{"id":7854,"date":"2025-01-02T05:58:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T05:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bhea.com\/blog\/?p=7854"},"modified":"2025-03-17T02:18:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T02:18:18","slug":"measure-success-of-trade-shows-and-exhibitions-using-sugarcrm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bhea.com\/blog\/measure-success-of-trade-shows-and-exhibitions-using-sugarcrm\/","title":{"rendered":"How to measure success of trade shows and exhibition participation with SugarCRM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trade Shows and Exhibition Participation\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Manufacturing companies often generate leads and business through trade shows and participation in relevant exhibitions. While these events can sometimes yield immediate business, in other cases, they may require extensive follow-up and nurturing. To assess their effectiveness, it’s crucial for management and marketing teams to understand which trade shows and exhibitions are delivering the best results and to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these activities in generating business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two primary goals or expectations from the marketing and sales teams when participating in trade shows and exhibitions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Lead Generation, Sales, and Conversions – Quantitative Metrics<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Brand Awareness, Networking, Partnerships, and Competitor Analysis – Qualitative Metrics<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Sales and management teams are particularly focused on lead generation, sales, and conversions, and they require a clear and credible return on investment (ROI) to justify continued participation. This is especially important given the significant costs associated with these events, including booth expenses, travel, and the time and effort spent by the sales and marketing teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How do we get Business from Tradeshows and Exhibitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In this article, we focus on the first key objective of trade show participation: Lead Generation, Sales, and Conversions<\/strong>. There are several ways to connect with your target audience and maximize the potential of these events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Pre- and Post-Event Communication<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Visitor Engagement at Your Booth<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Networking with Other Exhibitors<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"Trade<\/figure>
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      When you reach out to your target audience with invitations to visit your booth, they may recognize that your products and services align with their needs. Even if they don’t attend the event, some might follow up with you later if they have relevant requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      During the exhibition, some individuals you meet may have an immediate need for your offerings, though such opportunities are typically rare. However, you may be fortunate to encounter leads that are close to converting into sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Additionally, many visitors come to trade shows simply to explore available products and services, gathering information for future needs. While they may not be ready to buy now, they may consider your company when their requirements arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Lead and Opportunity Management in SugarCRM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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      Before evaluating the true value of trade shows and exhibitions in terms of sales closures, it’s essential for companies to have a well-defined sales process in SugarCRM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>

      \"CRM<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      This includes clearly outlining the lead and opportunity lifecycles, ensuring that all sales team activities and performance are accurately tracked within the system. Having these processes in place will provide valuable insights and enable better management of leads generated from trade shows and exhibitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Quantitative Metrics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      To measure the success of trade shows and exhibitions, it’s important to focus on quantitative metrics such as the number of leads or inquiries generated, the number of new contacts established, and the number of sales closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"Business<\/figure>
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      The primary measure of effectiveness is Return on Investment (ROI)<\/strong>, which is calculated by comparing the total sales generated over a specific period to the cost of participation in the event. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      This metric provides a clear indication of the value derived from attending trade shows and exhibitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      SugarCRM\u2019s Campaigns Module<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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      Sugar Sell, the flagship product of SugarCRM for sales teams, includes a Campaigns<\/strong> module where the marketing team can track and manage all their marketing activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>

      \"SugarCRM<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

      For each trade show or exhibition participation, the marketing team should create a campaign in the system, naming it after the event and specifying the event dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In addition to event details, the campaign can also capture key financials such as budget, actual costs, and expected revenue. At the conclusion of the marketing activity, this module automatically calculates the Return on Investment (ROI)<\/strong> based on the information and activities recorded in the CRM, providing valuable insights into the event\u2019s effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Pre Event Marketing Activities – Targets and Target Lists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Sugar Sell includes two modules that help capture and manage information related to pre-event marketing activities. Before the event, the marketing team typically focuses on two key tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Identifying the Target Audience<\/strong> for the trade show or exhibition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Communicating in Advance<\/strong> about the event, ensuring potential attendees have enough time to plan their visit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Targets and Target Lists<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        SugarCRM\u2019s Targets<\/strong> module allows the marketing team to capture key information about their target audience, including name, email, phone number, and other relevant details. There are two main categories of target audiences that the marketing team typically addresses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n