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How to capture leads at trade shows: before, at the stand and after

Trade show lead generation is three jobs: preparing before the show, capturing every real conversation at the stand, and following up while the visitor still remembers you. Most leads are lost in the first and the third. Here is a routine for each.

The routine in eight steps

  1. Decide what a lead is

    Write down who counts: a person with a need, a say in the decision and a next step. Everyone else is a contact.

  2. Prepare the material

    Have brochures ready in the languages of your visitors, so that you can send the right one at once.

  3. Agree one routine

    Pick one way to capture, one grade rule and one list for the whole team, before the doors open.

  4. Capture within a minute

    Record the lead while the visitor is still at the stand, not in the evening.

  5. Write down the one thing that matters

    One sentence about the need, the timing or the promise. It is what makes the call useful later.

  6. Grade on the spot

    Give every lead an A, B or C while the conversation is fresh, using the rule you agreed.

  7. Follow up within two days

    Send the material and a short message at once, and call the A leads first.

  8. Review after 30 days

    Count the replies, meetings and deals by show, and keep or drop the show on that evidence.

Before the show

  • Invite the customers and prospects you already know to the stand, and book meetings for the A accounts.
  • Tell people on your website, in your email signature and on LinkedIn where you will be.
  • Have a reason to stop: a demo, a sample or a question, not only a bowl of sweets.
  • Brief the team on the questions to ask and the grade rule.

At the stand

  • Ask one open question before you pitch.
  • Capture every real conversation. A business card scan takes seconds, and a spoken note keeps the detail.
  • Send the brochure while the visitor is there, so it arrives when they still care. Followbooth does this by WhatsApp or email.
  • Say what happens next and when, and write it on the lead.

After the show

  • Send the first message within one to two working days.
  • Call the A leads first, then send material to the B leads and a thank-you to the C leads.
  • Use the templates for the first message, a reminder and a light touch.
  • Review the show after 30 days: leads, meetings, deals and cost.

Where Followbooth fits

Followbooth covers the middle step: scan the card, say one sentence, and the brochure goes to the visitor by WhatsApp or email in their language, while you give the lead a grade.

  1. Scan the card

    Point the phone camera at the card. AI reads name, company, email and phone. Printed name badges work too.

  2. Say what you talked about

    Hold a button and speak for a few seconds. The note is transcribed and saved with the lead.

  3. It goes out

    If the number is on WhatsApp, the brochures go there. If not, they go by email. Files are picked by the visitor's language.

  4. Call the right people first

    Each lead gets a short company brief, an A, B or C grade and a suggested way to open the call.

What Followbooth does not do today

No native CRM connectors yet (CSV export, an API, webhooks and Zapier instead), no badge barcode scanning, and the native apps are not in the stores yet: the iPhone app, which works without signal, is in testing, and the Android app is coming to Google Play. In the browser, reading a card needs a connection. WhatsApp messages go out from your team's own linked number; an official WhatsApp Business route is planned.

Prices

Start free with 10 business card scans, no card needed. Prices exclude VAT.

Event Pass: €149 per show
Up to 3 people and 300 leads, with access for 30 days after the show. For teams that exhibit a few times a year.
Team Annual: €790 per year
Up to 5 people, unlimited shows and 1,500 leads a year, then €0.30 per lead. Includes QR file groups for every show and a data processing agreement.

Questions about capturing leads

How many leads should I expect from a trade show?

It depends on the show, your stand and how many conversations your team can have. Count conversations that matter, not contacts, and compare shows with the same measure.

What is the best way to capture leads at a trade show?

The best way is the one the whole team uses on every conversation. A scan of the business card plus a one-sentence note is fast and keeps the detail. A paper form is cheap but has to be typed in later.

Should I capture leads on paper or with an app?

Paper works without a signal and a battery. An app saves the typing and lets you send material at once. Use the one you will keep using at the end of a long day.

When should I follow up after a trade show?

Within one to two working days for the first message. A call to your best leads can come the same day.

Related pages

Try it at your next show

Start free: 10 business card scans, no card needed.

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