Lead retrieval refers to the digital capture of qualified contact information from interested attendees at an exhibitor booth. Instead of collecting business cards, exhibitors scan the attendee's badge, add notes about the conversation, and receive structured, immediately usable lead data – provided that GDPR-compliant consent has been obtained.
English: Lead Retrieval, Lead Scanning
Technologies: QR code, barcode, smartphone
GDPR requirement: Active consent per scan
What is lead retrieval?
Lead retrieval solves a challenge that is economically critical for exhibitors: How do you get contact details from booth conversations into your CRM system in a structured way so they can be followed up? Traditional business card exchanges mean manual data entry, lost cards, and missing conversation notes. Lead retrieval systems turn every scan into a complete data record including the person, context, notes, and next steps.
From an exhibitor's perspective, lead retrieval is often the most important individual service within a sponsorship package – the concrete return on investment depends directly on it.
Technological variations
- QR code on the badge: Exhibitors scan with a smartphone or tablet; the current standard.
- Conference app-based: Attendees "check in" at the booth via app
- Manual entry: Emergency solution – exhibitor enters minimal data if the scanner fails
GDPR – the key issue
Transferring attendee data to sponsors requires active, granular consent:
- Blanket clauses in the general registration ("data may be shared with exhibitors") are insufficient
- What is required is specific consent at the booth – e.g., by intentionally presenting the badge for scanning, ideally with a brief confirmation in the system
- The system should document the time of consent and, if applicable, further contextual information (the burden of proof lies with the organizer and the exhibitor)
- Attendees must know what data is being transferred and why
- Withdrawal of consent must be possible at any time
The exact implementation should be coordinated in detail with data protection officers – a good GDPR concept covers this area specifically.
Workflow for exhibitors
- Lead scanner account book with the organizer (often included in the sponsor package)
- Booth staff equip with the app and provide training
- GDPR briefing provided by the organizer
- During the conversation: Scan badge, conduct conversation, record notes and qualification
- Real-time sync to the exhibitor portal
- After the event: Export to your own CRM, automated follow-up sequences if applicable
Best practices for organizers
- Clear GDPR setup with documented consent
- Exhibitor training before the event starts – not just at the booth
- Backup devices and support during the event
- Transparency for attendees regarding data flows
- Lead volume reporting as a selling point for the following year
- Fair pricing logic: lead retrieval either as part of a package or as a clear add-on
Lead retrieval in Converia
Converia has developed a complete lead retrieval module for exhibitors: a smartphone or tablet app for scanning attendee badges, immediate data availability in the exhibitor portal, and full GDPR compliance with active consent.
Leads instead of business cards
With Converia Lead Retrieval, sponsors go home with qualified, organized contacts – not a stack of messy business cards.
- Exhibitor management – Sponsoring & Exhibition
- Sponsor package – Sponsoring & Exhibition
- QR code check-in – On-site event operations
Scan, qualify, export – GDPR-compliant with active consent provided for every scan.