In our socially connected world, it’s good to know that a little face time goes a long way. In fact, a new study from Sagefrog Marketing Group found that events and trade shows deliver the highest return on investment for B2B marketers.
“Most of our B2B clients rely on trade shows and events as a primary source of high-quality leads and high-value deals” Mark Schmukler, managing partner at Sagefrog, told FierceCMO.
Sagefrog’s report “2013 B2B Marketing Mix Survey” found that 36 percent of B2B marketers said trade shows and events get the most ROI, followed by online marketing at 33 percent and email marketing, coming in at 21 percent.
And many companies report that they boost the effectiveness of trade show marketing even more by incorporating customer feedback surveys into the mix.
Ask Before You Exhibit
When planning your company’s trade show or event presence, considering surveying potential attendees to learn what they want to experience. Some questions to consider:
- What is your goal in attending the show?
- What trade publications do you read?
- May we send you a mailer or add you to our email list?
Get Them Engaged During the Event
Meeting-and-greeting potential customers who are visiting your exhibit is a prime time to ask them for their opinions about your company brand or product offerings. Try these questions to gain feedback:
- Did you know about our company before today?
- Have you used our products/services before?
- What prompted you to visit our booth today?
Foster the Connection Post-Event
Don’t lose the momentum you built at the trade show by letting new leads go cold. When you return to your office, follow up with the prospects you met. You can foster this relationship with questions such as:
- What did you learn about our company?
- May we send you a mailer or add you to our email list?
- What other trade shows do you attend?
One more tip: Try offering survey-takers a reward for sharing their feedback. Promotional products that brand your company can reinforce the goodwill you have built up.
