The Best Apps for Trade Show Lead Capture

For many businesses, lead generation is a key motivator in exhibiting. Since the shows bring businesses face-to-face with a large, relevant audience of potential buyers, they offer great opportunities to generate relevant, convertible leads.

However, to maximise the potential lead generation opportunities, businesses must be able to capture and keep track of leads effectively.

Historically, business cards were collected, tossed into a bowl, and then handed over to a data entry clerk to manually input the data. Now, there is a wealth of apps and services available to do the heavy lifting for you.

In this guide, we reflect on the importance of lead capture and share our top recommendations.

In modern exhibition halls, lead collection apps play a vital role in tracking and maximising return on investment. Here’s why:

• Exhibition halls are filled with “hot leads,” 81% of which possess buying power. With a lead capture app, you are able to keep track of each of these potential buyers, logging individual notes and references which may help you convert them down the line.
• Many lead collection apps can integrate directly with CRM software, which significantly speeds up the follow-up process.
• Lead capture apps play a key role in measuring return on investment. They can be used as a KPI or as part of a wider attribution model.

Show organisers will often have a selected lead capture app that is compatible with the badges at the event, which many attendees choose to use. However, if you have specific requirements or would like distinct functionality features, you may prefer to select your own lead capture app. Below are our top 10 recommendations.

iCapture makes it easy to capture and qualify leads at any event. They focus on helping small businesses with exhibition lead capture and have a host of features designed to make the process easier.

Reasons why we love iCapture:

• Works offline
• Measures performance over a number of events
• Scoring system – rate and segment your leads
• Capture details of the conversation for more relevant communications
• Easy to set up and use
• Integrates with CRM software such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, Marketo, Eloqua, Pardot, automatically syncing leads

CamCard is an event lead capture software that allows you to scan and record data from business cards quickly and efficiently – eliminating all data entry. The system can read cards in 16 different languages and allows you to easily synchronise data between your smartphone, tablet, and the web application.

Reasons why we love CamCard:

• Allows you to edit an entry to include notes, images or reminders
• Create your own e-card to share with people nearby
• Notifies you when your contacts change employment roles
• All data is stored in the cloud and can be accessed anywhere

Collect thousands of email addresses on the go with OnSpot Social, a lead capture app that includes a universal trade show badge scanner & business card scanner.

Reasons why we love OnSpot Social:

• Can be used for events, tradeshows and in-store
• Integrates with many different CRMs
• Free Trial requires NO credit card
• Allows you to monitor reports in real-time
• Accessible online and offline
• Functionality to automate follow-up emails and text messages
• Primarily a tablet/ phone app – your own devices serve as the kiosk
• Offers a Pro version that includes lead qualifying, event reporting, API access & live set up and training

vCapture is a product by Validar, who offer a suite of solutions to help businesses before, during and after events. Their lead capture app has been designed with four tiers, allowing you to pick and choose the features that you want.

Reasons why we love vCapture:

• Rank and categorise leads
• Four solutions to lead capture, tailored to your business size and budget
• Use your own device, or borrow one of theirs
• Free Salesforce Integration with lead import to CRM software

A smart solution to exhibition lead data capture, eliminating the need for paper at all. Leadr operates across all iOS devices and is easy and simple to set up and start capturing. Designed to make things easy for regular exhibitors and help sales teams be more productive.

Reasons why we love Leadr:

• Option to send a personalised email to every successful exhibition lead capture
• Easy to customise with your own branding
• ‘Opt-in’ fields for GDPR Compliance
• Easy to use on your own devices
• Integrates with CRM software like Salesforce and HubSpot and is designed to send captured leads directly to sales teams

The Integrate event data collection app allows you to capture lead data from event badges, business cards and fully customisable forms in real-time at 1000’s of events. With multichannel operating functions, you can standardise trade show lead capture across your entire team.

Reasons why we love Integrate:

• Designed to standardise data across events
• Can be used on Android and iOS
• Customised data exporting
• Event analytics and reporting
• Automated follow-up emails
• Offers custom data exports and integrations with marketing automation and CRM tools

CompuLEAD’s app allows you to scan badges or manually enter leads into their app, which can be used on both Android and iOS. Download the app directly onto your own device, or hire one of their tablets for your exhibition. Capturing exhibition leads has never been easier.

Reasons why we love CompuLEAD:

• View attendee appointments in-app
• Optional free webinar with lead capture expert
• Automated personalised follow-up email
• Customise lead data with action codes, surveys and notes

Allow exhibitors to scan badges using their own Android and iOS devices, with no additional hardware needed. The Attendify app is the only socially enabled exhibition lead capture app available, and allows you to chat with sponsors in-app after the show.

Reasons why we love Attendify:

• Deep data enables relationship building
• Track the performance of individuals working on the exhibition stand
• Easy to set up and use, deploys in minutes
• Lead data is accessible across multiple platforms

Cvent LeadCapture is easy-to-use event lead capture software that allows exhibitors to scan business cards and event badges to capture lead data. Its cross-platform functionality makes it easy to capture, analyse and follow up with hot leads after the trade show.

Reasons why we love Cvent LeadCapture:

• One solution for capture, qualify and follow-up with leads
• Capture consent for full compliance with GDPR
• Use on your own device, both Android and iOS
• Extremely reputable platform in event software
• Captured leads can be exported or synced with CRM systems, commonly integrating with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, etc

Integrating business card scanning, manual entry with customised forms, and CRM data integration makes exhibition lead capture a straightforward process with the highly rated Gather Capture.

Reasons why we love Gather Capture:

• Send validation emails to ensure accuracy
• Works offline
• Automated personalised follow-up emails
• Less than 60 seconds to scan and import each lead
• Explicitly supports CRM data integration, and leads can be automatically pushed into CRM databases

Lead capture apps are a brilliant tool for your exhibitions, but they will only deliver results if they’re used effectively. By following these rules, you can ensure data is tracked properly, and your follow-ups pack a punch.

• Qualify your leads at the event to streamline the follow-up process. Simple systems like A, B, and C ratings are very effective.
• Ensure you leave notes for every conversation you have – this enables you to follow up with something memorable/personal.
• Don’t let leads run cold. Follow up within 24-48 hours.
• Tag leads by product interest

There are many brilliant lead capture apps on the market, each with a range of different features. If you are struggling to choose which lead capture app to use, consider how well the platform integrates with your wider sales strategy, tools and CRM software.

Features such as offline functionality, CRM integration, lead scoring and GDPR-compliant capture can make a significant difference when processing large quantities of leads after the event, and when calculating return on investment.

We hope we have helped you in selecting your trade show lead capture app. For more information on exhibiting, or to view your own branding on a Prestige Events System stand, email our design consultants at design@quadrant2design.com or call 01202 723 500.