Tag: sales strategy

Create New Leads Simply by Scanning Business Cards

For a busy professional like you, manually sorting and keying in prospect data isn’t high on your priority list (as evidenced by your jam-packed briefcase).

Luckily, if you’re on a paid Insightly account, there’s a nifty feature that you need in your life. Insightly allows you to scan business cards, thereby creating a lead or contact record. Here’s how it works.

1. Launch the Insightly mobile app.
2. From the app’s menu, tap “contacts” or “leads” (in this example, we’ll imagine that you’re adding a new lead).
3. Tap the “+” symbol and select “scan business cards.”
4. Your camera will launch, allowing you to take a photo of the card’s front side.
5. Once you’re satisfied with the photo, click “next” to continue.
6. Add additional details and adjust the record’s settings.

1. To finish, hit “save.”

Once your card is successfully transcribed and added as a new record, you’ll receive an email from Insightly. Goodbye manual data entry!

Drive More Buzz to Your Booth

Most companies attend at least one trade show per year. It could be a small event in your community, or it could be a highly anticipated expo in Las Vegas. Regardless of the event’s size, prudent companies take pre-event action to create buzz.

What are some tactics for driving buzz at your booth? Here are a few ideas:

Booth offers: Pens and folders are fine, but what can you give away that your audience will love? An exclusive free trial? A really wacky gift that your competitors would never dream of? You might even consider hosting a drawing (just be sure to play by the rules).

Free tickets: Some event organizers will provide exhibitors with a limited number of tickets to distribute. Take full advantage of this opportunity. With ever-increasing attendance fees, your customers might really appreciate free admission.

Targeted email blasts: A tasteful blast can go a long way to stir up buzz. If you’re attending a show in Indiana, sending an announcement to all Hoosier business owners (and possibly those in surrounding states) could work nicely. This can be especially effective when combined with the aforementioned offers.

Email signature lines: Think about how many emails your team sends each day. Why not use the real estate in your signature lines to promote an upcoming event? Be sure to point out your booth number and link to an informational page. Example:

Stop by our booth 100 at CRM2017. Click here for free tickets (Note: This is a fictional event).

Don’t Skimp on Your Shoes (& Other Convention Tips)

Trade shows might be good for your bottom line, but they’re probably not great for your health. Sure, you do get a lot of steps in, pacing from one exhibit to the next. Unfortunately, the floor is hard, the lighting is bad, and the food – well, let’s just say baked salmon isn’t on the menu.

How can you have an event that’s both beneficial for your business and body? Here are a few simple ideas.

• Don’t skimp on your shoes – Seriously, you’re going to be on your feet for at least ten hours a day. You want something professional, yet comfortable. Something that cushions, yet has a thick and sturdy sole.
• Invest in the extra-thick floor padding – If you’re exhibiting at a larger event, you usually have an upgraded floor pad option. Do it, your joints will thank you later.
• Avoid the snack bar – Many convention halls also host concerts, sporting events, and monster truck festivals. The food options can, therefore, be less than desirable (unless you’re hosting a private buffet for clients, which gets pricey). Eat breakfast and supper outside of show hours and bring a healthy lunch for midday.
• Go outside – A breath of fresh air can be exactly what you need. Your eyes will also appreciate a break from the sterile fluorescent lighting!

Make your next conference the best one yet. Spend time designing a plan that shows off the best version of yourself!

Develop a Post-Event Sales Strategy

Despite your best efforts, trade show leads are usually the most expensive to acquire. Think about it – there’s a lot of cost that goes into exhibiting: exhibitor fees, travel expenses, hotel rooms and food, promotional items, and the value of your (and your staff’s) time.

After the dust settles from an event, the real work truly begins. You need a post-event sales strategy to deliver return on investment. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

1. Develop a process for getting all lead information into your CRM. Using a business card scanning tool can expedite this process. You should also try to tag or categorize leads by the specific event.
2. Once the leads are in your CRM, make sure each one has an assigned lead rating. This can help you prioritize your next steps, rather than staring at an endless list of newly created lead records.
3. Draft an action-oriented follow-up email that can go out to your prioritized leads. Whether you use a prebuilt CRM email template or you allow your sales reps to craft their own messages, following up within a week of the event is crucial.
4. For those leads that do not engage as a result of the initial email, follow-up calls may be appropriate. An activity set is also helpful for keeping your sales team on track.
5. As leads convert (or fall out of the pipeline), circle back and estimate the effectiveness of your efforts. Did the event result in new business?