The badge scanner incident
Mitch had scanned a lot of badges in his life.
Trade shows, expos, conferences—he had seen it all.
Most attendees didn’t even make eye contact. They just held out their lanyards like exhausted sacrifices, waiting for the little BEEP that sealed their fate as a lead.
It was all so routine. Until today.
Until her.
…
The woman with no name
She approached the booth just like everyone else.
Blazer. Business casual. Tired but polite smile.
“Hi,” Mitch said, forcing enthusiasm. “Want to see a quick demo?”
She didn’t answer. Just held out her badge.
Mitch scanned it.
BEEP.
A name flashed on his tablet.
[ERROR: UNKNOWN ATTENDEE]
He frowned. “Uh, weird. Let me try again.”
BEEP.
[ERROR: UNKNOWN ATTENDEE]
He looked up.
The woman was still smiling. Unblinking.
His stomach twisted. “What company are you with?”
Still, no answer.
And then… she turned and walked away.
…
The database check
Mitch wasn’t paid enough to care about this stuff. But something about her bothered him.
During lunch, he pulled up the event’s attendee list. 6,742 names.
He searched: “Unknown Attendee.”
Nothing.
He searched again, using the badge ID.
Nothing.
No record. No registration. She didn’t exist.
…
The others
By day two, he started noticing more of them.
People who never spoke. Who just held out their badges, scanned, and walked away.
And every time—ERROR: UNKNOWN ATTENDEE.
By day three, it was happening constantly.
Mitch whispered to a fellow exhibitor, “Have you seen the people who don’t exist?”
The guy paled. Nodded.
“We call them ghost leads. They show up at every conference. No records. No emails. Just scans.”
“Why?”
“No one knows.”
…
The final day
Mitch couldn’t let it go.
He waited by the exit, watching.
And there they were.
A dozen of them. Silent. Smiling. Leaving.
Mitch did something stupid.
He followed.
They walked out of the convention center. Across the street. Into a parking garage.
Mitch crept behind a column, heart pounding.
He peeked around.
And froze.
Because they weren’t walking to cars.
They were just… standing.
Lined up in perfect rows.
Then, all at once, they turned their heads toward him.
Like they had been waiting.
…
Mitch ran.
He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t look back.
He just ran.
Quit his job. Moved to another state. Never worked a trade show again.
And for years, he tried to forget.
Until last week.
When his phone buzzed.
An email.
Subject line: Thank You for Visiting Our Booth!
From: UNKNOWN ATTENDEE.
Mitch deleted it immediately.
But his phone beeped again.
New Email: [ERROR: UNKNOWN ATTENDEE]
And again.
And again.
And again.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
…
Somewhere, at another trade show… a rep scans a badge.
And the cycle begins again.
The end.
…
___________________________
Interesting facts from research
- 72% of event leads expect follow-ups within a week—but only 45% of companies deliver (source).
- Companies that use personalized event follow-ups see a 30% higher conversion rate (source).
- B2B companies allocate 21% of their marketing budgets to events, yet struggle with accurate lead tracking and ROI measurement (source).
FAQs
- Why do so many event leads go unconverted?
- Many companies fail to follow up on leads quickly or with personalized outreach. 79% of event leads never receive proper follow-up, leading to lost revenue. Without segmentation and timely engagement, potential customers forget the interaction or move on to competitors.
- What’s the best way to ensure leads don’t get lost after an event?
- Implement a structured follow-up plan that includes:
- Automated emails within 24–48 hours.
- Personalized LinkedIn outreach.
- Clear lead segmentation (hot, warm, cold).
- CRM integration to track and nurture every lead.
- Implement a structured follow-up plan that includes:
- How soon should I follow up after an event?
- Follow up within 24 hours while the conversation is still fresh. Leads contacted within this timeframe are 7x more likely to convert. For high-priority leads, consider a same-day personalized message.
- What’s the best follow-up message to send?
- The most effective follow-up messages:
- Reference the specific conversation from the event.
- Provide value, such as a case study or relevant content.
- Have a clear call to action (book a meeting, download a resource, attend a webinar).
- The most effective follow-up messages:
- How many follow-ups are necessary before giving up?
- Most deals require 5–7 touchpoints before conversion. A structured cadence should include:
- Day 1–2: Initial email + LinkedIn connection.
- Day 3–5: Follow-up email with a resource.
- Week 2: Phone call or video message.
- Week 3+: Long-term nurture campaign (newsletters, content).
- Most deals require 5–7 touchpoints before conversion. A structured cadence should include:
- What’s the best way to measure event ROI?
- Instead of just tracking lead volume, focus on:
- Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate (how many leads enter the sales pipeline).
- Time-to-close (how long it takes to convert a lead into a sale).
- Engagement levels (email responses, meeting bookings, content downloads).
- Revenue attribution (how much revenue is directly linked to the event).
- Instead of just tracking lead volume, focus on:
- How can I improve the marketing-to-sales lead handoff?
- Misalignment between marketing and sales leads to lost opportunities. Best practices include:
- Using CRM integration to track and share lead data.
- Assigning lead owners before the event for structured follow-ups.
- Providing detailed notes on booth interactions to sales teams.
- Misalignment between marketing and sales leads to lost opportunities. Best practices include:
- What role does automation play in post-event follow-up?
- Automation ensures consistency and speed in follow-ups while allowing for personalization. Automated workflows can:
- Send personalized emails based on event interactions.
- Score leads based on engagement.
- Trigger reminders for sales teams to follow up manually.
- Automation ensures consistency and speed in follow-ups while allowing for personalization. Automated workflows can:
- Should I use only email for follow-ups?
- A multi-channel approach increases response rates:
- Email: The primary touchpoint but should be personalized.
- LinkedIn: Connect and engage via direct messages.
- Phone calls: Ideal for hot leads and deeper conversations.
- Retargeting ads: Keep your brand visible post-event.
- A multi-channel approach increases response rates:
- How do I keep leads engaged if they’re not ready to buy?
- Long-term nurture strategies include:
- Sending valuable content (webinars, industry reports, case studies).
- Offering exclusive invitations to product demos or VIP events.
- Checking in quarterly with new insights or company updates.
- Long-term nurture strategies include:
Event ROI isn’t just about collecting leads—it’s about converting them. Businesses that prioritize real-time engagement, personalized follow-ups, and strategic tracking will maximize their event investment. Don’t let your leads slip away—book a demo with momencio today to revolutionize your post-event strategy.
