6 Apps to Help You Capture Leads at Trade Shows

CES, Photonics West, and other industry trade shows are just around the corner. Deciding how you will collect and manage leads is an important part of trade show planning, but the methods of lead capture vary. The most foolproof method of lead collection is using the official scanner provided at the event; however, due to the cost, many professionals are now relying on their phones to collect leads. Just be sure to test out any app you plan on using to work out any technical issues and make sure it will serve your needs.

Capture Leads

Here are smartphone apps to try at your next trade show:

1. iCapture: Works offline and can be used to scan a trade show badge or business card. Rather than relying on optical character recognition (OCR) to pull text from business cards, the app sends the business card image to a real person who transcribes and verifies the data. iCapture organizes all lead data into a spreadsheet that you can access on their website, and it can automatically sync data with your CRM or marketing automation software such as Salesforce, Pardot, HubSpot, etc.
   
   
2. Backtrack: We've all been there. You're a few conversations deep and already you've made several promises to send a resource to or find time to meet with a potential lead. Luckily, Backtrack is always on standby and let's you go back up to 15 minutes of captured audio at the trade show you're attending. Use this tool to store business cards and automatically have your audio and action items sorted and stored in your CRM of choice. 

Bonus: You might be surprised to learn that the tools you already use have capture features or compatible apps. For example:

• Google Drive (technically Android-only, but you can take photos via Drive on iPhones)
• Evernote Scannable (Apple devices)
• Microsoft Office Lens (uses OCR to create editable Word docs)
• Adobe Scan (uses OCR to create searchable PDFs)
• iPhone Notes App (scan documents easily right in that app)
  
  

Preparing for your next conference? Download our Definitive Trade Show Planning Kit.

Keep Track of Collateral

While not specifically designed for lead capture, the next two apps help you keep track of your trade show connections and collateral. Scan brochures or other print materials you might otherwise throw away.

1. Genius Scan: Genius Scan by The Grizzly Labs is one of our favorites. The free app lets you scan just about any document from your phone or tablet, save it as a PDF or JPG, and email it. It has a host of image-enhancing features such as automatic perspective correction and color detection. Genius Scan+ lets you export to cloud services such as Google Drive and Dropbox, among other features.

2. HubSpot Business Card Scanner: Before leaving the tradeshow, reduce your burden when you're back at your desk by scanning every business card directly into your CRM. If you're already using HubSpot to track sales and marketing activity, this app will help to streamline your activities. This scanner is a part of the existing HubSpot app, so there is no need for ANOTHER application on your phone. If you're already a HubSpot user looking for more ways to utilize your tool, request a 15-minute HubSpot consultation with our team!

More sales and marketing resources for you!

• Marketing Roadmap
• Product Launch Checklist
• Positioning Guide

Travel

Business travel is stressful which is why organization is so crucial. We like to use trip management apps as well as apps to help smooth any hiccups that may arise if traveling abroad.

1. TripIt: Manage your trip itinerary in one place, including flights, hotels, and car reservations. As an added layer, it provides reminders and updates for all legs of your trip and gives you suggestions of things to do and places to eat nearby.

2. WhatsApp: Keep your team in sync when traveling abroad. It uses your phone's internet connection to send messages so you can avoid fees.

More Trade Show Apps We Love

We live in a digital age, so it’s important to have apps that are always available to you that can help you stay efficient when you are focused on generating leads and networking. Whether it’s scheduling meeting times or just improving your overall experience, check these out.

1. QR code generator: The QR code made a comeback, and there are many good free QR code generators available. Use caution: many of the free versions expire after 30 days, so use them in your tradeshow presentation, but watch out for collateral and landing pages with a longer lifecycle.
2. Conference app: We've seen some of the best ad metrics from in-app advertising. One of the easiest ways to reach your target audience before and during the tradeshow, start here.
3. Booth staffing: Apps like When I Work can ease the burden of booth scheduling. A shared Google calendar is a simple free option.

4. Digital catalog apps, like HubDB and SalesLayer, can improve your in-booth digital catalog experience.

Want to discuss your trade show lead generation or lead follow-up tactics? Reach out!

Ask us how you can improve your trade show presence!