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One reason is that following up with unqualified leads from trade shows is tedious. This produces disappointment, frustration and inertia as you pursue the mind- numbing work of trying (and failing) to get new business from your bag full of tradeshow booth visitors’ business cards.

There is a better way. The key is to identify and classify hot prospects and the products and services they are interested in buying. There are new, sophisticated software packages that allow you to identify a half dozen weighted multiple choice questions in advance that will determine how viable a client prospect is. You need to identify the hot leads, filter out those who are not qualified, and then measure your results. You will be able to target qualified sales leads that have the budget, time frame and ability to purchase your product. Your screening strategy not only helps you zero in on qualified leads but also helps you establish stronger relationships with your best clients.

Rank your prospects as “A” (highly qualified), “ B” (somewhat qualified), or “C” (poorly qualified) prospect. When a prospect arrives at your trade show display, your sales staff will be ready to kickstart the sales process by using the software package to help identify qualified leads.

Have your sales force follow up on “A” leads immediately the day after the trade show to maximize your profit opportunity from the trade show. By earmarking the key prospects, your sales staff should be energized by their success in selling the right products to the right client at the right time. Don’t neglect the “B” prospects from your trade show, but follow up with them only after you have mined the hot lead lode.

Measure Your ROI

You will be able to measure your trade show return on investment and justify your trade show exhibit expense if you carefully track your qualified leads. Measure the results of these qualified leads in every stage from the number and dollar amount of proposals made to monies received from actual sales. Your head of marketing can better justify the tradeshow expense to the company CEO when showing solid business- producing results.

Think of your trade show display as the grand launch of your most valued new product or business service. Give customer prospects your best look and greet them with your most competent sales staff.

Here are the tips on how to succeed at your next trade show:

Pick the Right Shows – Select the trade shows that your targeted market prospects and competitors attend. Check out trade show directories on the Web. Get statistics for show attendance and a profile of attendees. Talk to former exhibitors about their trade show experience at the shows you select.

Plan Ahead –Determine the space size and dimensions of your trade show booth. Reserve a good location early for your booth by studying the floor plan. Avoid dead-end aisles, freight doors, poorly lit corners, obtrusive columns. Attendees usually turn right when they first enter the trade show exhibit hall and they look up so be sure to make your booth visible with dramatic overhead signage. Once you nail down your trade show booth number on the show management map, be aware of any booth rules and regulations that apply such as height limitations and any obstructions on show floor before planning your booth design.

Allow enough time to select, design and build a trade show display and take advantage of early show services discounts. You will be able to avoid costly rush charges and you are better able to insure against glitches. Identify the date of the trade show and also the move in date for your trade show display.

Set Objectives For Lead Development – Set trade show exhibit goals to reinforce your overall marketing objectives. Make sure the goals are reasonable and attainable, share them with your trade show exhibit team and set up systems to measure your results and validate your objectives.

Accurately qualify and measure your Return On Investment. There are software packages that allow you to identify a half dozen weighted multiple choice questions in advance that will determine how viable a client prospect is. You need to identify buyers, filter out those who are not qualified, and measure results. Rank your prospects as “ A” (highly qualified), “ B” (somewhat qualified), or “C” (poorly qualified) prospect. Have your sales force follow up on “A” leads immediately. Measure the results of these leads in stages from the number and dollar amount of proposals made to monies received from actual sales.

Build a Dramatic Display – Before deciding on what type of trade show booth you need, determine your space size requirements and determine the number of trade shows you will be exhibiting in the next 12 months. This information will help you decide whether to buy vs. rent. If you buy, there are three categories of trade show booths: custom, custom modular, and portable. Check out advantages and disadvantages of each. Light weight materials are less expensive to operate than the traditional all- wood displays. Use tension fabrics, woods, colored metal, layered graphics that use fewer shipping containers, have a current design trend look, and save on operating costs. Older traditional trade show exhibit booths can be obsolete because they are expensive to handle due to heavy weight, require larger size and number of crates to ship, and they are not consistent with current design trends.

Build Traffic by Being Creative– Start with a dramatic, attention-getting hanging sign. Upon entering the trade show exhibit hall the first thing attendees do is look up –Your overhead sign should have a unique design, shape and movement to it. Gobo lights traveling across a tension fabric can provide changing color and mesmerizing interest. New technologies bring high drama to your booth such as 3D video/laser image displays suspended above, your own interactive Website on large screen, robotics, holographics, waterscreen projections. Take advantage of your trade show exhibit supplier’s expertise on graphics, portability and cost management.

Recruit the Right Booth Staff – Although the sales function of your firm is usually fundamental to trade show exhibit booth staffing, you’ll want to make sure that you have representatives who match up well with the positions of those who visit your booth. If engineers visit your booth engage them with your engineer personnel. Also, make sure your staff knows how to engage, identify and qualify attendees as important leads, and dismiss those who are not key business prospects.

Send Pre-Show Notices to Attendees – Trade show exhibit surveys report that three quarters of show attendees make out their schedule for exhibit visits and seminar attendance in advance. Set up meetings with clients, prospects, and press ahead of time. Contact them months ahead through direct mail, email and personal phone calls. Give them your trade show booth number and location and have an incentive at your booth that will be of value to them. Link your incentive to a direct prospect benefit and make it redeemable only by visiting your trade show exhibit. One example is to cut a numbered gift certificate in two and send half of it in advance and have the remaining half available only at your booth.

Understand Show Services – You will need to have supplemental assistance from show services at the trade show exhibit hall. These are representatives and union laborers who provide a range of support services which include installation and dismantling, carpeting, furniture, lighting, phones, drayage and security. If you are aware of the nuances of these services and plan in advance you can save money while avoiding numerous pitfalls.

