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It’s Only Common Sense: Here’s What To Do After IPC APEX EXPO 2024

You had a great time last week at IPC APEX EXPO 2024. Now you’re back home and ready to go on to other things. Au contraire mon frère. Now the work really gets started, and you must capitalize on all the good work you did last week. Follow up on the connections you made, the leads you created, and the partnerships and relationships you developed.

Follow up so you ensure you earn the best ROI from all the money you invested by attending the show in the first place.

Here are seven essential steps right after the show:

1. Immediately follow-up. Get in touch with everyone you met and agreed you would do for them. You should have taken good notes after every meeting, so use that information to solidify the relationship, whether that’s existing customers or potential accounts. Start the relationships—for real. This must be done right away, maybe even within 24 hours of meeting and talking to them. Get these companies in your social media databases and on your tech newsletter lists. Don’t let these leads get cold.
2. Reconcile expenses against the original budget. Figure out exactly what you spent, right down to the last cent. Consider travel, meals, rental cars, Uber, hotels, your booth, graphics, and shipments. Also, look at the actual time spent at the show. This is important as this will be the basis against which you will determine your true ROI.
3. Make adjustments for next time. Perform a post-show evaluation to determine what you could have done better. Consider everything from the things you needed and brought, to the things you forgot to bring and had to buy there. This might be things like extension cords, light bulbs, scissors, tape, and Velcro. Look at what you could have done better in terms of time management, including examining your schedule in the booth, and having meals and drinks with customers and prospects.
4. Study the intangibles. What things did not directly lead to business but made you and your company better? It could be webinars you attended and learned from, a survey of the latest industry innovations in technology, or in equipment. Maybe it was that special show deal you made on the new LDI you wanted to buy, or the salespeople, reps, and other key people you met and eventually hired after the show. These all play into the true value of attending the show.
5. Decide about next year. Was the show worth it? Did you get out of it what you expected and wanted? Do you want to go back? In some cases, like with IPC APEX EXPO 2024, you will have to decide that before you even leave the show. On the last day, IPC will ask you to sign up and get involved in the booth selection process for next year.
6. Track the business you get from the show. This is critical. Create a database of the potential customers you met and then track the amount of business you get from each of those customers. This will make up your true ROI. Actually, this is something you should get in the habit of doing for all your customers. You should always be keeping track of where they come from and how you brought them to your table, whether it be from your advertising, cold calling, social media, or, in this case, from a trade show. Keeping track of where your customers are coming from will give you an excellent understanding of what works and what doesn’t, and a true return on investment for each of your lead generation sales channels.
7. Start preparing for next year. If indeed you thought IPC APEX EXPO was worthwhile for you and you plan to exhibit at the 2025 version, start planning now. Create a calendar of what you will need to do to properly prepare for the show next time.

By following these simple guidelines, you will not only have a particularly good ROI but a great show as well.

Steps for preparing for IPC APEX EXPO 2025

1.  52 weeks before the show:

• Reserve the space. Get the best space possible
• Reserve hotel space
• Sign up to lead seminars

2.  16 weeks before the show

• Budget and planning meeting
• Set goals
• Assign responsibilities
• Finalize budget
• Develop message and theme
• Develop show strategy
• Review show kit to understand deadlines
• Decide who is going to the show

14 weeks before the show

• Plan exhibit layout and design
• Develop graphics design requirements
• Develop a media kit and promotion strategy
• Develop seminars
• Develop literature
• Plan staff training session

12 weeks before the show

• Get details to show the directory
• Send pre-show media releases
• Update newsletters/websites and advertising to let people know you are going to the show.10 weeks before the show
• Order promotional items

6-8 weeks before the show:

• Confirm staff
• Confirm graphics and new literature are on schedule
• Check travel arrangements
• Plan travel book tickets
• Order on-site show services
• Request visitor information package from the convention center
• Make sure seminars are ready

4 weeks before the show:

• Create lead form and database template
• Create follow-up package
• Write and test follow-up letters
• Complete seminar handout materials
• Check on all schedules
• Mail pre-show promotional materials
• Schedule in-bound and out-bound freight

2 weeks before the show:

• Confirm travel arrangements
• Package and ship materials

1 week to one day before:

• Final meeting and training
• Show plan
• Badges
• Conduct daily meetings
• Process leads daily

1 week after the show:

• Conduct after-show review
• What went well and did not
• Send thank you notes
• Send follow-up packages
• Follow up leads
• Close sales

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.

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