Hosting an event can be a great way to generate leads and drive business growth. However, simply hosting an event is not enough – you need to have a solid lead capture strategy in place to ensure that you are making the most of your event and generating as many leads as possible.
In this article, we will discuss best practices for lead capture at events.
TL;DR: Optimize lead capture at events with these best practices. Use digital tools for efficient data collection, personalize interactions to engage attendees, and integrate CRM systems to streamline follow-ups, ensuring higher conversion rates and better event ROI.
Best practices to capture leads at events
Set goals and objectives
Before your event, it’s important to set clear goals and objectives for your lead capture strategy. This will help you to measure the success of your efforts and make improvements for future events. Consider what kind of leads you are looking to generate, how many leads you hope to collect, and what actions you want attendees to take after the event.
Lead capture at events: plan your strategy
Once you have set your goals and objectives, it’s time to plan your lead capture strategy. This should include creating lead capture forms, deciding on what information you want to collect, and determining how you will collect the information. You may want to consider using digital tools such as QR codes, or mobile apps – lead capture apps with badge scanners – to make the process more streamlined.
Make your lead capture simple and clear
Lead capture at events can be made easier with the use of technology. One such tool is a badge scanner, which allows exhibitors and attendees to exchange contact information quickly. By scanning a visitor’s badge, exhibitors can easily capture their contact information and any other relevant details, such as their job title or company name. This can help streamline the lead capture process and reduce the likelihood of errors or missing information. However, it’s important to ensure that the badge scanner is integrated with your lead capture system and that the data is easily accessible and usable for follow-up purposes. Try momencio
Offer incentives for providing contact information
To encourage attendees to provide their contact information, consider offering incentives such as exclusive content or special discounts. Make sure that the incentive is relevant to your target audience and valuable enough to motivate them to take action.
Follow up quickly
Once the event is over, it’s important to follow up with your leads as soon as possible. Send a personalized email thanking them for attending the event and offer them additional value, such as a free trial or consultation. This will help to keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage attendees to take the next step.
The reason this is important is because 80% of new leads do not convert to sales. This is majorly attributed to irregular and stereotypical, templatized follow-up emails.
Test and optimize your strategy
Finally, it’s important to test and optimize your lead capture strategy over time. Monitor your results and identify what is working well and what could be improved. Use this information to make adjustments and improvements for future events.
10 ways to capture leads at your next trade show
Capturing leads at trade shows is a vital aspect of driving business growth. With so many attendees and brief opportunities for interaction, you need effective strategies to ensure you’re maximizing every connection. Here are 10 actionable ways to capture high-quality leads at your next trade show:
1. Leverage lead capture apps with badge scanners
Lead capture apps like momencio streamline the process of collecting attendee information. Badge scanners enable exhibitors to quickly and accurately gather contact details, company names, and job titles. Integrate these apps with your CRM for seamless data management and efficient follow-ups.
Pro Tip: Train your team to use the lead capture app effectively, ensuring all interactions are logged in real-time.
2. Use engaging booth designs
A visually appealing and interactive booth can draw attendees in, creating more opportunities to capture leads. Use elements like digital displays, branded backdrops, or product showcases to highlight your offerings.
Pro Tip: Include a dedicated area for lead capture, such as a tablet station or a QR code scanning zone.
3. Incorporate gamification
Gamified activities like contests, quizzes, or scavenger hunts encourage attendee participation while providing a fun way to capture their information.
Example: Require attendees to enter their contact information to participate in a prize draw or leaderboard challenge.
4. Offer personalized experiences
Tailor your booth interactions to the needs and preferences of your audience. Use pre-event research to segment attendees by industry, job role, or interests, and prepare content or demonstrations that resonate with each group.
Pro Tip: Use momencio’s engagement tracking to identify high-priority leads based on their interactions at your booth.
5. Provide compelling incentives
Encourage attendees to share their information by offering something valuable in return. This could include exclusive product discounts, access to premium content, or high-quality giveaways.
Pro Tip: Ensure the incentive aligns with your audience’s needs and expectations to maximize participation.
6. Use QR codes strategically
Place QR codes throughout your booth for easy information capture. Link them to landing pages where attendees can sign up for newsletters, download resources, or register for follow-ups.
