As you know we’re exhibiting at the B2B Expo next week, and – touch wood – most of our prep. is done.
The brochures are printed, the stand is ready and we know exactly what our strategy is: get as many leads as possible.
So we’re into the final stages, and I thought I’d share just some of my last-minute thoughts with you – these are some things that it’s really important to get clarity on BEFORE any expo starts.
Who’s coming?
Understand how many delegates there are going to be and then choose how many members of staff you’re going to bring. If it’s a small expo, you don’t want an army of staff, but equally you don’t want to be understaffed, so you need to strike the right balance.
How does the data collection process work?
Okay, so you’ve decided to collect data, but how are you going to do it? Is it on a clipboard or an iPad? Are you writing the names down or will the prospect do it?
To be honest with you, I find a clipboard to be easier and quicker than an iPad, but I’d recommend specifying block capitals to reduce the chances of you not being able to read the writing.
What are you going to do with the data?
The first thing you’ll need to do when you get back from the expo is turn the data into something usable.
If you’ve used an iPad it’s probably already in your CRM, but if you’ve used the clipboard, my advice is to plan for someone (either a staff member, a temp or an outsourcer) to manually type all the data into an Excel spreadsheet, which can then be loaded into your CRM.
What happens to the data?
It’s all very well putting the data into your CRM, but if you haven’t got a built-in process for what you’re going to do with it, then the likelihood is that the leads will go cold.
Broadly speaking, I think there are two types of contact that you’ll get from an expo – a hot lead and a general contact.
The hot leads will need their own follow up, while the general contacts should be given some sort of specific post-event follow-up campaign before being pushed into your usual communication.
Anyway, that’s it for our expo series – wish us luck at the B2B Exhibition!
If you’re going to be at Carrow Road, please do pop over to the stand and say ‘hi’ – I’d be delighted to catch up for a chat.
If you’re looking to come along you can book your free tickets HERE
