How to Qualify Leads at your Trade Show or Vendor Fair

Now that you have a display complete with graphics that attract customers, it is time to generate and qualify leads from the visitors to your booth.

It's important to stay approachable and friendly, and acknowledge a visitor to your booth within the first minute of their approach.

Watch their body language, and if they make eye contact and seem interested, engage them in conversation. You won't have time to have go in depth with everyone, but be sure to spend time with the most interested people.

Create lead forms to collect names, addresses, phone numbers and/or email addresses of interested prospects. You can collect business cards as well.

Rate or code each prospect with a letter in the upper corner of each form as you collect them: A-hot lead, B-warm lead, or C-cold lead

An "A" or a "hot lead" is someone who is ready to buy what you are offering, and has the money to do so. A "B" or a "warm lead" is interested, but may not be ready to buy right away. A "C" or "cold lead" is someone on the list who you may not have talked to, or is only slightly interested.

Don't wait too long before contacting your prospects, or they may forget about you, or even go with another company. Follow up with the A's first. Send a hand-written thank you note for taking time to chat with you and maybe enclose an offer. Or, just call them and see how you can help and ask for a meeting. Do the same for the B's and C's. When you make the effort to show a prospect you appreciate them, it will set you apart for the competition, and they will think of you when they are ready to buy.