Is the classic paper contact form filled out in pencil no longer useful? We say YES to digital lead capture!

“...many companies are still using the classic paper forms to capture leads at trade shows. Now is the time to change that!”

At last, everybody is talking about trade fairs again. And with this also arises the question of how best to organize the processes at events and, above all, how best to capture and take advantage of the long-awaited leads.

The lead pipeline digitalization, from the initial contact until the transfer to the CRM system, has no limits – whether for capturing leads via an app, for establishing digital contacts and questionnaires, and ultimately for faster follow-up at trade fairs.

Let's say we could impress our prospects and customers right from the start using an all-digital format – that would be great. The prospect's data would be recorded directly with the business card scanner or a customer's data could be checked in the database everywhere. In addition, a digitized questionnaire could be used, which would be addressed to different target groups (e.g. interested/existing customers or by sector).

Thanks to the digitalized workflow, you can also guarantee fast data processing after the trade fair: automatically generated customized follow-up e-mails, sending business proposals or appointment suggestions. In this way, you will offer your (potential) customers a professional appearance and a positive experience right from the start.

Digitalizing the lead pipeline

Leonhard Kemnitzer advocates taking a structured approach when selecting and implementing software to cover as many needs as possible. After all, it is known that there are many differences in terms of features and licensing models. A standard project involving participants from marketing, sales, IT, and others is useful to outline the entire lead acquisition process and analyze the progress of the trade fair. In this way, it is possible to check: Who does what, when, and with which interfaces. Afterward, the fields of application and scope of functions should also be specified (such as national and/or international events, the types and number of licenses and the devices to be used.)

The experienced marketing manager also recommends talking directly to users about the preferred software solution. Advice and lessons learned, especially concerning support, can be helpful in the decision-making process. It is recommended to perform several tests as part of the project in the same way as is done with cost transparency. Normally, an investment of this type is made up of initial costs and operating costs. Therefore, internal costs and resources need to be considered.

In the case of Baumüller Nürnberg GmbH, snapADDY VisitReport was chosen. The speed and the elimination of many manual steps convinced the Nuremberg-based company, as did the direct data import into their Salesforce CRM, of course. Along with implementation and rollout, snapADDY also personally supported extensive training on the software.

At the first trade fair, Leonhard Kemnitzer again trained the booth staff, supported directly from there by snapADDY, and the users of the new lead capture software got verbal and practical support and correct use of the app was ensured.

Regarding extensive notes at meetings, Leonhard Kemnitzer advises, for example, in the case of industrial products, to install terminals at the booth. In this way, drawings and longer notes can be made quickly using a keyboard or laptop, since snapADDY VisitReport can also be used via a Windows app.

Practical tip: You can find our product requirements list for a lead management software here.