Our show schedule is jammed packed for the next couple months. Planning strategically for the pre and during show periods is important, but after making the exhibiting investment, many organizations neglect what happens after the show. Communicating with attendees and continuing the conversation is key to maintaining relationships and sealing business partnerships.
Imagine training for a marathon for months, running the marathon, but not crossing the finish line. It doesn’t make sense. After all the effort you put into pre-show and at-show planning, why not invest in your post-show follow up?
Here are six post show practices that you should be using:
1. Organize the information you collected right after the show. If it’s for your co-workers, sort and distribute to each team member. If you’re the only person responsible for the content, sort it by priority.
2. Always follow through as soon as possible. Taking detailed notes makes the process of following up easier. If you said you’d follow up with pricing or a case study, do it right away, at the show if possible. If it’s a post-show call or email, reference what you discussed or data collected to provide more value.
3. Update your database and capture contact details and interests of the new people you met. Add post-show communication to the record as well.
4. Review notes on which exhibits or displays you thought were most effective and why. What did they do that you could implement in your marketing campaign? Do the same for your own exhibit. What would you do differently next time?
5. Review all metrics from your exhibit experience and marketing campaign. Did you achieve your goals? What can you do differently next year?
6. Develop a communication plan for speaking with new contacts throughout the year. When next year’s show approaches, you’ll be old friends.
By following these simple post-show practices all of your pre-show planning and post-show follow up will be worth the effort. You’ll reap the benefits when your show attendance makes a difference long after the show floor closed.
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