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Follow Up Is Key to Post-Show Sales Calls

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Apparel A- Z
A glossary of Apparel terms
Bank On This
Why The Bank Bag gets Results
Boomerang Article
A Proven Way To Reactivate Clients.
Follow Up Is Key to Post
Trash can
Mail they won't toss
Try Whispering
A new approach with proven results

Increase your results and effectiveness at shows with a follow up system. It's too valuable a tool to overlook. It is to your advantage to develop an organized, systematic approach to follow up. Based on your ranking system, develop a follow-up procedure for all your show leads. A ranking system will allow sales staff to assign a code to each prospect to determine information such as how immediate is their need for your product/service? How likely are they to purchase within a month or a year?

1 = immediate/hot, 2 = interested in buying within the next 6 months,

3 = lukewarm to moderate interest down the line

Formulate a plan to follow up based on level of ranking and importance and available resources. Is it direct mail, fax broadcast, voice broadcast, warm call, email or in person visit?

You may consider tele-qualifying the leads after the show to ensure their interest in your service or product. Why is this necessary? Well, some visitors don't tell the whole truth when visiting your booth. Some might tell you what they think you want to hear in order to get your giveaway. Why expend energy and resources with someone that won't give you money?

Send catalogs to those that have been screened as qualified leads and have requested what you're sending. Don't send $3 brochures to people that entered your drawing for the grand prize and expect to get a new client because of it. A $3 brochure plus $2 postage adds up and may not materialize. Then, you'll deduce these trade shows don't work. When in reality you could have been more strategic with your planning and actually made money with your involvement.

Whatever system you choose to use, it is critical to follow-up within 3-5 days after the show. At minimum, you should send a thank you card and show that you're not a flake and did not forget them. If you do not follow up, chances are your competition will!

Mitchell C. Carson is President of Impact Products. His company specializes in the design of trade show strategies and solutions for companies that choose to obliterate the competition.