Capturing leads at events using your CRM
Have you ever left an in-person event with a handful of business cards, vague memories of conversations, and a mountain of admin to tackle? It’s easy to let potential leads fall-through the cracks when you’re not strategising return on investment for every event you attend. According to a study, a mere 6% of trade show exhibitors are confident in their ability to effectively convert leads at a trade show. As a B2B business, we know how important it is to make an event worthwhile when you’re spending money on sometimes expensive exhibitor and sponsorship costs.
Whether you’re attending a trade show, industry expo, or product launch, engaging with potential customers face-to-face can be a powerful business development tool, but only if it’s done right. Let’s face it: paper forms, fishbowls full of business cards, and disconnected contact lists are outdated. But what’s the modern approach? Event lead capture technology integrated with your CRM system to reduce manual data entry and lost leads.
Let’s break down what this means and why you need it for the upcoming expo and event season:
What is event lead capture technology?
Event lead capture technology refers to digital tools and software that allow businesses to collect, manage, and follow up with leads during and after live events. These tools can scan badges, collect contact data via forms or tablets, and sync seamlessly with CRM systems to avoid manual data entry.
The goal is simple: eliminate friction in the lead capture process and ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks.
Why CRM Integration Matters
The real magic happens when your lead capture tool for events integrates directly with your CRM. Platforms like EspoCRM and SugarCRM make this possible with robust APIs and third-party integrations. This connection means that every lead you collect at an event can be automatically categorised, and assigned for follow-up in real-time.
Top tips for capturing leads at events digitally
1. Use a digital lead capture tool
Say goodbye to the physical business card method and choose a digital lead capture tool for events that allows lead information to go directly into your CRM. This can be done through:
- Custom form creation: Collect lead information via webforms that sync with your CRM
- Offline data collection: Even without Wi-Fi, you can collect leads on mobile devices and sync them later on
2. Pre-define lead qualification criteria
Know what makes a lead “hot” before the event. Program your form with qualifying questions (e.g., budget, timeframe, interest level) to help your team prioritise follow-up.
Marketing automation tools like Mautic can be used to score leads based on criteria and behaviour, syncing directly with your CRM.
3. Enable real-time syncing
If your event venue has reliable internet, enable real-time syncing with your CRM. This ensures sales can take immediate action, sometimes before the lead even leaves your booth, and marketing can plan any personalised campaigns based on the lead’s unique requirements.
4. Train your event team
Tech is only as effective as the people using it. Train your reps to engage meaningfully, use the event lead capture technology confidently, and tag leads correctly in the system. It takes one person to collect a lead incorrectly, and you lose prospects and forget those valuable conversations forever.
5. Automate post-event workflows
With CRM integration, set up automated sequences to follow up with leads:
- Send a “Nice to meet you” email from the assigned sales rep
- Deliver relevant content based on the conversation at the event
- Assign to the right sales rep based on criteria
Ready to upgrade your event game?
Events are goldmines for potential customers. By leveraging smart event lead capture tools integrated with powerful CRM systems like EspoCRM or SugarCRM, you can make every handshake count.
So, the next time you’re planning a trade show booth or product launch, skip the clipboards and go digital! Automate your process and start capturing leads at events the way modern businesses do.
Attending an upcoming event and wanting to plan your lead capture strategy better? enable.services can help your team set up custom integrations, forms, and a strategy to ensure your event leads are properly managed and followed up. Contact us today.
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👉Read the full study by Trade Show labs to learn how many businesses convert from trade shows
