Maximise your ROI at trade fairs and expos
Are you happy with the ROI (Return on Investment) you get from trade fairs and expos? Or do you want to turn up the sales revenue?
Trade fairs and expos are big – and they’re back! Goodbye Covid years and hello in-person events. With AI and tech on the rise, and more people missing real-life connections, the importance of in-person events cannot be over-stated.
Humans still rely on five senses to experience the world. Business has gone digital, but that only satisfies our sight. It is a big mistake to forget other four senses – taste, touch, smell, and hearing.
Trade fairs and events involve all five senses – just like humans are hard-wired for. Your business has a unique opportunity to build community, gain industry insights, and to progress relationships so much faster than on-line channels alone.
So many potential customers in one place. Why is it so hard to reap the benefits?
Maximising your ROI and sales from trade fairs and expos comes down to:
- Your pre-event plan
- Your team
- Your follow-up process after the event
1. Your expo pre-event plan
Have a plan for how you will capture ‘leads’ and information about your potential customers.
With 10 or 20 seconds to capture attention, your team needs to stay focused. This is no time to scroll on your phone.
Expo visitors are there to learn what’s happening in the industry, discover new trends, and meet potential clients and suppliers. Even if they love what you do, they’ll want to see other stands.
- Do you have a CRM and data management plan to track ROI from the event?
- What automation can you use to streamline this process?
- How easy is it for potential customers to give you their information and move on?
Trade fairs and expos cover a huge geographic area, especially in Europe or the US. With your investment in team, travel, accommodation, and branding, you cannot solely rely on walk-ins to generate sales opportunities.
Who do you want to meet at the expo? Have a plan to book meetings ahead of the expo, and catch up while your potential client is visiting the expo. If you have free tickets, be sure to give these to your ideal clients who plan to attend.
2. Your team
Unless you have at least three people on your stand, question whether your business is ready to be at an expo. If necessary, get family or friends to assist. Two people on your stand is a healthy baseline. If one person is deep in conversation with an expo visitor, there is someone else to talk to other visitors.
Your third person could be on a break, or more importantly – walking around the expo talking to people. Take the initiative, especially on social media, to connect with as many people as possible.
Everyone on your stand needs training to understand:
- What you do
- What is special about your business
- What problems you solve
Arm your team with a couple of questions to start conversations, and identify ideal clients. Plan how to filter out those who do not fit your ideal client profile.
3. Follow-up process after the event
Trade fairs and expos are tiring, especially if they go for more than two days. Managing follow-up can be overwhelming for your team. Automation and templates for email and social media will help you manage the follow-up during, and after, the expo.
Plan timely follow-up, ideally on day one. The expo leads app should give access to your visitor data in real-time. Send a brief email, thanking the potential client for visiting your stand. Include a meeting link in case they’re ready to talk further.
Set priority levels for lead management ahead of the event, and follow up according to you pre-determined criteria.
- For ‘hot leads’ which are a top priority, make sure you are on to these promptly.
Remember your potential client may have visited 100 or more stands at the expo. Timely follow-up helps potential clients remember their conversation with you.
Be ready for potential clients who are ready to buy – right now. Standard follow-up process after events tends to prioritise those who reply to your outreach, and engage with your material.
Make sure you have a plan for ideal clients who do not respond to your follow-up. They could be hard at work, trying to fix the very problem you solve. Even without any ‘signal’ to show their interest, they are worth pursuing to maximise your long- term ROI.
Expo follow-up is a marathon, not a sprint. Be prepared to put in 3-6 months (at least) of concentrated follow-up – just to book a meeting! Every expo team will be tired. Stay focused on your follow-up plan to win the opportunities that others give up on.
Next steps to maximise ROI
Are you ready for your next trade fair or expo? Good planning takes time, especially if different parts of your business are involved.
De-brief with your team as soon as possible after the event, to record all the learnings.
- What processes will you keep?
- Where do you need to make changes?
Want to get the most from your next trade fair or expo? Start planning now.
Mary Crampton is the owner and principal consultant at Magnify Consulting
