System 2: Trade Show Follow-Up Automation

Trade shows generate leads. But most get lost because follow-up happens days or weeks later. By then, the moment is gone.

The solution: a structured follow-up system that moves fast.

Step 1: Capture Contact Information Properly

What to do: Before you even leave the trade show booth, organize the leads you collected.

Why it matters: You only have one shot at first contact. Getting their details right matters. So does speed.

How to do it:

1. At the booth, collect: name, title, company, phone number, email, and what they expressed interest in.
2. If possible, use a lead capture device (tablet, QR code, or simple form). This is faster and more accurate than handwritten notes.
3. Organize leads by priority. "Hot" prospects are decision-makers who asked detailed questions. "Warm" prospects showed general interest. "Cold" prospects are curious but not ready.
4. At the end of each day, create a digital list. Use a spreadsheet or your CRM. Include name, company, title, phone, email, priority level, and notes on their interest.
5. Mark people you can connect with on LinkedIn immediately. You'll find most of them.

Common mistake: Leaving follow-up for "next week." Prospects forget you. Competitors contact them. Next week is too late.

Success indicator: By the end of day one of the trade show, you have a clean digital list of all contacts with priority levels assigned.

Step 2: Connect on LinkedIn Within 24 Hours

What to do: Find your trade show contacts on LinkedIn and send them a connection request with a brief personal note.

Why it matters: LinkedIn connection requests get people comfortable before the sales message comes. It's a soft introduction that lowers friction.

How to do it:

1. Open your contact list. Start with "hot" and "warm" leads.
2. Search each person on LinkedIn by name and company.
3. Send a connection request. Include a brief note: "Great meeting you at [Trade Show Name]. Enjoyed our conversation about [specific topic they mentioned]. Let's stay connected."
4. Don't pitch here. Just remind them you met and that conversation was real.
5. Do this for at least 20-30 people per day if the show was large. Spread it across the first 24 hours after the show ends.

Common mistake: Sending a connection request with no message. It feels impersonal. Add a note.

Success indicator: By 24 hours after the trade show, you've connected with 80% or more of your hot and warm leads on LinkedIn. Your message reminds them of your conversation.

Step 3: Send Your Follow-Up Email Within 48 Hours

What to do: Send a personalized email that references your trade show conversation and proposes next steps.

Why it matters: Email is where the actual conversation starts. This is your chance to move them from "person I met" to "potential customer to talk to."

How to do it:

1. Within 48 hours of the trade show ending, send an email. Reference something specific from your conversation. Don't use a generic template.
2. Use this structure:

   Subject line: Mention the trade show and something specific. "Quick follow-up from [Trade Show] — your question about [topic]"
   
   Opening: "Thanks for stopping by our booth. I really enjoyed our conversation about [specific thing they mentioned]."
   
   Body: "You mentioned [their challenge]. Here's a quick thought: [brief insight or resource]. If this is relevant, I'd love to grab 20 minutes to talk more specifically about your situation."
   
   Close: "Let me know what works for your schedule. [Calendar link or availability]"

3. Keep it to 150 words maximum. Respect their inbox.
4. If you have a relevant resource (article, checklist, case study), attach or link it. This adds value and gives them a reason to open your email.
5. Use a calendar link or give 2-3 specific time options. Don't make them figure out when to call.

Common mistake: Long, generic emails that don't reference the conversation. This feels like spam even though you met in person.

Success indicator: Your email reminds them of a specific conversation point. It offers clear next steps. You'd want to respond to this email.

Step 4: Follow Up by Phone (For Hot Leads Only)

What to do: Call hot leads 3-5 days after your email if they haven't responded.

Why it matters: Phone calls move leads faster than email. Most people won't call you. If you call them, you stand out. You also control the conversation better on a call.

How to do it:

1. Identify your 5-10 hottest leads. These are decision-makers who asked detailed questions.
2. Wait 3-5 days after your email. If they haven't responded by then, call.
3. Keep your opening short: "Hey [name], it's [your name] from [company]. We met at [trade show] and I sent you an email a few days ago. Do you have two minutes to talk?"
4. If they say yes: Reference your conversation. Ask one clarifying question. Propose a specific next step (another call, demo, visit, etc.).
5. If they say no: "No problem. I'll send you one more resource that might be helpful. If it resonates, reach out."
6. Document the call. What did they say? What's the next step? When?

Common mistake: Calling with no purpose. You need a reason to call (following up on your email, offering something specific). Random calls get rejected.

Success indicator: You're calling 5-10 hot leads per trade show. You're reaching 50% or more of them. You have at least 2-3 scheduled follow-up conversations.

System 3: Manufacturing Niche SEO Basics

SEO sounds technical. It doesn't have to be. For small manufacturers, a few basic moves generate consistent inbound leads.

Step 1: Identify Your High-Intent Keywords

What to do: Find the search terms that potential customers actually use when they're looking for what you sell.

Why it matters: Ranking for random keywords wastes time. Ranking for keywords that show buying intent generates leads. You want the searches where someone is actively looking to buy or solve a problem.

How to do it:

1. Make a list of 10-15 problems your product or service solves. Example: "Equipment downtime," "Production inefficiency," "Supply chain delays," "Quality control issues."
2. For each problem, write out how your ideal customer would search for a solution. Example: If the problem is downtime, they might search: "How to reduce equipment downtime," "Manufacturing downtime solutions," "Prevent production line failures."
3. Use free tools like Google's search suggestions (type in Google and watch the dropdown) or Ubersuggest to see what people actually search for.
4. Prioritize keywords with these traits: They mention a specific problem (not just your industry), they have lower competition (smaller firms can rank for these), they show buying intent (words like "solutions," "improve," "reduce," "fix").
5. Create a spreadsheet listing your top 10-15 target keywords.

