How to clean a trade show lead export the same day

The lead export from the show app is the start of your follow-up. If you clean it on the day you get it, your first emails can go out the next morning. If you wait, the list goes stale.

These steps work for any app that gives you a CSV or Excel file, such as the Big 5 Global or GITEX lead apps. Plan about an hour for 300 leads.

1. Download the export every evening

Don't wait for the last day. Download the file each night of the show and save it with the date in the name, for example big5-leads-day2.csv. If the app stops working after the show, you still have your data.

2. Put every source in one sheet

Add a column called Source. Paste the app export first, then type in business cards and phone contacts. Mark each row as App, Card or Phone so you know where it came from.

3. Match the columns once

Apps name columns in different ways. One says Company, another says Organisation. Make one header row: First name, Last name, Company, Job title, Email, Phone, Country, Notes, Scanned by, Date. Move each export column under the right header.

4. Remove duplicates

The same person often gets scanned by two staff members. Sort by email, then check rows with the same email. Keep the row with the best notes and add the other person's name to Scanned by.

5. Fix the fields you will use to send

Trim spaces from emails and look for missing @ signs.
Put phone numbers in one format with the country code, for example +971.
Fill in Country. You need it to send leads to the right distributor.

6. Grade each lead A, B or C

A means they asked for a quote, a meeting or a price. B means they showed real interest but no next step. C means they picked up a brochure. Use the staff notes. If a row has no notes, ask the person who scanned it today, while they still remember.

7. Import it the same day

Load the clean file into your CRM or your follow-up sheet before you go to bed. Give each A lead an owner and a date for the first email. That is the step most teams skip.

More guides

PostShow Kit is a Google Sheets and Excel kit that does these steps for you. Paste your export, grade leads and plan day 1, 7 and 30 follow-up. $79, or $59 for people on the waitlist. Target launch is 20 November 2026.

Join the waitlist