Having thought of sitting and setting-up a perfect trade show without having to hustle seems nearly impossible. Generating qualified leads while sitting back seems unbelievable and you wish this ideal world is true.
The breaking news is, such an ideal world does exist known as Virtual Trade Shows. With the rapid advancements in technology businesses around the world are leveraging from the same. Virtual trade shows were prevalent for a very long time, but a sudden spike has been witnessed in 2020. As the year has vastly impacted the event industry, businesses are moving their trade shows online to magnify profits.
Today the internet is flooded with ample virtual trade show platforms that offer comprehensive virtual event engagement features. It enables 3d virtual event set up to deliver immersive event experiences to attendees while maintaining the original value of an on-ground event. An interactive and engaging virtual event platform helps to make your virtual trade show stand out thus amplifying qualified leads. Apart from it, it enables you to set up customized virtual trade show booths to reach a wide spectrum of audience.
There is no doubt about the fact that virtual is here to stay and get bigger and better. There are ample virtual trade show benefits that are far beyond the reach of on-ground trade shows. Virtual events have closely replicated the look of on-ground events and are working on it with more innovative innovations every day. All the hype that was created around the virtual trade show 2020 is going to get bigger and better. Stay tuned for updates on virtual trade shows.
In this article, we will take you on a tour of 3D virtual trade shows. We have covered a complete guide about virtual trade shows in India. Time to get started!
What are Virtual Trade Shows?
A virtual trade show is defined as an event taking place online over the internet. It is hosted on a virtual trade show platform with a 3d virtual event set up instead of a physical location. It works the same way as a physical event but with digital features. The virtual event platform that offers interactive and engaging virtual trade show features replicates the physical trade show. It helps in delivering immersive event experiences to attendees residing in any corner of the world.
The online format of 3D virtual trade shows comes with major perks. It has an expanded reach as it can be accessible by the audience from the comfort of their own space. Virtual trade shows escalate the necessity of packing travel bags and spending sums of money on traveling.
Same as in-person trade shows, virtual trade shows offer sponsors the flexibility to organize virtual booths. With each passing day, 3D virtual fair shows are gaining immense popularity as they overcome various constraints. Right from escalating geographical barriers, limited reach, higher costs, complicated event planning to increase attendance, engagement, it serves all.
If costs are to be compared, virtual trade show pricing is relatively moderate than in-person trade shows. It reduces various expenses like traveling, accommodation, food and drinks, event set-up cost, venue renting, hiring technical event staff, considerably.
Apart from the above-mentioned perks how can we forget about data collection and the efficiency to measure event success?
Today, 3D virtual trade shows have become the first choice of leading marketers and exhibitors. Reduced expenses, increased participation, wider reach, greater ROI, valuable data collection, and ability to analyse results, have made it the preferred choice among big enterprises.
Features of a Virtual Trade Show Platform
Let’s have a detailed insight into why virtual trade shows have become the talk of the town. Further, we have shared some of the virtual trade show features that you need to look at on a platform.
#1. 3D Virtual Event Setup to Entice Your Attendees
Create a lasting impression on your attendees right from the gateway they walked-in to attend your virtual trade show. Selecting a platform that offers 3d virtual event setup is a must to make that first impression. To make the most out of your virtual trade show, create visually enticing landing pages, create customizable interfaces, and so on. Virtual trade shows can be fully personalized by the platform demanding upon the need of the organizers and exhibitors.
#2. Customize Virtual Trade Show Booths
Virtual trade show platforms enable exhibitors to brand their virtual trade show booths with custom designs. It helps in saving a lot of time and effort you would have invested in setting up a booth at a physical event. Here are some tips to help your virtual trade show booth stand out.
#3. Enhance Engagements with Interactive Tools
Virtual trade show platforms that offer interactive engaging features such as live audio/video chats to maximize engagements. Interactive tools & features offered by the platform helps in amplifying interactions between exhibitors and attendees in real-time. One-on-one interactions at virtual trade shows help in alleviating the long waiting queues waiting around the booths. Interactive features help in assisting attendees towards any query thus keeping them engaged throughout the event.
#4. Keep Attendees Posted with Announcements
A virtual trade show platform that keeps your attendees posted with live updates during the event, is the right tick. Unlike on-ground trade shows, a 3D virtual trade show easily captures the attention of audiences with a pop-up notification. It helps in keeping the audience updated and notified at all times.
#5. Engagement Features to Keep the Audience Hooked
Well, you have crossed the stage of inviting your audience. Now you have an ample audience from various corners of the world, keeping them hooked throughout comes next. A virtual event platform that offers various engagement tools and features resolves all your worries. Virtual event platforms bring the global audience together under one roof virtually. It eliminates the hassle of collecting the people of different time zones at a single point of time. Live polls, surveys, twitter wall, the ability to organize Q & A sessions, quizzes, games are some of the engagement features offered by the platform that helps in keeping the audience hooked throughout.
