You've just wrapped up an exhibition. Your booth is packed away, your feet are sore, and you have a stack of business cards and a head full of conversations. But here's the truth: the real work begins now.
Most exhibitors treat the end of an event as the finish line, but successful companies know it's actually the starting point. What you do in the days and weeks following an exhibition will determine whether your investment pays off or fizzles out. Here's your step-by-step guide to maximizing every connection you made.
Day 1-2: Strike While the Iron Is Hot
Organize Your Leads Immediately
Before anything else, sort through all the contacts you collected. Create categories based on priority: hot leads who expressed immediate interest, warm prospects who need nurturing, and general contacts for future reference. The longer you wait, the hazier your memory of each conversation becomes.
Send Personalized Follow-Up Emails
This is not the time for generic mass emails. Reference specific conversations you had at the booth. Mention the problem they shared or the solution they were interested in. Send these emails within 24-48 hours while your company is still fresh in their minds.
Week 1: Build on the Momentum
Deliver on Your Promises
Did you promise to send a brochure, quote, or additional information? Do it now. Every promise kept builds trust, and every forgotten commitment erodes it.
Connect on LinkedIn
Send personalized connection requests that reference your meeting at the exhibition. This keeps the relationship growing and ensures you stay visible in their professional network.
Schedule Follow-Up Calls
For your hottest leads, don't just email—get them on the phone. Propose specific times and make it easy for them to say yes. A 15-minute call can accomplish more than a dozen emails.
Week 2-3: Measure and Analyze
Calculate Your ROI
Look at the hard numbers: how many leads did you generate? What's the potential value of your pipeline? Compare this to your exhibition costs (booth fees, travel, staff time, materials). This data will inform whether you should attend this event again.
Gather Team Feedback
Your booth staff experienced the event firsthand. What worked? What didn't? Which messaging resonated? Which booth elements attracted the most attention? Document these insights for future exhibitions.
Survey Your Leads
Consider sending a brief survey to attendees you connected with. Ask what they found valuable about the exhibition and what would make them more likely to do business with you. The responses might surprise you.
Month 1-2: Nurture the Relationship
Add Leads to Your Marketing Funnel
Integrate exhibition contacts into your email marketing system with appropriate tags so you can send relevant content. They've already shown interest—keep providing value.
Create Event-Specific Content
Write a blog post or create a video summarizing key takeaways from the exhibition. Share insights from conversations or industry trends you noticed. Tag people you met and invite them to share their perspectives.
Plan Your Next Touchpoint
Not everyone will be ready to buy immediately. Create a schedule for staying in touch: a helpful article next month, a relevant case study in two months, an invitation to a webinar in three months. Consistency is key.
Long-Term: Build Sustainable Relationships
Track Outcomes
As leads convert (or don't), track which came from the exhibition. Understanding your true conversion rate from events helps you make smarter decisions about future participation.
Request Testimonials
When exhibition leads become customers, ask them to share their experience. These testimonials are powerful for attracting future clients and can even help you secure better booth locations at the next event.
Plan Ahead
If the event was successful, reserve your spot for next year early. Popular locations get claimed fast, and early commitment often comes with discounts.
The Bottom Line
An exhibition is an investment, and like any investment, it requires active management to generate returns. The companies that succeed at trade shows aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest booths or the flashiest giveaways—they're the ones who follow up consistently and strategically.
Your competition is probably letting their leads go cold right now. By taking action while others are procrastinating, you're not just following up—you're standing out.
The connections you made at that exhibition have potential. What you do next determines whether that potential becomes profit.