Tradeshow Programs. What qualifies a lead as influenced?

[Anonymous]

For in person trade shows, what are companies using to qualify leads as influenced?

[Dory_Viscoglio]

It really depends. If they have a meeting, then they're influenced. If we are offering a download in exchange for a business card, the influence is only if they download. So it really comes down to the different types of touchpoints that there are related to the event.

[Anonymous]

You will set up what it means to be influenced yourself through the admin panel.

Go to Admin, Tags, Channel and for each channel you can determine what constitutes a "success".  If your lead hits the success stage in any program then that is considered influenced for reporting purposes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jamie- that makes sense. The numbers associated with the steps, can you explain that? For instance, influenced is step 30.

[Joe_Reitz]

I generally advise a low-to-middling bar for influence, and a higher bar for success. In the past, I've set up the program so that any email interaction ramping into the show – clicks, RSVP/Appointment setting form fills, etc. – marks them as influenced. Then as a success if they actually stopped by the booth. It really does depend though... there's no objectively correct answer.

If you use RCA, remember that you can only show MT credit if the person achieved success in the program.

[Dory_Viscoglio]

I like Joe's answer here... and it goes to show that there are so many different business cases, and ways of doing things. Not one way is right or wrong, but it's great that we have the community to ask for input and ideas of how others are doing things!

[Anonymous]

Thanks Joe. Would you create another Status for the Tradeshow channel after influenced? Since you separate Influenced and Success?

[Joe_Reitz]

Yep, I've typically listed "Influenced" as an early status, and "Visited Booth" as the success criteria. You could also have multiple success criteria, like if the RSVP for a customer event or set an appointment. Here's the documentation you need: Create a Program Channel - Marketo Docs - Product Docs 

[ChristinaZuniga]

I recently changed our requirements for this because we noticed that online channels (like White Papers and Webinars) have easy to meet success while Events are more difficult if you follow the prescribed path (Invited -> Visited Booth -> Influenced which is clicking a link in a follow up email. Attending events mean you get 100 follow up emails, how many do you typically click?).

Now for tradeshows my leads can hit influenced if they:

- Click a link in an MSI follow up email
- Choose to sign up for our newsletter at our booth
- Click a link in a normal follow up email
- Meet certain criteria (ready to buy + decision maker)

I like Dory's "have a meeting" option as well!