Why attend a virtual trade fair? Key takeaways and learnings from attendee’s perspectives

1. Takeaways I am going to get (be it swag bags or the opportunities or business or contacts) every event has some takeaways for its attendees. Virtual trade shows have ramped up in 2020 and if the digitally advanced future is acceptable widely, virtual trade shows are going to become bigger and better.
2. Virtual is a perfect place for introverted attendees. Not all attendees are alike. Some have quite an inward personality which gives them an upper hand at virtual trade shows. With no personal being over there, a new lead or business opportunity is just a chat away on an online virtual event platform.
3. Get familiar with the platform in advance. Technology education is necessary. Onboard a bit early and start exploring all the features of the online event platform. There are multiple platforms in the market and all of them have varied functionalities. Check out the event feed, try out the 1:1 chat option, set up a meeting, visit the virtual lounge, etc. Give all the features a try!
4. Make sure to give feedback. Trust me, you need to leave feedback, be it for better or worse. Every opinion matter for the event organizer as well as the vendors. If there are some improvements or suggestions on how to host better online trade shows or what could have been done better, they can amaze the organizers as well.

If you are sponsoring or exhibiting at virtual trade shows, here’s what more can amplify your reach and engagement with your booth or product:

1. Exhibitor Space content/video/demos. There’s a dedicated space provided to all the exhibitors. Upload all the important information about your brand, product including videos, photos, and other downloadable collaterals. Try and provide some exciting content for attendees to engage with. This can be your little lead gen BTS!
2. Sponsor a booth or a session or a live engagement like QnA to just get a word out about your company.
3. Make a die-hard presentation. Presentations about your product or a brand can be an easy green signal for the audience to catch a break. Don’t let them through. Make a killer presentation that will captivate their gaze and keep them in the session the entire time. Hard to get but achievable. Be creative, show less content more graphics, and speak more content that is of their use.
4. Follow up with your contacts who approached you/your booth members at the event. Downloading a list of excel with names and contacts of people, shouldn’t end here. Proper marketing campaigns must be run to convert these warm leads into hot leads. If you have multiple members manning your exhibitor booth, improve your efficacy & use the best membership management software available online.

As we are now heading into the year 2021, we may watch some crazy tech trends ramping up the game of virtual & hybrid events. Let’s wait and watch for more.