Lead Capture 101: How Captivate Helps You Expertly Qualify and Convert Trade Show Attendees

Trade shows provide unparalleled opportunities to connect with prospects and customers. But generating leads is only step one - you need strategies to capture contact details and nurture attendees into sales. This process takes preparation and diligence.

As lead generation experts, our team at Captivate has mastered the art of qualifying and converting high-value leads. With over a decade of trade show experience, we share insider tips to drive results.

The key is to have a system to gauge interest levels during booth conversations, allowing you to prioritise follow-ups so hot prospects get immediate attention.

Here are our top exhibitor tips for maximising lead capture and conversion:

Tip 1: Train Booth Staff on Qualifying Techniques

Provide proven questioning strategies to help staff prioritise engaged visitors from the casual. For example, at Captivate, we can coach your exhibitor staff on asking visitors targeted questions to gauge budget, decision-making authority, timeline for solutions, and current challenges. They can categorise visitors as hot, warm, or cold leads based on responses.

Tip 2: Use Lead Retrieval Tools to Capture Details

We advise clients to use the latest lead retrieval apps and technologies to gather data seamlessly. Options like tapped badges, QR code scanning, and mobile lead capture apps allow gathering visitor contact info without interrupting conversations. Most importantly, ensuring your CRM integrates smoothly with these tools for organised lead data is essential.

Tip 3: Categorise Leads Based on Buyer Stage

At Captivate, we demonstrate how to grade leads A, B, and C and handle each tier appropriately. For instance, we may categorise engaged decision-makers as "A" leads and follow up quickly with a capabilities presentation. More tentative prospects go in the "B" and "C" tiers for lighter nurturing.

Tip 4: Create a Process for Organized Follow-Up

At Captivate, we advise developing customised follow-up cadences mapped to each lead tier and valuable content that nurtures leads after the show.

For example, We may recommend sending "A" leads relevant case studies, whereas "B" leads get product update emails. It is essential to construct a drip campaign for each tier.

Tip 5: Continue Nurturing Post-Show

After the show, it is important to have procedures to keep in touch and nurture prospective leads. We suggest crafting compelling long-form posts by leading with a strong hook, utilising an easy-to-scan subheader structure, injecting personal perspectives, leveraging storytelling and research to back up expertise, elaborating on core arguments tied to a central theme, inserting relevant visuals to add engagement, closing with a call to action, and editing concisely - all to provide value to readers while positioning the author as an authority worth following.

At Captivate, we have a saying, "It’s not just gathering lead details. You need a systematic approach for qualifying, tracking and nurturing leads based on sales potential." Our team can help every step of the way

For hands-on expertise designing high-converting lead generation for your next trade show, contact the pros at Captivate. Our customised strategies deliver proven results.