Ways to keep track of sales contacts at networking events

Businesses have become more connected to their customers as a result of technological advancements. Meeting new people at various business conferences and networking events, on the other hand, never goes out of style; the human touch always triumphs!

When it comes to converting sales leads into functioning and long-term business relationships, the true difficulty arises.

While sales teams generally develop greater contacts at networking events, they are often unaware of the eventual goal. The goal is to obtain references and begin filling up that sales funnel in order to generate much-needed income.

Sixty-two percent of businesses do not follow up with their leads promptly after events.

Prospecting in a conference hall full of strangers might be intimidating, but you must remember how to handle the circumstance and use it to your advantage. Here are five suggestions for sales professionals to use during these networking events in order to build a successful relationship.

Returning with only business cards will not be a fruitful action unless you can generate a clientele!

Keeping track of sales contacts at networking events

During an event, here are some pointers on how to maintain track of sales leads.

Make use of social media

Pre- and post-event activities are frequently tracked via social media. They are also a place where a lot happens during the event itself. There are live streams, tweets, images, and a plethora of comments to be found. Follow the hashtag for your event (if you have one). To determine the most active attendees, count the number of posts, comments, and mentions. Those who use social media may be interested in what you have to say. They have the potential to become your future consumers.

Take advantage of gamification

Using games, quests, and challenges to engage and activate guests is a terrific method to do it. Create an event game to use as a lead generation tool. Contests can be combined with modern technologies like beacons or QR codes. Quizzes and contests are not only entertaining, but they also provide a wealth of information about the contestants. Check how many people show up for the game. To get the big picture, use an event platform to measure the amount of engagement among participants. A player's likelihood of becoming a leader increases as their level of engagement increases. Set a sensible goal and monitor the game's performance in real-time.

Beacons and floor sensors

The usage of beacons is another way to track leads. When it comes to navigation and engagement, these little Bluetooth Low Energy devices are really beneficial. This Bluetooth smart technology may also identify attendees' gadgets and track the length of time they spend at your stall. When used in conjunction with the mobile app, beacons can identify individual attendees. With this information, you can predict which of the attendees will become potential leads. Always double-check with the organizer to see if this technology is available. Floor sensors are pressure-sensitive mats that track how much people walk.

They provide you with information about the participants' journeys. It keeps track of how long they stay at each location. They may not provide precise information on prospects' identities, but they will provide you with an indication of the popularity of your booth.

Give something away free of cost

Giveaways and special incentives are popular among consumers. Prepare a unique discount code or a link with a unique UTM for consumers to utilize in order to receive something special from your organization. It may be an e-book, a discount, a free consultation, or something else entirely. Check how many event attendees used this code in the weeks after the event. This will show you exactly how many sales leads you've produced as a result of this event.

After (or during) the event, connect on LinkedIn

When you're given a business card at a networking event, jot down a few notes on the card to assist you in remembering what you talked about or what you learned from the person. When you go home from the event, go to LinkedIn and look up the person and send them a connection request. You send short messages and refer back to what I wrote on their business card. Send an email to those who aren't on LinkedIn, thanking them for their time and inviting them to join me on LinkedIn. Then recycle the card, and you'll be able to keep track of what they're up to once they're connected.

Contact the customer success team if you have any questions

Some of the people in attendance may already be your customers. You must remove them from the lead pool in order to keep a healthy sales lead tracking. If you don't have access to such a tool, your customer success team is the finest source of information. Always double-check with them whether the leads you're not sure about are clients or not. To communicate information, use email, a messaging app, or a company CRM.