Control Costs – Consider weight when buying a trade show display. You save substantially on trade show exhibits using lightweight materials that reduce the size and number of shipping crates.

Follow Up Immediately –The hard work doesn’t end when the show closes – this is when you have to diligently follow up on all those sales leads. It’s best to respond to your top level “ A” prospects immediately after the show. After the “A” prospects are all contacted, go on to the “B” level prospects. Be sure to have a well-planned strategy to close sales with these prospects. Tradeshow industry research shows that sales leads from a tradeshow are closed in half the time and at almost half the cost as leads from other sources.

Before the trade show, rehearsals and training sessions for your exhibiting staff are essential to maximize the leads and visitor sales potential at a trade show.

Here are the basic tips for grooming your exhibit staff:

1. Hire an exhibit staff trainer before the trade show
2. Have a trainer in the booth to set up procedures and monitor booth activity
3. Provide incentives (to stimulate tradeshow booth traffic, give a gift coupon out every hour)
4. Be good custodians of your (and your visitors’) time. Proactive learning on how to engage and courteously dismiss visitors in a professional manner is critical
5. Staff the tradeshow booth with personnel who match up well with prospects – i.e., engineers from your firm if prospects are engineers, etc.

There are basic “do’s” that attract attention:

1. Have a warm smile and a welcoming persona
2. Enthusiastic behavior — have direct eye contact, confront prospects by greeting, then engaging, and, finally, qualifying them
3. Be professional and courteous, have authority and a solid knowledge about your product or service
4. Treat visitors as they are your guests–same as you do at your company or in your home
5. Demonstrate a receptive body language — have your arms under control and your posture erect. Be proactive.
6. Trade Show Booth housekeeping-–maintain a neat, clean and tidy appearance at all times
7. Your name badge should be on the right side of your body so when you shake hands people see it clearly.

Here are some “don’ts” in your trade show booth:

1. Do not eat, drink or chew gum
2. Do not make or accept phone calls (leave the tradeshow booth to make calls)
3. Do not sit – (except in conference area of your tradeshow display to conduct client business)
4. Show up on time — Do not show up late. Be considerate of your booth mates
5. Never leave the tradeshow exhibit unattended
6. Don’t visit socially in the tradeshow booth with your co-workers or neighboring booth staffers

Engage visitors with effective sales techniques and tactics:

1. Greet and engage prospect or client (30 seconds)
2. Probe prospect with questions memorized from a lead sheet – who, what, why, when, where– to determine their requirements and their timing. This is the positioning and pre-qualifying stage – (1 1/2 – 2 minutes)
3. Determine if the tradeshow prospect is qualified or not. If not, professionally dismiss them.
4. If they are qualified – go into a demonstration, lead to deeper dialogue, answer questions, present details on services/products (up to 5 minutes)
5. Get permission to proceed or get deeper into subject or schedule further dialogue
6. Wrap up – inform them of where you go from here. Move toward the future appointment or sale. Set a time to reconnect. Swipe badge or get their business card. Plan to follow up by sending materials to their office so that the package is there when they return to their desk immediately after the trade show.

Before the trade show, rehearsals and training sessions for your exhibiting staff are essential to maximize the leads and visitor sales potential at a trade show.

Here are the basic tips for grooming your exhibit staff:

1. Hire an exhibit staff trainer before the trade show
2. Have a trainer in the booth to set up procedures and monitor booth activity
3. Provide incentives (to stimulate tradeshow booth traffic, give a gift coupon out every hour)
4. Be good custodians of your (and your visitors’) time. Proactive learning on how to engage and courteously dismiss visitors in a professional manner is critical
5. Staff the tradeshow booth with personnel who match up well with prospects – i.e., engineers from your firm if prospects are engineers, etc.

There are basic “do’s” that attract attention:

1. Have a warm smile and a welcoming persona
2. Enthusiastic behavior — have direct eye contact, confront prospects by greeting, then engaging, and, finally, qualifying them
3. Be professional and courteous, have authority and a solid knowledge about your product or service
4. Treat visitors as they are your guests–same as you do at your company or in your home
5. Demonstrate a receptive body language — have your arms under control and your posture erect. Be proactive.
6. Trade Show Booth housekeeping-–maintain a neat, clean and tidy appearance at all times
7. Your name badge should be on the right side of your body so when you shake hands people see it clearly.

Here are some “don’ts” in your trade show booth:

1. Do not eat, drink or chew gum
2. Do not make or accept phone calls (leave the tradeshow booth to make calls)
3. Do not sit – (except in conference area of your tradeshow display to conduct client business)
4. Show up on time — Do not show up late. Be considerate of your booth mates
5. Never leave the tradeshow exhibit unattended
6. Don’t visit socially in the tradeshow booth with your co-workers or neighboring booth staffers

Engage visitors with effective sales techniques and tactics:

1. Greet and engage prospect or client (30 seconds)
2. Probe prospect with questions memorized from a lead sheet – who, what, why, when, where– to determine their requirements and their timing. This is the positioning and pre-qualifying stage – (1 1/2 – 2 minutes)
3. Determine if the tradeshow prospect is qualified or not. If not, professionally dismiss them.
4. If they are qualified – go into a demonstration, lead to deeper dialogue, answer questions, present details on services/products (up to 5 minutes)
5. Get permission to proceed or get deeper into subject or schedule further dialogue
6. Wrap up – inform them of where you go from here. Move toward the future appointment or sale. Set a time to reconnect. Swipe badge or get their business card. Plan to follow up by sending materials to their office so that the package is there when they return to their desk immediately after the trade show.