As an organisation, hooking leads and sealing deals is all about catching that moment when customers are interested and inclined to purchase. Time can work against you if it causes consumers to re-think their decisions or forget to follow up on an offering they wanted.

Fortunately, there are ways companies can foster promising interactions and then make the most of them before they slip away. From mobile devices to trade show displays, here are three ideas:

1. Mobile POS systems   

Tablets can facilitate transactions to complete deals on the spot.

According to a recent report from 451 Research, mobile point of sale (mPOS) systems are becoming increasingly prominent across industries and geographical locations. The number of units installed is expected to explode from now to 2019, rising from 13.3 million to a massive 54.03 million devices.

What’s behind this trend? First, let’s look at what mPOS are: smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets that can facilitate credit card transactions. This gives customers the convenience of checking out anywhere in the store where a clerk is present, for instance. For salespeople, this means they can finalise deals with interested consumers right at the moment of decision, taking away the need to go to the counter – a period when they might change their minds.

2. Trade shows and exhibitions  

Trade shows give you the chance to engage with prospects face to face.

As we’ve noted before, there’s no replacing face-to-face encounters in business. Industry exhibitions and consumer tradeshows also provide organisations with unrivalled opportunities to interact with an extremely warm audience, whether B2B or B2C. They’re there to learn, and many of them have purchasing power with their businesses.

These events enable enterprises to engage with a large volume of high-potential visitors. According to the Events and Exhibition Association of Australasia, the 122 exhibitions held by member organisations in 2014 involved 973,489 visitors, with an average of nearly 8,000 per event. While over half (58 percent) of visitors were from the same city as the event, 42 percent came from further afield, meaning they may not otherwise have had first-hand contact with local exhibitors.

Of course, the key is getting the most value out of the trade show. That means designing a compelling custom booth to attract attention and create space for productive conversations. Having technology (mPOS, perhaps?) on hand to seal the deal or facilitate timely follow-ups also helps.

3. Mobile showrooms  

Visa set up a marketing campaign with this mobile showroom we built.

Another way to meet your customers where they’re at is by taking to the road. Mobile showrooms, such as pop-up stores from shipping containers or promotional vehicles, enable you to travel around or set up shop in a strategic location.

That not only increases brand awareness but also allows you to position yourself where people are likely to make purchases on the spot. Sell drinks at a sporting event, promote your laptop range near a university orientation or coordinate a cross-country road trip to increase your contact with consumers nationally, for example.

With all of these approaches, providing the right environment is just as important as seizing the opportune moment. Ensure your technology and space leave consumers comfortable and engaged. That way, even if you don’t seal the deal at the time, you’re sure to leave a lasting impression.