TheLaughingWolf

Business Development Manager

Valued Contributor

Timeframe for after Confrences

Hey All,

Attended a conference in Vancouver this weekend, and while I was attending for more personal reasons, I did bring my cards to hand out if an opportunity presented itself.

That said, one of the people I was actually interested in (Funeral Services, because of the crap show it was with my dad's passing) I thought I needed to get a plan in place for myself.

Well, the person called me at 6:00pm PST yesterday. Being in sales, I took the call and tried not to be annoyed at the time of the call especially since I was eating dinner.

Then it got me thinking. Was this part of their sales strategy? I don't know their industry, so maybe they have success calling on Sunday Evenings.

I typically don't reach out till the Wednesday after the conference, just to give some time and not seem overly pushy/needy.

How long do you all wait before reaching out? And do you have success with calling people on Sunday evenings?

Edit: My bad everyone. I was talking about when you go to a tradeshow but do not have a booth. Not sure if that makes much difference or not in everyone's follow-ups. And I added call to the poll, cause I'm an idiot who didn't put it there. ha ha

How long to wait after a conference?

Attached poll

Call/email immediately Call/email the following Monday Wait for 1 week Other

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

🔎 Prospecting

💌 Cold Emailing

📞 Cold Calling

14

40 comments

Sort by:

Fenderbaum

Politicker

8

Retired Choirboy🪕

6pm on a Sunday... leave me alone.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Yeah, I've been conditioning (training) my husband that just because someone calls you doesn't compel you to answer. If it's not a good time for you...don't pick up.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

2

Business Development Manager

Kind if hard to do when someone passes you the phone once it was answered. Ha ha ha
Gave my home number and not the cell.

oldcloser

Arsonist

2

💀

What’s a home number?

jefe

Arsonist

4

🍁

.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

1

Business Development Manager

Ahhh...brings back memories of trying to dial into radio stations as a kid and never getting through because others had the newer phones.

oldcloser

Arsonist

1

💀

What’s a radio station?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Caller ID doesn't work too well on this model.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

1

Business Development Manager

Those things people used to listen to before t.v's were common.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

No, no it does not. But dam, you got style.

oldcloser

Arsonist

1

💀

I’m so old I spent 10 years in that business. Muh roots

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

Nice. What was it like working with Alexander Graham Bell?

braintank

Politicker

4

Enterprise Account Executive

Book meeting at the conference

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

If you can't book them at the conferences, how long do you wait?

braintank

Politicker

0

Enterprise Account Executive

A few days

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

Reach out now

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

I'm seeing a pattern here. ha ha I typically reach out the Wednesday because I know what I am like after getting back from a show.
Seems like I should up my speed a bit. And that it is not normal to call someone at 6pm on Sunday. ha ha ha ha

HVACexpert

Politicker

2

sales engineer

If you can’t book at meeting like @braintank said, if it’s a weekend conference, follow up on Monday.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

By weekend, do you mean just Sat/Sun, or conferences that are on a weekend and Thursday/Friday?

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

2

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

Gotta be in touch as quickly as possible. Strike when the iron is hot!

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

But how quick is too quick? If you can't get the meeting booked that tradeshow, do you do what the 6pm Sunday guy did, or do you wait till Monday, Tuesday, etc..

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

0

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

I would start reaching out as soon as there is an action item. It can get anything from “just getting all of my notes together and really wanted to get in front of you” on a Sunday night, to “I think we can possibly do something in the future. Great meeting you. How does next quarter look?” later that week. It all depends.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Strike while the iron is hot. Don't wait too long - your competitors won't be. So make that meeting while on the floor, confirm before the meeting. If you don't get a chance to make the meeting while there, then follow up the Monday after the conference.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

Looks like I'm getting my answer. ha ha ha It wasn't industry specific, guy was just eager.

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

I have said this before - get the follow up meeting while at the show, not after.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

What if you can't?

RealPatrickBateman

Politicker

2

🔪Amateur Butcher🔪

I honestly cannot tell if this is real or parody....

CuriousFox

WR Officer

1

🦊

There's your answer

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

What would make it better? Lol

Beans

Big Shot

1

Enterprise Account Executive

Give a few days for travel and work catchup.
But again, call before you email.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

That's always been my thinking too. Let them catch up on anything right after the show, then call/email that Wednesday.

sketchysales

Politicker

1

Sales Manager

Im all for the reach out as quickly as possible approach however 6pm on a Sunday night is maybe a bit to far.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

That's what got me down this little rabbit hole. Trying to see if it's different industry for each industry, but it's looking like no from the answers here. ha ha ha ha

GDO

Politicker

1

BDM

I always wait a week.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

Mind if I ask the reason why?

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

1

Sales Rep

I would say Tuesday/wed give them a sec since their inbox is full

SonnyVaccaro

Good Citizen

1

Growth Lead

B2C is a tough world - they do random stuff like this because it's harder to pick up buyer behaviors at the individual consumer level. I'm not taking any calls outside work hours that I don't know.
As for a strategy, LinkedIn connect the day you meet them at the conference - usually in the evening. LinkedIn note at the end of the week on LinkedIn (if they accept) as they are traveling - because LinkedIn is more personal. Ultra-tailored and customized message the next Tuesday followed by a Thursday/Friday message on that one to see if they bite. If nothing, leave it go and find more leads. The warmth of leads from events is VERY short.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

0

Business Development Manager

Great advice. I don't send a connection request right away, but will from now on.

JustGonnaSendIt

Politicker

1

Burn Towns, Get Money

Typically, I will do the following:
- On the next work day after I return from the conference, I send an email to everyone I met. Just a quick - Pleasure meeting you at X Conference - Type of email, and including some personalization on what we talked about.

I will recommend we have a follow-up call about it at their convenience and include some kind of leave-behind collateral that covers the thing we talked about.

Then, about a week later, I will follow up with a phone call if they haven't responded. Followed by emails recommending times and delivering incremental content.

Of course, the best thing to do is to lock in next steps with the person right there in the conference. This rarely happens, but occasionally I'll have someone commit to a call right there, and I'll immediately email them some options at the next break in the action so it's sitting there when they stop to look at their phone next.

TheLaughingWolf

WR Officer

1

Business Development Manager

This is great advice. Thanks @JustGonnaSendIt

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