At the booth · 5 min ·
The 60-second conversation: qualify without interrogating
A trade show isn't a qualification clinic. If you pull out your BANT checklist on the third exchange, you lose the contact. Here's how to qualify in 60 seconds, without looking like it.
Key takeaways
- Qualify in 60 seconds to reserve your time for real prospects.
- 3 open questions reveal intent, organization, and mental budget.
- Mentally note one precise word, one emotion, one number per conversation.
- Always set up the next step before leaving the contact.
The classic trap: you approach a visitor, launch into the demo, unload the pitch - and discover 10 minutes later that they were just curious. The best salespeople flip the equation: they qualify in 60 seconds, then invest their time only in qualified prospects.
The 3 open questions that reveal everything
None of these questions feels like an interrogation. They trigger a story, and it's in that story that you harvest the BANT.
- "What brings you to the show this year?" - reveals intent and timing.
- "Did you come alone or with your team?" - reveals the size of the organization and the decision-makers present.
- "Have you already tried something in this area?" - reveals mental budget, urgency, and the competitors in the running.
Active listening as a qualification weapon
While the other person is talking, don't think about your next question. Mentally note three things: one precise word (jargon, a tool name), one emotion (frustration, pride, doubt), one number (team size, budget, deadline). These three elements will be the entry point of your follow-up the next day.
The move that closes the loop
Before leaving the contact, say this exact sentence: "I'll send you a recap tomorrow morning with the point we discussed about [X]. Do you prefer email or LinkedIn?" You confirm the channel, commit to an action, and turn an anonymous exchange into an implicit appointment.
Frequently asked questions
How do you quickly qualify a prospect at a trade show?
Ask 3 open questions in 60 seconds: what brings them to the show (intent/timing), whether they came alone or with a team (organization/decision-makers), and whether they've already tried something in your area (mental budget, competitors). The story they tell contains all the BANT.
Which questions should you NEVER ask at a trade show?
Avoid "What's your budget?", "Who decides at your company?", and "When are you planning to buy?". These direct questions immediately put the visitor on the defensive. The same information can be obtained through open questions and active listening.
How do you keep in touch after a trade show conversation?
Before leaving the person, announce that you'll send a recap the next day and ask for their preferred channel (email or LinkedIn). You start the relationship, confirm a channel, and create an implicit appointment.