| If preshow mailers are the equivalent of | | | | them find a way to ..." |
| invitations to a party, then following up is | | | | |
| the same as sending thank-you notes to your | | | | 3. Reinforce your exhibit theme in your |
| guests. Terri Crim of Modern Postcard says | | | | follow up to help with recall. One exhibitor |
| that follow up should be an automatic part of | | | | continued a food-themed booth by sending |
| your marketing, just like preshow mailers. | | | | mailers that looked like recipe cards, along |
| Or, as Lori Marshall from Wood Associates | | | | with a shopping list pad. |
| puts it, "Every prospect is important ... | | | | |
| they took the time [to stop by the booth], so | | | | 4. Always respond in the way the prospect |
| why shouldn't I take the time to thank them?" | | | | told you to. Attendees are annoyed when they |
| Not surprisingly, Marshall's follow up | | | | don't receive the information they were |
| arrives in the form of a handwritten | | | | promised. This proves you weren't listening |
| thank-you note. | | | | to their needs. If they want a catalog and |
| | | | you call them on the phone, they will just |
| Here are some tips you can use to follow up | | | | tell you again to please send a catalog. Get |
| after the trade show and stand out from the | | | | it right the first time! |
| crowd. | | | | |
| | | | Hot prospects might buy within thirty days. |
| 1. Make your follow up timely. One exhibitor | | | | Warm ones (which are the majority) may take |
| wondered why a prospect was being so evasive | | | | much longer. Make sales reps accountable for |
| on the phone when she called to follow up. | | | | the leads and monitor their progress for at |
| She later learned that her competitor was | | | | least six months. Keep following up until |
| meeting with the prospect at the moment she | | | | they "buy or die" -- it can take several |
| called. Lesson learned: Be the first to | | | | contacts to close a sale. Since most of your |
| follow up! | | | | competitors will give up after one or two |
| | | | tries, you can win the sale by sheer |
| 2. Use the notes captured on the leads to | | | | persistence. |
| personalize the follow up. This doesn't mean | | | | |
| personalizing a form letter like the | | | | Remember ... your job doesn't end the minute |
| sweepstakes companies do -- sprinkling the | | | | the trade show is over. Instead, the most |
| recipient's name throughout the letter. True | | | | important part begins! You have those leads |
| personalization goes way beyond that! Use the | | | | -- now turn them into money in the bank! |
| information gathered on the lead form, such | | | | |
| as where they are located or what their most | | | | Excerpted with permission from Build a Better |
| important needs are. Incorporate items such | | | | Trade Show Image, © 2002 by Marlys K. |
| as, "When Client XYZ was facing [the same | | | | Arnold. |
| problem the attendee indicated], we helped | | | | |