#6. Ability to Offer Giveaways and Goodies to Maximize Stay Time
Organizers can host quizzes and contests during virtual trade shows to maximize the stay time of attendees. Go with a platform that enables you to do the same. Offer exciting giveaways to the first 5 winners or give physical or virtual goodies to participants as a token of appreciation.
#7. Trackability and Valuable Data Collection
Unlike in-person trade shows, virtual trade shows keep a complete track of attendees right from registrations till the event ends. Virtual trade shows platforms offer valuable and detailed attendee data that helps in measuring the success of the event. It helps the organizers to measure the ROI for future events and strategize it accordingly.
#8. Keep the Event Running
If you desire to keep the 3D virtual fair show active even after it’s over, virtual fairs platforms enable you to do this. The content can be shared on various platforms as well as it remains evergreen in a virtual format. Once the live feature is over, organizers can still receive a notification regarding queries of people who visited virtual booths.
By now, you must have understood what are virtual trade shows and what features to look in for a virtual trade show platform to host one. Many organizers who have never thought about virtual trade shows are still confused, what makes virtual trade shows stand out.
Virtual trade shows in India and other nations have created the buzz in 2020. Let’s understand in brief what made it stand apart and the preferred choice of leading businesses, marketers and exhibitors.
Why Virtual Trade Shows are Popular Choice of Marketers and Exhibitors?
Here is a list of reasons that makes virtual trade shows stand out:
#1. Global Presence
Virtual trade shows help in attracting attendees around the globe thus resulting in wider reach and increased attendance. The globalization of the event results in generating more qualified leads. Attendees can tune in to attend a virtual trade show from the comfort of their own space without having to book tickets to travel. All your attendees need is a device and a strong internet connection to attend a virtual trade show and have an unforgettable experience.
#2. Eco-Friendly Alternative
Day by day the environmental calamities are hitting hard resulting in destroying the environment. An average of 5000000 tons of waste is disposed of every year during physical trade shows. The carbon emissions produced during on-ground events resulting in polluting the environment even further. Virtual trade shows are an environment-friendly alternative that escalates the waste produced by paper and marketing collaterals. Apart from it, it helps in reducing carbon emissions thus protecting the environment. Time to take possession to save the planet by going virtual.
#3. Increased Accessibility
Unlike physical trade shows, virtual trade shows are highly accessible. It can be assessed by attendees from any location, any device and any browser. Virtual trade shows even allow disabled attendees to have access to the same, which they usually miss out during physical events. Virtual trade shows offer options for individuals who are impaired or disabled, thereby benefiting them as well.
#4. Reduced Costs
The expenses involved in hosting an on-ground trade fair get reduced considerably with 3D virtual trade shows for all the parties involved. The attendees do not have to travel to a physical location to attend an event. It results in saving the cost of traveling, accommodation, food & drinks and other basic costs. Whereas virtual trade shows cut off the cost of hiring technical staff, event set up, venue renting, book accommodation for keynote speakers, etc. for organizers.
#5. Increased Return on Investment (ROI)
When compared to on-ground events, virtual trade shows yield greater return on investments. It helps exhibitors to plan next event strategies accordingly and nurture the most valuable leads.
After having a brief insight into what are virtual trade shows? what features to look in a virtual trade show platform? Some virtual trade show benefits, you are now all set to host one. We have shared a quick checklist to follow before hosting a virtual trade show on a virtual event platform.
Quick Checklist to Hosting Virtual Trade Shows
#1. Book a Demo to Test Technology
Before you host a virtual trade show, book a demo with the service provider or the platform you selected to host. It helps you in testing the technology and the features of a virtual event platform. Check whether the features offered by the platform are user-friendly or not as every attendee is not well versed with technology.
#2. Check Out for Security Features
Check out the security features before hosting a 3D virtual trade show to ensure the success of the event. It is highly crucial to check for security features of the platform to ensure it is free from viruses, crashing, and fraud.
#3. Plan Out a Strategy
Make out a strategy in advance to make your event successful. Outline your goals and what you want to achieve with the event. Move-in the right direction accordingly.
#4. Deliver Quality Content
Content still remains the king. Deliver quality content to your attendees that hold value to them be it a video or document.
#5. Work on the Event Schedule
Whether you are planning a virtual event or a trade show for a day or two or more, you need to inform your attendees about the same. Keep them updated with an event schedule that consists of a list of sessions and timings. Share the schedule on the landing page as well.
#6. Promote your Virtual Trade show
Develop a marketing plan and promote your virtual trade show in advance. Use direct mails, public relations, social media channels, integrated marketing to enhance attendance.
Conclusion
Virtual trade shows offer endless possibilities for businesses, marketers, organizers and exhibitors. It enables businesses of all sizes to showcase their offering to a wide spectrum of audiences globally. It not only helps businesses in maximizing leads and gaining profits, but it also helps in keeping the environment pollution free as well. With time going virtual has become the new trend. If you have not yet thought about hosting a virtual trade show, now is the time to think about it. Book a demo and get started!
