specifically for lead capture and customer relationship management, and using these programs could help to bolster your trade show marketing program. Instead of coming home from an event with an enormous stack of business cards, you could come home with a detailed database full of potential leads. By categorizing and organizing your leads as you get them at the trade show, you will be able to quickly relay information to your sales staff for follow up.

According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, less than 15% of leads generated at trade shows are ever followed up. Why waste tons of money on travel, trade show displays, and exhibiting accessories if you never plan to follow up on any of the leads you generate? Although following up with leads may seem like a simple task, it is often very difficult for sales personnel to prioritize and understand potential clients. This difficulty is caused primarily by a lack of information. Imagine the following case:

You meet two visitors at your next trade show. The first visitor you meet is interested in a few of your low-dollar items, but is looking to close a deal within a few days after the show is over. The second visitor you meet is interested in your most expensive product, but is looking to make a decision after a few months of research and deliberation. When you return to the show, you simply pass your sales staff business cards with the name of the product written on the back (believe it or not, this is the most common method of “lead capture” used at trade shows). Naturally your sales staff will push low-dollar clients toward the back of the line and attack high-dollar clients first, but this would be the exact wrong thing to do with regards to your two visitors. As a result, your company will lose both sales. If only you had the ability to capture a bit more information, you would have had a much better result.

One common method of lead capture is to bring a laptop to the trade show that is already running your customer relationship management program. This system will allow you to enter leads directly into your company database, which will allow sales staff at your home office to begin preparing follow up presentations before the show is even over. Many CRMs allow you to track statistics related to your marketing campaigns, and assigning each trade show to a different campaign will help you better understand which shows are good for your company and which shows might be a waste of your time.

Many companies use software that is specially designed for lead capture at trade shows. Sales Force is a great tool for lead capture, and it allows you to forecast future sales with relative accuracy. Many companies also choose to use software that aids in campaign tracking as it relates specifically to exhibiting. One good example is Exhibit Force, a software that will definitely help you figure out which shows have resulted in the best return on your investment.

If you have any questions about trade show software, feel free to contact us at 877.663.3976 or email sales@moddisplays.com.