Ep 81: Before, During and After Turning Trade Show Traffic Into Real Revenue

You paid for the booth, the flights, and the hotel, so why does the trade show still feel like a write-off? Jay Feitlinger just got back from supporting a client at a Las Vegas conference, and he and Sarah Shepard break down what separates an event that builds pipeline from one that drains your budget. They walk through the prep that should start weeks out, why marketing and sales alignment decides your results on the floor, the great swag debate, and the follow-up mistakes that kill hot leads. If events are part of your b2b marketing strategy, this episode shows you how to protect that investment and turn conversations into revenue. **What You’ll Learn** - The lunch conversation with another exhibitor that revealed exactly why his conference flopped, and the prep work that would’ve saved it - Why your shyest product expert could be your biggest booth liability, and how smart scheduling and sales enablement turn her into your secret closer - The generic follow-up email Jay received after the event turned him off instantly, plus a simple personal approach that keeps hot leads warm - How regrouping every few hours let Jay’s team test new messaging live and pivot before the show ended - Where the real networking happens (hint: it isn’t your booth) and how a roaming teammate strengthens your sales pipeline management **Chapters** 00:00 Welcome back from Vegas, and why we follow clients to their conferences 00:48 The eye-opening exhibitor form that shows what a booth really costs 03:00 Why a revenue mindset changes how you judge event spend 05:00 Skip the prep, and you shouldn’t even go 05:57 “I just packed and came”: a cautionary tale from the exhibit hall 08:32 Meet the host halfway and double layer your marketing 10:25 Plan it like a wedding: the research that made Jay look like a past attendee 14:28 The swag debate: shiny objects or wasted budget? 17:54 During the show: social listening, power lunches and daily regroups 21:00 Follow-ups that feel personal instead of pushy 23:48 Stop guarding the booth and start fishing the floor 26:11 Staff to strengths: protecting introverts and placing hunters and farmers 29:56 Making the most of the people you bring **SEO Keywords** b2b marketing strategy, sales pipeline management, revenue operations, mid-market sales, sales enablement, trade show ROI, conference marketing, trade show lead generation, event follow-up, booth staffing tips, marketing and sales alignment, B2B events, Revenue Rewired podcast **Meet Your Hosts** Jay Feitlinger is the CEO of StringCan Interactive and co-author of Revenue Rewired. He helps mid-market companies find and fix the leaks costing them revenue. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayfeitlinger/ Sarah Shepard is the COO of StringCan and brings an operations lens to growth, focusing on protecting spend and getting the full return on every investment. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahshepardcoo/ **About Revenue Rewired** Revenue Rewired is a podcast for B2B marketers, sales leaders and business owners working where sales and marketing meet. Each episode delivers actionable insights on mid-market sales, revenue operations and growing revenue strategically. **About StringCan Interactive** StringCan Interactive is a B2B growth marketing agency in Scottsdale, Arizona that connects marketing, sales and revenue operations so mid-market companies can grow with purpose. **Links** Email: podcast@stringcaninteractive.com Website: https://www.stringcaninteractive.com Buy the Revenue Rewired book: https://www.amazon.com/Revenue-Rewired-Identify-Leaks-Costing-ebook/dp/B0FST7JCXQ Newsletter:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/crm-swamp-you-built-jay-feitlinger-v4peehttps://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/revenue-rewired-7423414515779936256/