From E-mail to Sale

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Trade show marketers often get so pre-occupied with booth design that they forget to concentrate on something even more important — driving qualified traffic. Take a look at these statistics:

• 80% Leads from trade shows that are never followed up on.

• 46% Amount that exhibitors that conduct pre-show e-mail campaigns raise their “attraction efficiency.”

• 50% Amount that the conversion of booth visitors to qualified leads increases when a pre-show promotion is used.

Whether you’re an exhibitor or attendee, techniques and ideas for using e-mails to help you communicate with your trade show audience can apply in many ways to other aspects of your sales and marketing programs.

Pre-Show E-mail Campaigns

It’s important to do this well. Ideal pre-show promotions use a series of contacts that leverage multiple media channels. A typical campaign to the trade show attendee list could include the following:

• An e-mail message that pre-qualifies the attendee, such as “Attention purchasing managers: Find out how you can save time and money in your search for the best widget.”

• The e-mail should contain links to landing pages from your company website covering plans for the event, such as a new product introduction or sessions in which you’ll be speaking.

• Reiterate why the meeting will be worthwhile. Include a pass to the show floor or the sales rep’s business card/contact info.

• Outbound postcards scheduled to arrive a week to 10 days before the event.

• Follow-up e-mail reminders to the same list.

• Follow-up e-mail letter campaign to those prospects with appointments.

Post-Show Follow-Up E-mail

An ongoing series of messages after the trade show can extend the value of the trade show investment. Your objective is to build on the relationship with contacts made at the trade show. Here are some ideas for your follow-up:
A personal e-mail thank you note from the staff who met with the prospect.

• An invitation to subscribe to the corporate e-newsletter.

• Reprints or links to any press coverage or other articles relating to the trade show.

• E-mail reminder of expiration of trade show special offer.

• Promotion to attendees who didn’t make it to your booth.

Qualifying Prospects after the Show

Hands down, the best way to qualify a lead is on the trade show floor. If you can’t qualify your prospects at the show, e-mail is the most efficient means for follow-up communications. Techniques could include:

• A thank you note containing product/service information promised at the show.

• An e-mail qualification form requesting additional information.

• A survey to capture information about their needs.

Nurturing Unqualified Leads

What do you do with those unqualified leads not yet ready to buy? Filter them through the “nurturing” or “lead development” process with a series of communications designed to build trust and awareness and keep the relationship going. Tactics can include additional qualification questions, seminars, webinars, event or demo invitations, requests for appointment at next trade show, new product announcements, e-newsletters, press releases, surveys, white papers, case studies, personal communications (holiday cards), and/or letters from third parties endorsing your products.

When you get to the point where it no longer makes sense to nurture a prospect, remove the contact from the list and return the contact name to the marketing database for a fresh promotion.

Whether this has been E-mail Marketing 101 for you, or a great refresher, the point is not to let all those business cards drown in the fishbowl. Either way, don’t forget to:

• Invest in a good lead capture e-mail program.

• Nurture prospects with efficient pre- and post-show e-mail campaigns.

• Use e-mail in conjunction with your sales and marketing efforts to yield the best results!

About the author: Duane Crandall

Duane Crandall is CEO of Minneapolis, Minn.-based Knowledge Marketing.

Contact: marketing@knowledgemarketing.com