Members of VSA’s leadership team are hitting the road for a pair of major industry events this month, and we’re not the only ones.
The busy fall trade show season is underway, and while in-person attendance at live conferences and events is still down from pre-pandemic levels, it’s been trending upward since the start of the year. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, “the U.S. B2B exhibitions industry improved significantly in the first quarter of 2022 from the previous eight quarters,” with a cancellation rate of just 9.2%, the lowest since the start of the pandemic.
Still, even as attendance figures continue to grow, the trade show industry will likely never look quite the same as it did before the days of COVID-19. Many organizations now utilize a hybrid model for their participants, with a mix of live and virtual sessions. Other events remain entirely remote.
These new-look events create added challenges for sales and marketing teams looking to connect with as many attendees as possible. The ability to stage an event online opens the door to a much wider audience, but how do individual exhibitors make sure they’re getting the word out to everybody who might be interested in their product or service? And how do they properly follow up with everybody who participated in the event remotely, along with all those who attended in person?
Partnering with an experienced lead generation and appointment-setting firm can ensure that no lead goes untapped. VSA has a long history of helping clients maximize their trade show investment, both before and after events. Throughout our 21 years, we’ve partnered with multiple clients who have relied on specific events to generate leads, and we continue to do so in the current hybrid environment.
As the fall trade show season heats up, here are four things to consider:
1. Getting the word out beforehand is essential
Just because a prospect has registered to attend a trade show doesn’t mean they’ll stop by your exhibition. Even if they previously visited your website and are familiar with your services, there’s no guarantee they’ll engage with you directly.
That’s why it’s important in the months leading up to the show to reach out to all current and prospective clients who may attend. VSA’s advanced calling technology and team-based Business Development Representative model allows us to make hundreds of dials a day, significantly increasing the odds of connecting with everybody on your list while freeing up your sales and marketing teams to focus on preparing for the event. We can also reach out to prospects via email campaigns.
Whether we’re scheduling onsite meetings for your sales reps, sharing helpful information such as your booth number, or simply increasing your brand awareness, this pre-event outreach is invaluable, especially if your time and resources are limited.
Advance communication also works for virtual events. We can remind prospects of scheduled webinars, gather specific marketing data, or relay any other information you wish to provide, helping you stand out from the crowd before the event even begins.
2. Not all trade show leads are created equal
There’s a widely circulating statistic among various trade show blogs that claims, “only 6% of exhibitors believe their company converts leads well at trade shows.”
While the original source or veracity of that statistic could not be confirmed, it does indicate a general dissatisfaction in the quality of trade show leads. The right partner can significantly strengthen those leads.
By communicating with prospects beforehand, VSA can determine which leads are seriously interested in your product or service, which ones are merely curious, and which ones aren’t necessarily worth pursuing further.
We can also improve the quality of each lead simply by reaching out. If a prospect knows your company took the time to contact them directly, they may be more inclined to want to engage with your reps. People appreciate feeling appreciated, and the added outreach increases the chances of building a meaningful relationship.
3. A little added incentive never hurt
According to Princeton Marketing, 52% of trade show attendees are more likely to enter an exhibit if they’re offered a giveaway or freebie.
But the added motivation won’t matter much if people aren’t aware of it. VSA can make sure your prospects know about the giveaways, as well as any other perks you might be offering.
Even if you’re not offering added incentives, it’s crucial to give your prospect a reason to seek your company out at the event or interact remotely. We work closely with you to develop messaging that separates you from your competitors.
4. Don’t ignore a prospect after the event!
The blog site Jobsinmarketing.io reports that 40% of exhibitors follow up with leads between three and five days after a trade show. Which begs the question: What are the other 60% doing? Are they waiting a week or longer to touch base? Or maybe not following up at all?
Honestly, even three to five days might be too long to wait, depending on how aggressive your competitors are. It’s understandable that your reps don’t have the time to follow up with every prospect they connected with at the show or who expressed some sort of interest. But not following up, or following up too late, is a recipe for disaster.
VSA will follow up with your prospects in a timely manner, keeping your company fresh in their mind and nurturing the relationship you’ve already begun. The follow-up appointments we set with prospects after you’ve met them are more likely to lead to sales because there’s already a level of familiarity.
We’ll also contact prospects you didn’t connect with at the show, attempting to schedule an appointment but also gathering information that could prove useful for engaging with leads at future trade shows.
Conclusion
The potential value of trade shows to your company is enormous. Statistics compiled by the Center for Exhibition Industry Resource revealed that 49% of trade show attendees plan to buy one or more of the products or services exhibited, and 82% of attendees have the authority to buy. That’s a lot of decision-makers in one place.
But without reaching out to these prospects beforehand or properly following up with them afterward, you’re risking losing them to the competition. Having the right partner can ensure these leads don’t slip away.
Whether your event is in person, hybrid, or remote, VSA has the experience and expertise to help make your trade show commitment worthwhile and your sales goals a reality. If you’ve got something planned for the fall or are already thinking ahead to the spring, give us a call. We’d love to learn how we can help.