Maximising Trade Show and Event ROI with Follow-Up Campaigns
Turning Event Contacts into Customers
Trade shows and events generate valuable leads, but most businesses fail to maximise their investment. The difference between success and wasted budget lies in systematic follow-up.
The Follow-Up Problem
Research shows:
- 79% of trade show leads never convert to sales
- Most leads receive no follow-up within 48 hours
- Generic follow-up emails have minimal impact
- Sales teams are overwhelmed post-event
Pre-Event Preparation
Define Lead Categories
Before the event, establish qualification criteria:
- Hot leads – Ready to buy, immediate follow-up
- Warm leads – Interested, need nurturing
- Information seekers – Long-term prospects
- Not qualified – Outside target market
Prepare Follow-Up Materials
Have ready before the event:
- Email templates for each lead category
- Relevant case studies and content
- Meeting booking systems
- CRM fields and workflows
Capture Quality Data at Events
Beyond the Badge Scan
Capture information that enables personalised follow-up:
- Specific interests discussed
- Pain points mentioned
- Timeline and budget indicators
- Competitor mentions
- Next step commitments
Lead Capture Technology
- Badge scanning apps
- Digital forms on tablets
- Voice memo recordings
- Business card scanning
The Critical 48-Hour Window
Same-Day Actions
- Enter all leads into CRM
- Categorise by priority
- Send initial acknowledgement
- Assign follow-up owners
Day-Two Actions
- Personalised emails to hot leads
- Meeting requests to qualified prospects
- Content delivery to warm leads
- Add to nurture sequences
Multi-Channel Follow-Up Strategy
Email Sequences
Structured email campaigns based on interest level:
- Thank you and recap email
- Relevant content delivery
- Case study sharing
- Meeting request
- Ongoing nurture
Phone Follow-Up
Professional telemarketing for qualified leads:
- Reference event conversation
- Qualify interest further
- Book appointments for sales team
- Gather additional intelligence
Our appointment setting services help businesses convert event leads efficiently.
Social Connection
Social media reinforcement:
- LinkedIn connection requests
- Engage with prospect content
- Share event highlights
- Retargeting advertising
Personalisation at Scale
Make follow-up feel personal despite volume:
Segmentation
- Industry-specific content
- Role-appropriate messaging
- Interest-based sequences
- Company size considerations
Dynamic Content
- Merge fields for personalisation
- Conditional content blocks
- Behaviour-triggered messages
Measuring Event ROI
Lead Metrics
- Total leads captured
- Qualified lead percentage
- Cost per lead
- Lead quality scores
Conversion Metrics
- Appointments set from event leads
- Opportunities created
- Deals closed
- Revenue generated
True ROI Calculation
Include all costs:
- Stand/booth costs
- Travel and accommodation
- Staff time
- Materials and giveaways
- Follow-up campaign costs
Outsourcing Event Follow-Up
Many businesses lack capacity for effective follow-up. XL Marketing provides:
- Rapid lead processing
- Professional phone follow-up
- Appointment setting for sales teams
- Lead qualification and scoring
Planning Your Next Event
Use learnings to improve:
- Which events delivered best ROI?
- What follow-up approaches worked?
- Where did leads drop off?
- How can capture be improved?
Contact XL Marketing to discuss event follow-up support for your next trade show.