According to Forrester’s Q1 2024 State Of B2B Events Survey, 95% of respondents said measuring event ROI is a top priority. That stat is taken to heart by the marketing teams behind the exhibitors at your booth.
So, picture this: Your event is buzzing. Attendees are exploring booths, networking, and engaging with your sponsors. It’s everything you envisioned.
But then the event ends. Exhibitors are left with stacks of business cards, hastily scribbled notes (outside of their app), and if they’re lucky, a few badge scans without proper qualification and an unclear path to attribution. The question for them and the marketers that wait for them back home becomes: What now?
This is where an effective lead retrieval tool comes in. The right tool captures meaningful qualification data, empowering exhibitors and their go-to-market teams to follow up effectively and contextually — ultimately driving ROI for your treasured sponsor.
But with so many tools on the market, how can you pick the one that fits like a glove? Here’s a comprehensive guide to evaluating and selecting the best lead retrieval tools for your events.
Why Should Lead Retrieval Matter to Event Planners?
You might be wondering, What does lead retrieval have to do with planning my event? Well, it plays a much more significant role than you might expect. It acts as the bridge between capturing attendee interest and turning that interest into actionable insights for exhibitors and sponsors. However, lead retrieval isn’t always at the forefront when event planners are investing in event technology: Forrester found that only one in five brands integrate their event tech with their marketing stack—which ultimately limits the strategic value of captured data. Here’s a quick rundown of why it behooves you to invest in a strong lead retrieval tool:
📲 For event planners and show managers: Lead retrieval tools offer valuable insights into attendee engagement, help demonstrate ROI to sponsors and exhibitors, and provide actionable data to improve communication with exhibitors about strategies for attracting and marketing to attendees, ultimately encouraging greater exhibitor participation.
📲 For exhibitors and sponsors: Exhibitors and sponsors invest significant time and money to participate in your event. Investing in powerful lead retrieval tools that will help them leave with actionable data is a major selling point in getting them to attend (and return to) your event. Best-in-class lead retrieval tools allow sponsors to track interactions, provide detailed engagement reports, and capture the value sponsors received from connecting with your attendees.
📲 For attendees: You’ve ensured that the sponsors and exhibitors at your event are potentially relevant and valuable for your attendees. From there, you continue to play a powerful role in ensuring you advocate for your attendees in the form of relevant and contextual follow-ups from exhibitors with whom they engaged. The right lead retrieval tool can ensure that exhibitors have what they need to fulfill this responsibility.
A good retrieval strategy enhances the value of your event for every stakeholder and demonstrates the financial value of your event to exhibitors and sponsors. It’s about making sure data works for everyone.
Why the Right Lead Retrieval Tool Matters
When sponsors and exhibitors invest in your event, it isn’t just financially. They’re dedicating valuable time, people, and logistics efforts to be at your event. If they encounter tools that are complex, challenging to use, or don’t yield helpful insights, they may leave your event feeling disappointed. Choosing the wrong lead retrieval tool can lead to:
🛠️ Frustrated exhibitors and sponsors: Tools that are hard to use, or don’t deliver insights waste your exhibitors’ time and reduce their perceived ROI.
🛠️ Missed opportunities: Poorly designed systems may result in lost or incomplete data, meaning fewer actionable leads. Problems like inconsistent data capture, no lead qualification, or low conversion potential can leave exhibitors and sponsors missing out on key interactions.
🛠️ Wasted resources: Your lead retrieval tool should make the process easier, not harder. Without proper integration and automation, data management becomes a time-consuming, labor-intensive manual process.
Investing in a reliable, robust lead retrieval tool saves all stakeholders from frustration and headache, and gives sponsors and exhibitors the agency to focus on meaningful interactions—while planners can rest assured the event is well-executed.
How to Choose the Right Lead Retrieval Tools
The foundation of a successful lead retrieval starts with the right technology. A good tool should make lead retrieval and activation easy for both your team, sponsors, and exhibitors. And while it’s tempting to go with the cheapest or most popular option, a little research can save you from tech headaches and missed opportunities. Here’s what to look for in a modern solution:
1️⃣ User-friendly design
This might sound like a no-brainer, but you need tools that are intuitive to ensure less time is spent troubleshooting and more time is spent connecting.
⚫ Easy setup: A tool that takes hours to configure or requires multiple tutorials will frustrate everyone. Look for simple plug-and-play systems.
⚫ Mobile-friendly: This is a must. Ensure the tool works seamlessly on mobile devices, so exhibitors and sponsors can scan leads and access data on the go.
⚫ Customizable interface: Allow users to adjust settings, like adding qualifying questions or tags to scanned leads, without needing extra help.
2️⃣ Access to real-time data
Gone are the days when exhibitors and sponsors had to wait until the end of an event to analyze leads. Real-time access gives them a competitive edge. So, when planning an event, planners should consider tools that allow users to view their leads, insights, and connections on the spot, allowing them to adjust their approach mid-event, if necessary.
⚫ Immediate follow-up: Exhibitors can identify well-qualified leads and start follow-ups during the event, while conversations and connections are top-of-mind.
⚫ On-the-fly adjustments: If certain engagement strategies aren’t working, real-time data enables exhibitors to pivot without losing time (or leads).
3️⃣ Integration capabilities
A great lead retrieval tool doesn’t just capture data—it makes sure that data gets where it needs to go. A lead retrieval system that seamlessly connects with a sponsor’s prospect management software is a must. The smoother the data flow, the faster they can take action.
Ensure the tool complies with data protection regulations (like GDPR and CCPA) to avoid legal headaches.
4️⃣ Advanced lead retrieval features
The best lead retrieval tools go beyond the basics. Keep an eye out for these bonus features that could make your event experience top-notch for everyone.
⚫ Custom questions: Your tool should allow exhibitors to gather specific information, like budget size or immediate needs, while capturing leads.
⚫ Offline functionality: Ensure the tool can still collect data even if the Wi-Fi at your venue falters (because anything can happen).
5️⃣ Support and training
Even the best tools are only as good as the people using them. Ensure the vendor provides:
⚫ Pre-event training: Providing resourcing to help exhibitors and staff learn the tool before the event starts.
⚫ On-site support: This might be asking for the moon, but if you can’t have an on-site support person, then a live support team on standby is key to resolve issues quickly.
⚫ Post-event assistance: Ensure the vendor offers support and resources for data exporting and CRM integration after the event ends.
Taking the Next Steps with Lead Retrieval
Investing in the right lead retrieval tool goes beyond ticking off a checklist of features—it’s about setting your team, attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors up for long-term success. It ensures meaningful connections are formed that deliver measurable results. By making lead retrieval an integral part of your event planning process, you’ll elevate the experience for all of your stakeholders.
Now it’s your move—choose the tool, build the strategy, and watch your events transform.
Ready to set up all your stakeholders for in-person event success? Book a demo today and find out how.
