Lead retrieval refers to the digital capture of qualified contact data 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?
The lead retrieval process solves a task that is economically critical for exhibitors: How can contact details from booth conversations be transferred in a structured way into their own CRM system for follow-up? Traditional business card exchanges involve 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 single service within a sponsorship package – the actual return on investment depends directly on it.
Technological variations
- QR code on the badge: Exhibitors scan using a smartphone or tablet; the current standard
- Conference app-based: Attendees "check in" at the booth via an app
- Manual entry: A fallback solution – the exhibitor enters minimal data manually if the scanner fails
GDPR – the central issue
Transferring attendee data to sponsors requires active, granular consent:
- Blanket clauses in general registration forms ("Data may be shared with exhibitors") are insufficient
- . What is required is specific consent at the booth – e.g., by consciously presenting the badge for scanning, ideally with a brief confirmation in the system.
- The system should document the time of consent and any other relevant context (the burden of proof lies with the organizer and the exhibitor).
- Attendees must know what data is being shared and for what purpose
- . 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
- Book a lead scanner account with the organizer (often included in the sponsorship package)
- Equip and train booth staff with the app
- GDPR briefing provided by the organizer
- During the conversation: Scan the badge, conduct the conversation, and capture notes and qualification
- Real-time sync to the exhibitor portal
- After the event: Export to your own CRM, potentially triggering automated follow-up sequences
Best practices for organizers
- Clear GDPR setup with documented consent
- Train exhibitors before the event begins – not just at the booth
- Backup devices and support during the event
- Transparency for attendees regarding data flows
- Lead volume reporting as a sales argument for the following year
- Fair pricing logic: Lead retrieval either as part of a package or as a transparent 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 availability of data in the exhibitor portal, and end-to-end GDPR compliance with actively provided 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
- Sponsorship Package – Sponsoring & Exhibition
- QR Code Check-in – On-site Event Operations
Scan, qualify, export – GDPR-compliant with active consent provided for every scan.