13 Easy Ways to Connect with Clients (and Improve Your Exhibiting ROI)

One of the fastest ways for exhibitors to improve their trade show ROI (return on investment) is to expand their focus, beyond generating quality leads or raising awareness for new offerings, to prioritize connecting with current clients. In this article, I’ll outline 13 easy ways you can accomplish this goal.

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Trade shows provide nearly limitless opportunities to the exhibitors who approach them with the right strategies in mind. However, for many exhibitors, the opportunity to maintain and strengthen relationships with current clients is at the top of their “taken for granted” list. Although they know it’s significantly less expensive to keep a current client than it is to acquire a new client and although they know that coming up with relevant reasons to keep in touch with current clients can be a challenge for their teams, it doesn't even occur to these exhibitors to include their current clients in their trade show efforts.

IMAGE: A quick "after hours" selfie at one of my clients' trade shows - see #12 below.

So, let’s walk through 13 easy ways you can prioritize current clients while exhibiting at your next trade show:

1 – Be Aware of Your Current Client List

As you progress through your preparations for your next event, start by sorting through your list of current clients: determine who you know that is based in the immediate area (surrounding your event), who you know that is based between your office and the convention city, and who you know that may already planning to attend your trade show.

If you don’t know who your clients are (and if you haven’t conveyed this information to the booth staff who will be representing you in the convention city), it will be difficult to make those clients believe that they are a priority to you.

2 – Contact Local Clients who aren't Currently Planning to Attend Your Trade Show

To accommodate clients who are based in the convention city, but who aren't currently planning to attend your trade show, you should reach out to let them know when you’ll be in town. Then, explain what you’ll be doing and invite your local clients to attend the trade show as your guest (check with your Show Management to see if you’re eligible for any free guest passes) or to attend an evening reception you’re hosting/sponsoring or, if you can’t make either of the other options work, to schedule another time (outside of booth hours) to meet with you in person.

3 – Consider Extending Your Trip to Meet with Other Clients along the Way

To accommodate clients who are based between your office and the convention city, but aren’t planning to attend your trade show, consider extending your trip by a day or two. Choosing to drive (rather than fly) to your event’s location may make it even easier for you to squeeze in additional meetings along the way. So, although you may miss your airline miles, your clients will appreciate your extra effort in providing personal, face-to-face attention and your finance department will appreciate the budget conscious way you are accomplishing so many client visits over the course of one extended trip.

4 – Personalize Pre-Show Marketing Efforts for Clients Attending Your Event

To accommodate clients who have already committed to attend your event, a good place to start is by including them in your pre-show marketing efforts. However, in the time leading up to the event, you should plan to make your communications extra special by sending those clients a tailored version of the e-mails, physical mailers, and any other outreach you’ve already prepared for prospective clients (it’s not enough to send the exact same thing – you have to personalize your materials to speak to your current clients instead).

5 – Create Extra Pre-Show Marketing Offers Just for Current Clients

Kick your pre-show marketing efforts up another notch by creating additional pre-show marketing offers that are conveyed to current clients only. For example, send an e-mail or direct mail piece inviting them to visit your booth and receive a special gift or an extra entry in your sweepstakes – even if the special gift or bonus entry isn't expensive, the exclusivity of this offer will make your clients feel appreciated.

6 – Welcome Clients into Your Booth

When your current clients arrive in the convention city and find their way to your booth (to enjoy whatever your pre-show marketing efforts have promised), make them feel welcome by introducing them to key company personnel and highlighting some of your new offerings that may be of specific interest to them.

7 – Invite Clients to Share Their Experiences

If you happen to have prospective clients in your booth when a current client stops by and you think those new visitors could benefit from a quick conversation with someone who has been there and done that (successfully); use this as an excuse to publicly build up your current client (as you introduce them to the prospective client). Remember, it’s only appropriate to make this introduction if your happy client is happy to share a few kind words (hint: ask them first to be sure).

8 – Enjoy Longer Conversations in a More Comfortable Setting

Keep any current client visits inside your booth brief to avoid distracting your staff from their work (greeting and quickly progressing attendees through your qualifying process) and to conserve space (where other meetings, demonstrations, or brief conversations could take place). If your company has access to a meeting space, you can take your client there to continue your discussion or iron out the details of a new contract. However, even if the space is available, your current clients will probably prefer a meeting somewhere less formal when possible.

9 – Guide Current Clients around the Exhibit Hall

Instead of chatting in your booth, one option is to take your clients for a walk around the exhibit hall, introducing them to vendors who may be useful to their business (according to your understanding of it and of the industry) and providing advice as to those who may not be a great fit.

Above and beyond providing value to your clients, this excursion can give you an opportunity to get to know your clients even better, assuming you pay close attention to the comments they make and the questions they ask to the other exhibitors they encounter. Plan to use what you've learned to tailor your future conversations according to any needs you observe that your clients have, even if your clients are unable or unwilling to verbalize them to you.

10 – Attend an Educational Session with Your Clients

Another option to spend time with your clients outside of your booth is to attend a pertinent educational session with your clients. As before, pay attention during the session and make notes as needed so you can, not only answer your client’s questions, but also provide your own insight as to how your company could help to improve their results in this area or one related to it.

For any session you attend with a client, there should be a direct relevance or a logical jump from the session content to your company’s offerings. That way, if nothing else, during the session, you will both learn about some of the current industry trends and/or gain a more in depth understanding of a specific topic of interest.

11 – Dine with Clients away from Your Trade Show Booth

Despite busy schedules, everyone has to eat; so, meals provide an easy excuse to connect with clients. You can do this one-on-one by scheduling each of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with individual clients or in a group setting by hosting an evening reception that caters to both new and existing clients (receptions can be an especially good use of your time and financial resources if you have many contacts in attendance but limited availability in the convention city).

12 – Incorporate Fun into “After Hours” Activities with Clients

Even though trade shows are hard work, you can still incorporate a little fun into your “after hours” activities. Many clients would love to attend a local sporting event or meet up for drinks; so, think about putting together a foursome for golf, inviting a few clients up to your corporate box seats at the football/baseball/basketball/hockey/etc. game, or heading down to the hotel bar during happy hour. As long as you remain professional and these encounters take place outside of booth hours, you will only be adding to your potential for results.

13 – Follow Up ASAP

After the event has concluded, don’t let your current clients fall back down to the bottom of your list for follow up conversations. Be sure to thank your clients for taking the time to meet with you, refresh their memory as to any relevant (business) information you had discussed, and attend to anything they had requested on-site right away.

Although most of the advice available to exhibitors is focused on generating quality leads and raising awareness for new products and services, don’t let that be an excuse to overlook one of the fastest ways to improve your exhibiting ROI (making time to connect with current clients in a meaningful way). Apply the opportunities discussed in this article to your next trade show and don’t hesitate to comment below (or connect/message me directly here on LinkedIn or over on Twitter - @Robyn_WINH) with any questions that arise.

NOTE: The original version of this article appeared in the first issue of “Elevate Your Marketing Efforts” (When I Need Help’s annual printed newsletter). To request a copy of the upcoming (fifth!) issue, please “reply privately” with your mailing address.