Trade show follow-up for interior design 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
• Project type / rooms (kitchen, bath, living room, whole home, etc.)
• Timeline (this month / next 90 days / later)
• Style keywords (modern, traditional, warm minimal, etc.)
• Budget range (optional, but helps qualify fit)
• Location (city) and travel radius fit
• Best way/time to contact
• One note from the conversation (must-have, pain point, inspiration)
• Priority tag (Hot/Warm)

A booth-owner workflow that doesn’t fall apart

1. Capture one reliable contact method and one project detail (room + timeline).
2. Write one short note that proves you listened (style, constraint, inspiration).
3. Mark Hot leads (ready to schedule a consult) so you follow up first.
4. Photograph your lead sheets clearly before you leave the venue.
5. Upload and review the photos the same day so follow-up isn’t delayed by typing.
6. Send the first follow-up within 24 hours with one question + a consult link.
7. Follow up once more within a week for non-responders (polite, low-pressure).

Common booth-owner pain points

• Follow-up needs to feel personal to convert.
• You’re juggling client work and can’t lose a weekend of leads.
• Notes about style, rooms, and budget matter.

Typical booth scenarios

• Portfolio requests
• Consultation sign-ups
• Notes like “kitchen + powder room”

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)

• What rooms are you working on (and what’s the timeline)?
• What’s your style / inspiration (links welcome)?
• What’s the best way to reach you: text or email?

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: Feel personal, not spammy. Reference their project and ask one easy question (rooms + timeline) plus a consult link.
• 48 hours later: Make the next step easy. Offer two consult windows or resend your scheduling link in one sentence.
• Day 5–7: Close the loop. Send a last bump: ask if now is the right time and offer to revisit later.

Start free and upload your lead sheet

Follow-up ideas

• Reference what they asked about (room/style) to feel personal.
• Offer a short consult call to qualify fit.
• Send 1–2 relevant project photos/links.
• Ask for a timeline so you can prioritize.
• Offer two short consult windows to reduce scheduling friction.
• For Warm leads, send one helpful tip or checklist and invite them to schedule.
• Send a last bump within a week to close the loop politely.

Example follow-ups

Hi {{name}},

Great meeting you at {{eventName}}. If you want to chat about your project, you can reply here or book a quick call: {{schedulingLink}}

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Hi {{name}},

Following up after {{eventName}} — what rooms are you focusing on first, and what’s your ideal timeline? If you want, you can grab a quick consult here: {{schedulingLink}}

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Hi {{name}},

If you’d like 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 generic email with no reference to their project (feels automated).
• Overloading the first message with portfolio links (too much too soon).
• Not asking for timeline/budget (hard to qualify fit).
• Waiting a week to follow up (they forget the conversation).
• Not capturing rooms/project type on the lead sheet.
• Not including a clear next step (consult link or a simple question).
• Trying to “perfect” the lead data before sending the first follow-up.
• Skipping touch #2 (many leads intend to reply but get busy).
• Being overly salesy (design is trust-based).
• Not prioritizing Hot leads first.

Can I use my own follow-up templates?

Yes—you can start from a template and customize the message before sending.

How quickly should I follow up after a home show?

Same day or next morning is ideal. Design leads are trust-based, and fast follow-up keeps the relationship warm.

What should I include in the first email?

One personal reference (room/style) plus one question (timeline) and a simple next step (consult link). Keep it short.

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 portfolio links right away?

Send 1–2 relevant links, not your entire portfolio. The goal is clarity and fit, not overwhelm.