Pro Tip: Use a QR code generator with analytics to track scans and engagement in real-time.
7. Host live demonstrations
Live product demos or interactive presentations are excellent ways to capture interest and gather leads. Use a sign-up sheet or app to register attendees who engage with your demo.
Pro Tip: Capture questions asked during demos to personalize your follow-up communication.
8. Create a networking hub
Transform part of your booth into a networking-friendly space where attendees can connect. While they’re there, use conversation starters to gather their contact details.
Pro Tip: Provide charging stations or coffee, creating a natural draw for foot traffic and extended engagement.
9. Collect feedback and insights
Ask attendees to complete short surveys or feedback forms. Not only does this help you capture their information, but it also provides insights into their needs and pain points.
Pro Tip: Offer a small incentive, such as a branded giveaway, for completing the survey.
10. Use social media to extend reach
Promote your trade show presence on social media before and during the event. Encourage attendees to visit your booth by offering exclusive opportunities or giveaways for social followers.
Pro Tip: Use event-specific hashtags and geotags to increase visibility and engagement, capturing leads through social media interactions.
Implementing these strategies ensures that every aspect of your trade show participation is geared toward capturing leads effectively. When paired with tools like momencio, these tactics create a seamless process to not only capture leads at events, but to also convert them into sales.
How to qualify leads effectively at trade shows
Capturing leads is only the first step in a successful trade show strategy. The real value lies in qualifying those leads to focus your time and resources on the most promising opportunities. Lead qualification ensures you’re not just gathering names but identifying attendees with a genuine interest in your offerings.
1. Define your qualification criteria
Start by outlining what makes a lead valuable to your business. Consider factors like industry, job title, budget, and purchase intent. Having clear criteria ensures that your team collects relevant information during interactions.
2. Use lead scoring
Leverage tools like momencio to assign scores to leads based on their engagement levels. For instance:
- Leads who attended a demo may score higher than those who only visited your booth briefly.
- Leads who downloaded resources or asked in-depth questions might indicate a higher level of interest.
These scores help your sales team prioritize follow-ups.
3. Train your team to ask the right questions
Empower your booth staff to engage attendees in meaningful conversations. Train them to ask open-ended questions that reveal the attendee’s challenges, goals, and interest level.
Examples of qualifying questions:
- “What challenges are you currently facing in [specific industry need]?”
- “What solutions are you exploring to address these challenges?”
- “What timeline are you considering for implementing these solutions?”
4. Categorize leads on the spot
Using momencio’s real-time data tracking, categorize leads into tiers:
- Hot Leads: High-priority prospects ready for immediate follow-up.
- Warm Leads: Interested attendees who may need nurturing.
- Cold Leads: General visitors who are less likely to convert.
5. Personalize follow-ups based on qualification data
Once your leads are categorized, tailor your follow-up communication to their specific interests and engagement levels. For example:
- Send detailed product information to hot leads.
- Share educational content with warm leads to keep them engaged.
- Include cold leads in broader email campaigns to maintain a connection without heavy investment.
By qualifying your leads effectively, you ensure that your efforts are targeted, maximizing the return on your trade show investment. Pairing these strategies with momencio’s lead scoring and engagement tools can help streamline the process, ensuring no opportunity is wasted.
Conclusion
Lead capture is an essential part of any event marketing strategy. By setting clear goals, planning your strategy, making your lead capture form simple and clear, offering incentives, following up quickly, and testing and optimizing your strategy, you can maximize the number of leads generated from your events and drive business growth.
FAQs:
- How can I measure the success of my lead capture strategy at events?
- You can measure the success of your lead capture strategy by tracking the number of leads generated, the quality of those leads, and the actions that those leads take after the event.
- What kind of incentives work best for lead capture at events?
- The best incentives are those that are relevant to your target audience and valuable enough to motivate them to take action. Examples include exclusive content, special discounts, and free trials or consultations.
- How quickly should I follow up with event leads?
- Ideally, you should follow up within 24-48 hours after the event. This will help keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage attendees to take the next step.
- What digital tools can I use for lead capture at events?
- Digital tools such as QR codes and mobile apps can streamline and make the process more convenient for attendees.
- How often should I test and optimize my lead capture strategy?
- You should test and optimize your lead capture strategy after each event and, based on your results, adjust and improve it for future events.
