In the experiential marketing arena often the goal of clients is to increase sales of a particular product or service they provide. The greatest question we receive from our clients is: “How to improve lead numbers at events?” The mechanism of streamlining positive communication along with positive consumer awareness of a product is the first step of promoting a sale, however the hardest part of connecting a consumer with a product is the follow up after that experience. The sales team can write the pathway for the post event follow up with the consumer, and the mechanism for that sales tool for your brand is lead generation. 

Lead generation is the process of attracting and converting these guest prospects into someone who has indicated interest in your company’s product or service. An example of these sources for leads can include blog posts, coupons, online email sign ups or live events. During a live event your sales team may not be able to reach out to every person that passes by---that’s where our event staff can be of assistance to pursue those positive engagements. With each conversation a need is created, an interest developed, and your business product is described to that potential consumer. When our event staff converse with someone and they express interest in purchasing a product, that is when lead generation comes to be a keystone in your business follow up. 

Often people travel from far away places to attend live events, or they may be local to that area. That is the beauty of live events; your potential customer audience can be from many different backgrounds! This myriad of consumers avoids pigeonholing your brand, and expanding the sales for the future. Below we discuss the key components of lead generation and why they are important.

• Attracting potential consumers. Through marketing outlets your brand has decided to utilize, your brand is now being marketed to potential customers and therefore moving towards the goal of a sale. Blog keywords, email marketing, search engine optimization, and live events are examples of marketing towards people who are candidates for having a need that can be alleviated by your brand. Live events with attendees is an example of an area where leads can be cultivated. 

• Converting strangers to visitors. Certainly this is the most crucial component of consumer engagement. Anyone can walk by a booth at a trade show, anyone can search for something on the internet, and anyone can view an advertisement or commercial for a product. The game changer for a brand is creating rapport with that guest, take for instance at a live event, and building a relationship and relevance with them. Brand ambassadors that specialize in lead generation can manifest those warm leads along with cultivating new relationships with potential customers. During this phase of marketing the actual information of that individual is gathered, in what we call the true act of lead generation.

• Closing the deal. Through the information gathered by a brand ambassador, your business then follows up with them in a method that works best to that person. Often brands send follow up emails, physical mailers to the address, or call them by telephone to open the conversation. Often at live events coupons are given to these individuals as well, which is a great common ground to implement a follow up. Once these follow ups have been directed by your brand the sale is potentially completed. 

• Delight the customer. Once your product or service has been delivered to the customer, a way to appreciate and acknowledge gratitude of business is to follow up additionally with that customer. Surveys after usage of the product, rating systems on the service and speed of your brand, or even mailers to incentivize referral and repeat customers are often used. Your relationship with a customer does not have to end once the business transaction has been completed, it often can be the platform for a much longer lasting relationship.

Lead generation is crucial to any business, whether they are new to the market or long standing in any industry. This tactic is key to help manifest new sales within a target market. When your brand attends a conference or trade show, help ignite those conversations and streamline the business process of closing a sale by improving your use of lead generations. Event staff through Backwoods Promotions increases likelihood of conversing with more attendees, and finding the right potential customer for your business. 

We encourage all brands with goals to increase their visibility at trade shows to contact us, and see if event staff would be a right fit for them. To hire brand ambassadors with lead generation experience contact us now. We look forward to elevating your brand at your next event!