these leads to sit in a pile on your desk until you get a chance to deal with them. Make a plan before the show so that you have a follow-up system in place to touch base with these prospects in a timely manner. Write a short message on a template that can be customized, so you can send emails to prospects within days of the show. Be sure to personalize the message with a note specifically related to their needs.
Assign follow-up days to each prospect based on the quality of the lead, so the people with the highest potential for turning into a new client will be contacted quickly. Rating prospects on a scale of 1 to 10, while you’re at the show, will make this process smoother later on.
When you call these people, learn more about their challenges by asking open-ended questions, and as you match your product to their needs, you can also eliminate barriers to the sale.
In this economic climate, sales are taking longer to close, so you need to continue nurturing those leads to keep your company on their radar. Mail them articles that would be of interest to them, and email them information on emerging trends in your industry. These personalized messages should include concise information that is compelling and relevant to that buyer. Be sure to tailor them to where the prospect is in the buying cycle.
Nurturing leads is critical to closing more sales. Even high quality leads will go dormant and become lost revenue if you don’t maintain contact with them.