Trade shows can be a major source of public exposure and sales leads for many businesses. However, being successful at trade shows is more than just showing up. Gaining insights and sales leads from a trade show involves effective planning ahead of time, efficient and flexible execution day-of-show, and following up with potential leads. More than half of trade show visitors in 2015 reported that they were planning to buy products or services they saw at the show, so it can’t be denied that strong sales potential exists at shows.

At Exhibit Edge, it pains us to see anybody lose business because they didn’t have the right mix of planning and execution at their event – so we put together this handy infographic with the most important steps every business should take before, during, and after their show. Many people don’t even realize the mistakes they are making on the trade show floor; they could be leaving sales leads untouched because they forgot a few simple steps.

Our recommendations range from pre-show research to promotional item distribution to post-show debriefing. Tailoring these steps to your business could help you see an increase in the effectiveness of trade shows for your business. We encourage everyone to read these tips, use them in their own businesses, and share them on!