Tracker leads electronic hi-tech trends for exhibitors at trade show

By Miles Clarke SYDNEY Managing leads generated at trade events is often the biggest challenge for the exhibitors. In recent years electronic visitor tracking systems have made this far more manageable. Now internet connectivity is being brought to the equation by Sydney registration specialists, Info Salons. The latest version of the handheld Tracker will allow all the relevant information to be scanned off the visitor badge, which is then uploaded wirelessly into a database which the exhibitor can access over the internet, using a password. In essence, a manufacturer in Melbourne, Hong Kong or Bangkok can access a lead from a salesperson on the floor at a trade show in Brisbane within seconds of the badge being swiped. The salesperson can also add one of a series of qualifiers ('send sales kit'; 'follow-up required' and 'hot prospect') to direct the processing of the lead. The system can also be programmed to send an email to the visitor thanking them for attending the stand plus any sales material that is appropriate. Marketing Communications manager at Epson Australia, Richard Smith, uses the technology at the Retail Business show. "We use the qualifying features of the Trackers extensively and the information gathered at these shows is very much part and parcel of the way we go about business." Smith said. For smaller exhibitors, the system allows the creation of a dedicated customer relationship management (CRM) database which can be accessed over the year, over the internet and from anywhere in the world.