How To Qualify Leads At Trade Show Booths

Purposefully engaging in focused dialogue with attendees to your company's trade show booths can help maximize lead generation and potential sales revenue, making trade show stands a valuable investment.

There are many compelling reasons for companies in any industry to set up trade show booths and trade show displays at various marketing conventions. Keeping a careful eye on industry competition, sizing up the potential pool of interested clientele and increasing brand recognition all influence a company' s decision to invest in a trade show booth and showcase services and products to the large crowds of event attendees. While these are all critical factors, most executives will confirm that the most important factor that persuades them to set up trade show displays is the opportunity to engage directly with a targeted clientele demographic to generate leads.

What many corporations don't understand is that successful lead generation is not simply exchanging a business card or writing down an exhibit visitor's name and email address. Rather, lead generation often proves a careful conversational skill that needs to be honed for maximum effect. Fortunately, proficiently harvesting leads while manning a trade show display doesn't have to be an inherent characteristic for everyone on your sales staff. Understanding a few communicative tactics and techniques can help your team efficiently engage with convention attendees and optimize lead generation.

Avoid The Basic Yes And No's At Trade Show Displays

As part of your company's pre-event planning preparation, work with your exhibit team on the usefulness of open-ended questioning as opposed to basic yes and no inquiries. Instead of asking incoming visitors 'Are you finding everything okay?' or 'Is there anything I can help you with?' have staffers make meaningful conversation connections with openers such as 'What brings you in to see us today?' or 'How are you enjoying the event so far?' as a lead in to deeper discussion on the specifics of your company's products and services.

Keep The Conversation Going

Once the dialogue gets underway and it has been determined that a visitor falls into the qualified lead category, it's imperative that your employees don't revert into a mere 'order taker' or someone who only wants to write down the barest details before moving on to someone new. Probing further with questions such as 'Specifically, what issues are you hoping to resolve?' or 'What are some of the key components in the decision-making process at your organization?' will help staff at trade show stands continue to remain focused on garnering relevant information while offering valuable insight into your company's strengths and qualifications and gaining a deeper understanding of how your services can best help each potential customer.

Ruling Out Unqualified Leads At Trade Show Stands

Finally, while it is important to practice qualified lead gathering, it is also critical to role play how to tactfully exit a conversation with someone who doesn't meet the qualified lead criteria. It is crucial to drive home the fact that it is never okay to be rude to anyone stopping by your business trade show stand. Offering unqualified leads updated marketing collateral, a promotional giveaway, and a pleasant, 'Very nice to meet you, thanks for checking us out,' is an excellent way to respectfully disengage and move on to someone else.

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