Independent research conducted by event technology provider RefTech has found that 62 per cent of exhibitors do not follow up on leads collected at a show.
The research was conducted at a major international business tourism exhibition. RefTech created a fake event management company – complete with website, business cards and a request for proposal (RFP) for an international event – then visited 106 stands belonging to a range of suppliers, destinations and venues.
The visitor approached the exhibiting personnel, explained the event brief, left a business card, asked for their badge to be scanned and requested more information after the exhibition.
Of the 38 per cent of exhibitors who did follow up on the interaction, 19 per cent responded with a personalised email and 19 per cent simply added the visitor’s details to a mailing list.
Seven stands completely ignored the visitor, despite them standing waiting for around five minutes.
Having a scanner helped; of the companies that scanned the visitor’s badge, 50 per cent followed up post-show.
Simon Clayton, chief ideas officer, RefTech, commented: “Our research shows that exhibitors still aren’t getting the basics right. There are so many tech products being promoted to help exhibition organisers and exhibitors, but they need to concentrate on the basics – simply to follow up on leads generated from attending. This research is not in isolation; it echoes results from past research we have conducted at events and personal experience too.
“Recently I visited a stand at a tech exhibition and was genuinely interested in placing an order for an expensive piece of tech, but the sales person didn’t follow up so I ended up purchasing it from a competitor instead.
“I’m saddened by this but not surprised. Why would a company pay thousands to exhibit and then not react to the leads generated from the activity? It’s madness.”
