Ten Tips For Tightening Up Trade Show Lead Management

There must be black holes in the floors of most trade shows—because that’s where a lot of your leads seem to end up.
We’re not kidding.

Consider the fact that “non-fulfillment” by exhibitors is one of the top complaints by trade show attendees who actually ask for more information. Marketers under the gun to show a return for their investments are now recognizing that every lead that falls through the cracks is lost revenue. As a result, lead-generation systems are being upgraded in a big way,

Xerox, for example, has focused more than a little energy on enhancing its lead-gen system to ensure every hand-raiser is tracked, followed up on, and accounted for. “Since implementing the new system, we’ve gathered more and better data,” says Xerox trade show manager Joshua Stevens. So how do you close the loop? A consistent, systemized approach is required. Ten tips for A+ lead systems:

Think Sales. Stop focusing on the collection of leads and refocus on distribution and follow-up. Create a system that functions beyond the show floor collection process to work within the parameters of your company’s established sales process. Although most companies’ trade shows fall under marketing, succeeding in terms of leads requires event managers to put on their sales hats. “At trade shows, I’m a sales manager,” says Stevens.

Standardize. The content and format of the data you collect should be consistent from show to show and integrated easily into your CRM or lead-tracking system. This expedites the follow-up process and enables you to perform program-wide analysis and measurement. Tip: Work with the lead-retrieval supplier at each show to customize their system for yours—have their data entry pre-laid out the way you need it entered into your own funnel.

Systematize the Process. Where will the data go after the show and who will be responsible for it? Having all the details defined—from data collection through fulfillment to follow-up and tracking—ensures the ball won’t get dropped somewhere down the line. At FedEx, as an example, leads are forwarded from trade shows to inside sales reps for requalification. From there, they are entered into the corporate lead-tracking database and assigned to specific operating companies and reps. “Everyone knows what the next step is throughout the process,” says Camille Ellison, FedEx’s marketing program manager.

Get Other Stakeholders Involved. Collecting and funneling leads from trade shows needs to be a process shared by multiple departments. “Get out of your box and reach other parts of your organization,” says Stevens. At Xerox, event marketers work closely with the inside sales department to develop and refine the lead-management system on an ongoing basis. “It’s been an evolution, and it’s going to keep evolving,” he adds.

Deliver Quality, Not Quantity. If you want sales reps or channel partners to take the leads seriously, don’t waste their time by passing along tire kickers. Garbage in equals garbage out. Pass along the cream of the crop only. BASF, for instance, qualifies its visitors before scanning the data into the system. “We collect qualified leads, not contacts,” says Janet Johnson, the company’s sales and trade promotions manager. There’s a difference.

Ask the Right Questions. These include demographics, product interest, buying time frame, and anything else that helps facilitate the sales process. “We ask questions that help us assign each lead to the right department for follow-up,” says Joe Spaccarelli, senior director of corporate events at Symbol Technologies. Based on the answers to these questions, Symbol marks the lead for further contact or assigns it to inside sales, outside sales or a channel partner. (Channel partner assignments are made based on a match with the partner’s skill set or geographic location.)

Respond Quickly. Strike while the iron is hot by responding to the leads immediately.
“If they ask us to call, we call. If they ask for information, we send it,” says Spaccarelli. BASF expedites response by using its lead system to generate emails to prospects. Each message includes links to the specific information that the individual requested.

Monitor Activity. Xerox posts leads to a Web site and gives resellers a set period of time to respond. If they don’t make progress within a certain time frame, the lead is given to someone else. Symbol requires that channel partners receiving leads report back on a monthly and quarterly basis to monitor progress and the closure rate. “We want to make sure we aren’t overwhelming them,” says Spaccarelli. The outcome: Those who follow up and close deals get more leads; the others don’t.

Accountability. Ensure the sales team follows up by placing the follow-up under the watch of sales management. Symbol uses an online Web portal to distribute and monitor its leads. The portal is watched and managed by inside sales to make sure deals are progressing. Other members of the sales team—territory managers, channel account managers, and the like—keep an eye on progress as well. “Everyone has real-time visibility,” says Spaccarelli.

Analyze and Report. Once you have the data, use it to calculate ROI for your trade shows and to assess which shows are the most successful. “We look across the portfolio and see which are working for us. It’s a decision support tool,” says Spaccarelli.
Or use your database to identify new opportunities. “By consolidating our data we are able to dig deeper into the leads,” says Ellison. “We identify what additional services we can sell them and opportunities for other FedEx operating companies.”