The Booth Mom’s Hot Button: Why a Business Card is NOT a Lead

June 1, 2017

Candy Adams

Candy Adams, aka “The Booth Mom®,” is a hands-on trade show exhibit project manager and trainer. She helps exhibitors maximize the return on their exhibit investment using the best strategic, tactical and training practices. 

I was recently reading a trade show industry blog and one of my pet peeves jumped out and grabbed me. My blood pressure immediately shot up. It was an article on how an exhibitor enticed attendees to drop off their business cards in a bucket at their exhibit to win a TV and how wonderful it was to get so many more trade show leads. The only problem is, the cards – that they called “leads” – had no known connection whatsoever with the card owner having any interest at all in their product.

I hate to be the one to break the bad news to the exhibitors who do this, but what they have are not leads. They have business cards….and they are NOT the same as leads!

Having a fishbowl in your exhibit gathering business cards for a high-ticket item raffle is not exactly qualifying show suspects into prospects (the one exception is if your product is what you’re raffling off, which usually isn’t the case). What you do have is a bucket full of cards of contestants who want to get something for free. 

Now don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with collecting business cards if your objective is to, say, populate a database for a mailing list and you mark the business card bucket with a sign that says, “Want to be added to our mailing list? Drop your business card here__.”  Then you’re on the right track and meeting your objective.

But if you’re working with your sales force to get them accurate, complete qualifying information they can use to contact prospects after the show and turn those prospects into customers, just gathering business cards is downright counterproductive. In their eyes, it brings down the value of all the leads you present them since there is little value in just contact information. You’ve polluted your entire lead pool by pawning off general attendee contact information they could have gotten buying an industry mailing list. You’ve also wasted a lot of your sales team’s valuable time.

Common elements of a qualified lead

If you asked your sales staff what information they need to turn a trade show contact into a warm call worth making after the show, they’ll probably list most of these things:

1. Accurate contact information, including correct title and verified phone number and email address

2. A decision-making role in influencing, recommending or purchasing the type of product or service you’re selling

3. Which product(s) or service(s) the prospect expressed an interest in

4. An expressed need for your solution to solve their specific problem

5. The timeframe when the prospect needs your solution

6. The budget available for acquiring your solution

7. A desire for a specific post-show follow-up (email, catalog, phone call, demo, proposal, etc.), with a timeframe attached (call by June 15, email catalog URL immediately, add to e-newsletter database before Q2 mailing, etc.)

I can’t remember the last time I saw any of this information on a business card. It’s not on my card. How about yours?

So, I guess there is a difference between a business card and a “hot” qualified lead.

The Wheat from the Chaff

And, if you’re serious about sorting out your real prospects from your “trick or treaters” at a show who just want to score your giveaway, add a final question to your lead form. A simple yes or no answer will do the trick to cull out at least 30 percent of the “bag people” who have no real interest in your product. Add the final qualifying statement: “I’m only here for the giveaway. No follow-up required.  Yes    No”

Your next stop should be straight to the circular file with those who checked “Yes!”

Your sales force will love you for not burying them in contestants or swag collectors, and you’ll be a hero for saving them time and effort!

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.