Capture Trade Show Leads (Even If They Don’t Say Hi)

Vector Team

Not every trade show attendee is going to stop by your booth. But that doesn’t mean they’re not interested.

This playbook helps you capture leads from QR code scans, IP traffic from the event floor, and passive interest, so you can follow up with prospects you didn’t get to talk to face-to-face.

The Vector Way:

Most field marketing teams only capture badge scans or form fills.

Vector flips that.

We help you spot in-person interest whether someone scanned a QR code from a distance or visited your site during the event. You can de-anonymize those visits and follow up in a way that feels personal, timely, and relevant.

When to use this play:

Use when:

You're sponsoring or exhibiting at a field event or trade show
You’ve placed a QR code on signage, screens, or printed materials
You want to capture booth interest without relying on badge scans
You want to follow up on site visits during the event using IP-based or location-based tracking

Goal

Capture and follow up with leads from trade shows—even those who didn’t stop to chat.

Objectives

Turn passive booth traffic into CRM leads
Track in-person interest via QR scans and IP-based visits
Accelerate post-event follow-up without relying on badge data
Give sales a clear list of who interacted with your brand during the event

Use case

You’re at a busy event. Lots of people pass by your booth, glance at your screen, or discreetly scan your QR code—but they don’t talk to your reps or opt in.

You need to identify those contacts, tag them, and follow up immediately after the show.

Play type: Event Activation | Lifecycle Acceleration | Sales Enablement Estimated time to execute: 30–45 minutes setup + event duration tracking

How it works:

Step 1: Create your event QR experience‍

Place a QR code on booth signage, swag, screens, or printed collateral. Link it to a helpful resource—like a case study, exclusive guide, or event-specific landing page. Make it easy to engage anonymously.

Step 2: Monitor IP traffic during the event
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Use Vector to detect spikes in traffic from event IP ranges or locations. Layer on known attendee lists or company data to enrich visits with contact-level insights.

Step 3: De-anonymize and tag contacts
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Whether a visitor scans your QR code or hits your site during the event, Vector resolves the contact and adds campaign metadata (event name, source, etc.).

Step 4: Push into CRM or sales tools
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Send the newly captured leads into your CRM or sales sequencer. Tag them as “Event – [Name] Passive Lead” and note how they interacted (QR scan or IP visit).

Step 5: Trigger a light, personalized follow-up
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Send a message that references the event. Even if the person didn’t talk to your team, it keeps the outreach warm and relevant.

Call out box -
Example email:

Subject: Great seeing you at [Event Name]

Hey {{First Name}},

Not sure if we had a chance to connect directly at [Event], but I noticed you checked out our [resource/product].

We’d love to hear what caught your eye—and share how others in your space are solving [problem].

Let me know if you'd like to chat!

– [Rep Name]

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Step 6: Track post-event behavior in Vector
As contacts click, reply, or visit your site again, Vector will move them into the right lifecycle stage—making it easy to prioritize follow-up.

Wrap-up: Don’t Let Event Interest Go Cold

Not every great lead says hello at your booth, but that doesn’t mean they’re not interested.

This play helps you capture the “quiet” signals from trade shows (QR scans, booth-side browsing, or anonymous site visits) and turn them into real sales conversations. With Vector, you don’t have to rely on badge scans or form fills. You can follow up with more leads, faster, and keep your post-event momentum going strong.

Because sometimes, the best conversations start after the event ends.

Example H2