Key points in 30 seconds
- Set a quantified objective: qualified meetings, not cards collected.
- Book meetings with your target accounts before the fair.
- Qualify every contact on the stand with three questions.
- Follow up within 48 hours with a personalised message.
Before: six weeks of preparation
- Objective: for example 25 qualified meetings and 5 proposals in the following month.
- List of target exhibitors and visitors, from the organiser's catalogue.
- Invitations: a personal message two to three weeks before, with a proposed slot.
- Fair offer: a diagnostic, a demo or a condition reserved for meetings booked on site.
During: qualify, don't collect
On the stand, each conversation should answer three questions: what is the need, who decides, by when. Record answers immediately in an app or form connected to the CRM. A business card without a note is almost useless the following Monday.
| Category | Criterion | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Hot | Need, decision-maker, short timeline | Meeting booked on site |
| Warm | Need identified, timeline unclear | Send a resource, follow up in 2 weeks |
| Cold | Curiosity | Newsletter |
After: follow up within 48 hours
Memories of the fair fade fast. Send every hot and warm contact a message recalling your specific conversation, with the next step. Schedule further follow-ups in the CRM.
Measuring return on investment
Add up the costs (stand, materials, travel, time). Track for six months the meetings, proposals and contracts from the fair, tagged as such in the CRM. It is the only way to decide whether to go back.
Choosing the right trade show
Not all trade shows are equal for a B2B SME. Before booking a stand, check four points:
| Criterion | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Visitors | What share of visitors matches your target (role, sector, size)? Ask for the previous edition's report. |
| Exhibitors | Do your clients and prospects exhibit? They are contacts to meet too. |
| Market | Does the show attract the countries you target (Tunisia, the Gulf, Europe)? |
| Format | Are there scheduled business meetings, talks, a matchmaking app? |
A smaller but highly targeted show often produces more meetings than a large general one.
Designing a stand that attracts the right visitors
- A message readable from five metres: what you do and for whom, in one sentence.
- Visible proof: a client figure, a reference logo, a live demo.
- A space to talk: a table and two chairs work better than a counter that creates a barrier.
- A trained team: everyone knows the three qualifying questions and how to record the answers.
Avoid giveaways handed to everyone: they attract the curious, not buyers.
Preparing the stand team
Hold a one-hour meeting the week before. Assign roles: who welcomes visitors, who runs demos, who handles scheduled meetings. Train everyone to open with a question about the visitor rather than a company pitch: "What brings you to the show this year?" Schedule breaks to keep the team available and friendly all day.
Tools to capture contacts
A form on a tablet or phone, connected to the CRM, avoids re-entry and lost business cards. Each record contains the three qualifying answers, the category (hot, warm, cold) and a free note on the conversation. If the organiser provides a badge scanner, still add a note: a name alone says nothing about the need. With a CRM such as Elafy, records created at the show automatically trigger the planned follow-ups.
Example of a post-show sequence
- Day 1 or 2: a personalised email to each hot contact, recalling the conversation and confirming the meeting.
- Day 3: a message to warm contacts with the promised resource (case study, guide, pricing).
- Week 2: a call or WhatsApp message to warm contacts to propose a conversation.
- Week 3: a LinkedIn post about the show, mentioning the topics discussed.
- Month 2: cold contacts added to the newsletter, with their consent.
For writing follow-ups, see our guide on follow-up sequences.
Calculating cost per meeting
Divide the total cost of the show by the number of qualified meetings obtained, then by the number of contracts signed within six months. Compare these figures with the acquisition cost of your other channels: LinkedIn prospecting, advertising, referrals. A show may seem expensive yet remain profitable if a single contract covers several years of participation. Conversely, a show that produces no contract over two editions should be replaced.
The costliest mistakes
- Arriving with no scheduled meetings and relying on passing traffic.
- Collecting hundreds of cards without qualification.
- Following up two weeks later, when visitors have forgotten the conversation.
- Not tagging opportunities from the show in the CRM.
- Sending the same generic email to every contact.
Our business development support helps prepare the show and organise contact follow-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you win customers at a trade fair?
By booking meetings with target accounts before the fair, qualifying each contact on the stand and following up within 48 hours with a personalised message.
What should you do with business cards after a fair?
Enter them in the CRM with notes from the conversation, sort contacts by level of interest and schedule a follow-up for each.
How do you measure a trade fair's profitability?
By comparing the fair's total cost with revenue from resulting contracts, tracked in the CRM over several months.
How far in advance should you prepare for a trade show?
At least six weeks to set the objective, build the target list and send invitations. For an international show, allow two to three months.
Should you exhibit or just visit a trade show?
Visiting with scheduled meetings costs less and is a good way to test a show. Exhibiting makes sense when your target attends in numbers and you have an offer to demonstrate.