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Laziest Trade Show Followup Ever

Heads up for exhibitors: Here's a good example of what not to do when following up leads after a trade show.

I just received what may just be the laziest trade show followup I've ever gotten, and that's saying something. The email subject line was, "Did we meet at [recent show]?" and the body of the email greeted me, who did not attend said recent show, by name, and again asked if we had a chance to meet at the show. It added, "We had a great time but unfortunately it wasn't enough time to meet everyone. If we didn't connect in [recent show city], we'd love to chat with you about how events can benefit from [our product]."

Exhibitors, don't do this. Ever. It shows that you're not only too lazy to pay attention to the leads you collected at the show—or maybe you didn't bother to ask who the people were that you did talk with?—you can't even take a moment to check whether the person you're sending your message to was on that show's attendee list (I unfortunately haven't been able to get to this one for several years, so I also have to wonder what list they were working off of). Oh, and by the way, I'm with the media and not a potential client even if I had attended and had met with them, something that would be obvious if they checked the title field. In the age of big data being used for increasing personalization in communications of all kinds, it's downright bizarre to see companies not at least doing the bare minimum. Oh well, at least they got my name right...

I hear all the time about all the great new ways show organizers can support exhibitors with more, and more nuanced, data, but then I hit this laziness wall and think that some can't, or don't seem to care to, even get the basics right, much less deal with heat-mapping dwell time data. Event profs, do you offer any training to help exhibitors understand how to be more effective in collecting leads and doing post-show followup? Do you feel comfortable asking questions about what they may be doing/not doing that results in their not getting a good return on investment when they come back with complaints? 

I'll get off my soapbox now, but the flood of inappropriate marketing I get pre- and post-industry meetings just makes me crazy sometimes—especially when it screams just how uninterested the company actually is in getting my business. I don't understand why they bother. If anyone can explain it as anything other than sheer laziness, please enlighten me!

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