Common mistake: Targeting keywords about your company instead of keywords about your customers' problems. "Best manufacturing equipment" doesn't work. "How to reduce production downtime" does.

Success indicator: You have 10-15 target keywords that show real customer problems and search intent.

Step 2: Create Content Around These Keywords

What to do: Write blog posts and guides that answer the search questions your customers are asking.

Why it matters: Google ranks content that answers user questions. If you answer the question better than your competitors, you rank. If you rank, people find you.

How to do it:

1. For each target keyword, create one blog post or guide. Example: If your keyword is "How to reduce equipment downtime," write a 1000-1500 word guide with that title.
2. Structure each piece like this:

   Introduction: Acknowledge the problem and why it matters
   
   Key steps or strategies (3-5 main points)
   
   Specific examples (use real situations you've observed)
   
   Action items the reader can start today
   
   Conclusion with a soft offer to learn more or contact you

3. Write for clarity. Use short sentences. Explain technical terms. Assume your reader is smart but busy.
4. Include your target keyword in the title, the first paragraph, and naturally 2-3 times throughout the post. Don't force it.
5. Add internal links. If you write about "reducing downtime," link to other posts on your site about related topics like "maintenance schedules" or "equipment monitoring."

Common mistake: Writing about your product instead of solving the customer's problem. Customers don't search for "Company X equipment." They search for solutions. Answer their search question first.

Success indicator: You have 3-5 blog posts live on your website. Each targets a high-intent keyword. Each answers a customer question completely.

Step 3: Build Your Site's Foundation

What to do: Make sure your website is set up so Google can find and rank your content.

Why it matters: Great content doesn't rank if your website is broken or hidden. Basic technical setup takes a few hours and multiplies your SEO results.

How to do it:

1. Make sure your website has a sitemap. This is a file that tells Google every page on your site. Most website platforms (WordPress, Wix, Squarespace) generate this automatically. Verify it exists.
2. Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console (a free tool from Google). This tells Google about your content directly.
3. Make sure your pages load fast. Slow sites rank lower and lose visitors. Use Google's PageSpeed Insights tool (free) to check speed. If your site loads in 2+ seconds, work with your web developer to improve it.
4. Add clear navigation. Visitors should understand your site structure in 10 seconds. So should Google.
5. Make sure each page has a clear title tag (the text that appears in browser tabs) and meta description (the summary that appears in Google results). These should include your target keyword naturally.

Common mistake: Building content with a broken website. You can fix technical issues first in a few hours. Then your content has the best chance to rank.

Success indicator: Your sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console. Pages load in under 3 seconds. Each page has a clear title and description.

Step 4: Build Backlinks (Start Simple)

What to do: Get other websites to link to your content. Links act like votes for your credibility.

Why it matters: Google ranks sites with more quality backlinks higher. You don't need hundreds. You need quality links from relevant sites.

How to do it:

1. Start simple: reach out to industry associations, local business organizations, and publications in your space. Example: If you're in metalworking, contact metalworking industry groups and ask if they'd link to your resource guide.
2. Create something worth linking to. A "Beginner's Guide to Production Efficiency" is link-worthy. A sales page is not.
3. Write to journalists or bloggers who cover your industry. Share your expertise: "I noticed you wrote about [topic]. Here's a resource on [related topic] your readers might find useful." Include a link only if relevant.
4. Don't buy links or exchange links artificially. Google penalizes this. Build links by creating genuinely helpful content.
5. Over time, aim for 5-10 quality backlinks per major content piece. This takes months, not days.

Common mistake: Pursuing quantity over quality. One link from an industry leader is worth 100 links from irrelevant sites. Focus on relevant, authoritative sources.

Success indicator: You have 2-3 quality backlinks to your best content. You're reaching out to relevant industry sources consistently.

How to Know Your Systems Are Working

Track these numbers to see progress:

LinkedIn Prospecting:

• Response rate: Aim for 10% or higher of outreach messages getting responses
• Qualified conversations: 2-3 per week after 4-6 weeks shows your system works
• Meeting rate: 30-40% of conversations should lead to actual meetings or demos

Trade Show Follow-Up:

• First contact response rate: Higher response rates are strong (industry average varies widely)
• Phone connections: 50% or more of hot leads should answer or call you back
• Meetings scheduled: 20% or more of contacted leads should agree to a follow-up conversation

SEO:

• Keyword rankings: Expect improvement within 2-3 months
• Organic traffic: Consistent growth month over month
• Inbound lead inquiries: Arrive within 3-6 months as traffic builds

If these numbers aren't happening, adjust. Maybe your outreach message needs work. Maybe your target keywords are too competitive. The system is flexible. Test, measure, adjust.

Next Steps

Start with one system. Don't try all three at once. Most small manufacturers see faster results starting with LinkedIn Prospecting because it delivers conversations quickly.

Here's how to begin:

1. This week: Optimize your LinkedIn profiles (1 hour). Build your target account list (1-2 hours).
2. Next week: Send your first 10-15 personalized outreach messages.
3. Week three: Start tracking responses. Adjust your message based on what works.
4. Week four: Once LinkedIn feels steady, layer in trade show follow-up systems or SEO basics.

Each system builds on the others. But they work independently. You don't need all three running perfectly to see leads. Start, measure, improve.

Small manufacturers succeed because they're scrappy and willing to test. These three systems are built for that. They don't require a big team or a big budget. They require focus and consistency.

Start this week.