Lead Retrieval App for Trade Shows
Scan printed badges. Let visitors share their details from your QR code. Every lead lands in a follow-up list instead of a spreadsheet you open in three weeks.
Free plan. No device rental. Works at any show.
Lead retrieval is how exhibitors collect visitor details at a trade show. Organizers often rent you a scanner or app that reads the encoded QR code on each badge, and it only works at that show. My MASH Card is a universal alternative. It reads the text printed on badges, lets visitors share their details by scanning your QR code, tags every lead with the show, and puts them in a follow-up list. The core features are on the free plan.
The booth isn’t where leads die
You pay for the booth. You pay for the scanner. You talk to people for two days straight.
Then the show ends and the leads come back as a spreadsheet. Names, companies, maybe an email. No note on what anyone wanted. By the time you open the file, half of them have already talked to someone else.
Capturing the lead was never the hard part. Following up while they still remember your booth is.
Two ways to capture at the booth
Scan the badge
Take a photo of the visitor’s badge. It reads the printed name, company, and title. You check the details, add a note about the conversation, and save.
How the scanner worksLet them scan you
Put your card’s QR code on the table. Visitors share their own name, email, and phone from their phone. You get full contact details even when the badge only prints a name.
How lead capture worksRunning a booth for a business instead of yourself? The Business Capture card template is built for it. Capturing the visitor is the main action, and it can show an opt-in box for news and offers.
Before the show
Create the show as an event and set it active. Everyone you capture while it’s active gets tagged with it, so after the show you can pull up exactly who you met there. The event keeps its own lead count, so you can see which shows were worth the booth fee.
After the show
Every lead starts as New and stays in front of you until you act on it. Reminders show up in the app, and Pro adds email reminders. Need the list somewhere else? Save contacts to your phone on the free plan, or export a CSV and sync to NinjaPipe, DealDrive, Google Sheets, or a webhook on Pro.
Organizer lead retrieval vs. My MASH Card
Honest version. If you need the data inside the badge QR code, rent the organizer’s system. If you want leads you’ll actually follow up on, at every show you work, this is built for that.
| Capability | Organizer lead retrieval | My MASH Card |
|---|---|---|
| Reads the badge’s encoded QR code or barcode | Yes | No. Reads the printed text. |
| Works at any show | Only the show that issued it | Yes |
| Hardware to rent | Often a scanner or app license per show | None. Your phone. |
| Visitors can share their own details | Varies | Yes, from your QR code |
| Custom qualifying questions at capture | Usually | No. Add notes as you save. |
| Follow-up after the show | Usually an exported list | Follow-up status and reminders built in |
Organizer systems vary by show. Check what your show offers before you decide.
Best for
- Small exhibitors at home shows, expos, and chamber events
- Service businesses that work a booth a few times a year
- Reps working a booth alone who need leads to stick
- Anyone who rented a scanner, exported a spreadsheet, and never followed up
Not best for
- Shows where you need the data inside the organizer’s badge QR code
- Booth teams that need one shared lead list. Today each person captures to their own account.
- Exhibitors who depend on custom qualifying questions at the moment of capture
FAQs
What is lead retrieval?
Lead retrieval is how exhibitors collect visitor contact details at a trade show. Organizers often rent exhibitors a scanner or app that reads the encoded QR code on attendee badges. A universal lead retrieval app like My MASH Card works at any show without the organizer’s system.
Does it read the QR code on a show badge?
No. It reads the text printed on the badge. Organizer QR codes and barcodes only work with the organizer’s own system. If a badge only prints a name and company, that’s what you get, so have visitors scan your QR code when you want their email and phone.
Do I need to rent a device?
No. It runs in your phone’s browser on iPhone and Android. Add it to your home screen for one-tap access at the booth.
Is it free?
Badge scanning, QR code capture, follow-up status, and one active event are on the free plan. Pro adds CSV export, CRM and Google Sheets sync, email reminders, and unlimited events.
Can my whole booth team share one lead list?
Not yet. Each person captures leads to their own account. Team features aren’t part of the product today.
Can I add qualifying questions?
Not as a form at capture. When you save a scanned badge, you can add where you met, notes, and what the relationship is for. That’s where the qualifying detail goes.
Does it work without signal on the show floor?
Scanning needs a connection, because the badge is read on our servers. If the floor has no signal, photograph the badges anyway and upload them from your camera roll when you’re back online.
Set up your booth free
Free to start. No credit card. No rental.