Trade show follow-up for franchise expo leads

What to capture on your lead sheet

The best lead sheets are designed for speed at the booth and clarity later. If you only capture one extra thing, capture a single “next step” note so your follow-up feels personal.

• Name
• Email and/or phone
• Territory/location interest
• Investment range comfort (optional, but helps qualify)
• Timeline (this quarter / this year / exploring)
• Current situation (employee, owner, investor) if they share it
• Best time to contact
• What they requested (info packet, pricing, application, call)
• One note from the conversation (goals, constraints, motivations)
• Priority tag (Hot/Warm)

A booth-owner workflow that doesn’t fall apart

1. Capture one reliable contact method and one qualifier (territory + timeline).
2. Write down what they requested at the booth (info packet vs call).
3. Mark Hot leads (ready to talk) so you follow up first.
4. Photograph lead sheets clearly before leaving the expo.
5. Upload the photos the same day to avoid follow-up delay.
6. Send a short follow-up offering a call time or booking link.
7. Follow up again within 48 hours for non-responders (polite, direct).

Common booth-owner pain points

• Prospects talk to multiple booths and move fast.
• You need to respond quickly with the right info packet.
• You’re running the booth and don’t have admin time after.

Typical booth scenarios

• Info request sheets
• QR code backups
• Notes about territory/budget

Upload → review → send

1. Upload a photo/PDF of your lead sheet right after the rush.
2. Review and fix anything unclear (we flag low-confidence fields).
3. Send personal follow-ups while the show is still fresh in their mind.

Qualifying questions (fast + effective)

• Which territory/location are you interested in?
• What’s your timeline (this quarter / this year / exploring)?
• Do you have an investment range in mind (rough is fine)?

A simple follow-up cadence

You don’t need a 12-step sequence. You need a short, consistent cadence that gets replies and moves the right people to the next step.

• Same day / next morning: Be first and be clear. Confirm what they asked for and offer a short call booking link; ask one qualifying question (territory or timeline).
• 48 hours later: Move toward a call. Resend the booking link and offer two time windows for a quick chat.
• Day 5–7: Close the loop. Ask if now is the right time or if you should reconnect later.

Start free and upload your lead sheet

Follow-up ideas

• Send a short message with one clear next step (call or application).
• Reference what they asked about (territory/investment range).
• Follow up again 48 hours later if no reply.
• Keep the first email short and ask one qualifying question (timeline or territory).
• If they asked for an info packet, send a short link plus a call CTA (don’t attach a novel).
• Use a calm, direct tone—clarity beats hype for serious prospects.
• Send one last bump within a week to close the loop politely.

Example follow-ups

Hi {{name}},

Thanks for visiting us at {{eventName}}. If you’re still interested, reply with a good time to talk (or book here: {{schedulingLink}}) and I’ll send the details you asked for.

{{signature}}

Hi {{name}},

Quick question after {{eventName}} — which territory are you interested in, and what’s your timeline (this quarter / this year / exploring)? If you want to talk, you can book here: {{schedulingLink}}

{{signature}}

Hi {{name}},

If you want to talk next steps after {{eventName}}, I’m available {{option1}} or {{option2}}. Which works better?

{{signature}}

Hi {{name}},

Just closing the loop after {{eventName}} — should I keep this on my radar, or is now not the right time?

{{signature}}

What kills replies after the show

The goal is to be helpful and fast, not perfect. Most missed opportunities happen because follow-up gets delayed or the first message is too long.

• Sending a huge info dump in the first email (overwhelm kills replies).
• Not asking about territory/timeline (hard to qualify).
• Waiting too long to follow up (prospects move quickly).
• Not offering a clear next step (call booking link).
• Trying to fully organize leads before sending the first follow-up.
• Not doing a second touch (touch #2 often gets replies).
• Not capturing what they requested at the booth (follow-up misses the mark).
• Using overly salesy language (clarity beats hype).
• Treating all leads the same (Hot vs Warm prioritization matters).
• Not closing the loop (leads slip away quietly).

Does this help me write the message too?

Yes—start from a template and customize. The goal is a fast, personal follow-up.

How quickly should I follow up after a franchise expo?

Same day or next morning is ideal. Prospects talk to multiple brands and the first clear follow-up often earns the call.

What should my first email focus on?

One next step (a short call) plus one qualifier (territory or timeline). Keep it short and direct.

How many follow-ups should I send?

A simple cadence works: same day, 48 hours later, and a final bump within a week.

Should I send attachments?

It’s usually better to send a link and keep the message short. Attachments increase friction and sometimes hurt deliverability.