Author: Oser Communications Group

Virtual trade shows grew in popularity in 2020 and continue to provide great opportunities to promote businesses. Instead of a single location, a virtual trade show allows you to display products and services to an international audience. The cost-effectiveness and lead generation potential keep virtual events en vogue. 

To attract those leads, you need trade show advertising and ways to keep them interested online. While our team at Oser Communications Group covers the advertising, here is what you can do to keep attendees engaged.

#1. Design an Attractive Booth

Virtual booths need the same attention to detail you would give them in real life. In a way, you need to design it more than in real life since you cannot attract them with your voice.

While a vibrant booth can bring in attendees, a more poignant element is meaningful graphics choices. You don’t need a whole host of new colors. Instead, use the same ones your brand always has and design the booth with meaningful photos and graphics.

For example, if you run a non-profit organization, some of your images can display beneficiaries. If you usually run a food truck or in-store food display, add pictures from those events. You can even add 3-D graphics and animations that show off your product or service in a video.

#2. Use Attractive Product Teasers

Depending on the virtual event platform, you can add videos to your booth experience. Videos can include some products that aren’t on the market yet to give attendees a taste of the future.

Many in-person trade shows display current and future products your clients can buy. To give attendees a memorable and meaningful experience, show them something they could only see at the virtual trade show. Product teaser videos can include unboxings, commercials, instructionals, and more.

Get creative with how you display your teasers! Videos allow you to display audio, so this is a time you can use their senses to your advantage.

#3. Include Interactive Activities and Games

Event organizers often choose virtual trade show platforms that allow for interactive features. While you may or may not be able to use live speech, many include individual and group chat rooms. Through that and documents in your booth, you can interact with attendees in ways that boost interest.

For example, you can play interactive games with people at your booth. You may have to get creative when playing games in a virtual trade show, but they can produce positive results. You can try different games that work well remotely, such as:

• Scavenger hunts
• Quizzes and trivia
• Bingo
• Spin the wheel
• Branded puzzles

Be sure to have free samples or prizes your attendees can win. If you choose physical items, ensure they can ship safely to various locations.

Need Help Understanding Virtual Trade Shows?

Oser Communications Group has over 50 years of experience serving different industries and sectors with trade show advertising. We answer questions like “What are trade shows?” and “How do virtual trade shows work?” daily.

Call us at (520) 721-1300 for a comprehensive marketing strategy to boost your virtual trade show appeal today.

Trade shows are a great way to grow businesses. Trade show events provide networking opportunities and allow you to show off your products, connect with others, and improve your likelihood of succeeding as an entrepreneur. 

If you’re wondering how to prepare for a trade show, you’re not alone. Taking the time to prepare beforehand with a results-driven trade show advertising company like Oser Communications Group ensures your trade show experience helps your business soar.

Here’s a beginner’s checklist for preparing for trade shows.

1. Register Early

Registering is a vital part of joining trade shows. Usually, you must register before the day of the show. By pre-registering online, you get early access to your booth location.

This way, you don’t have to worry about setting up at the beginning of the day. In addition to registering early, it’s a good idea to research the general floor plan map and the types of exhibits and booths attending so you can best adjust your experience for the target audience.

2. Define Roles and Responsibilities

The next step in staying prepared for your trade show is defining specific roles and responsibilities for this show. For example, you should answer these questions:

1.  What are you trying to learn?  
2. How does your business align with this trade show?
3. What’s your overall goal for this event?

Once you answer these, it’s wise to appoint specific roles to yourself and your workers. For example, ensure one person is responsible for the technology. Then, assign another to product distribution, setup, and teardown.

By having clear goals and specific roles, you can measure your success and create the best environment to succeed. 

3. Set a Budget

Setting a budget is essential when learning how to prepare for a trade show.

Another important note is to set a budget for the trade show. When you enter into a trade show, inevitable costs come with it. 

Some of these costs include advertising, registration fees, product samples, employee pay, hotel stays, food, and transportation.

By determining this budget beforehand, you can avoid surprises that may throw your business off track during or after the event. 

 4. Have Enough Supplies Ready

A lot is going on at trade shows, and preparing enough supplies before the big day is another crucial step for success. 

For example, you’ll need notebooks and a pen or a tablet to write specific networking numbers, booth locations, notes on other vendors, potential customers, and future business ideas. You’ll also need business cards, merchandise, and advertising tools. 

5. Network Effectively 

The final step is to network smarter, not harder. Trade show exhibits are the perfect opportunity to exchange information, speak with other companies, and make a great first impression. Speak with keynote speakers, be social, and pursue connections to get the best experience.

Instead of wondering how to prepare for a trade show, take action today with Oser Communications Group. Our team has over 50 years of experience serving various sectors with trade show advertising.

Let our team at Oser Communications Group help you choose the best booth locations and a comprehensive marketing strategy by calling (520) 721-1300 today!

Trade shows are an excellent source of qualified prospects. However, many businesses return from these events with fewer leads than anticipated or many unqualified leads.

How can your brand improve your results from trade shows? Our trade show advertising specialists at Oser Communications Group have put together some top tips for collecting leads at trade shows.

1. Design a Lead Generation Plan

Before heading off to a trade show, you must determine what you intend to achieve from the event.

What type of leads do you intend to capture? What are your goals?

Perhaps you want more signups for a free product sample or to grow your email subscriber list. No lead generation campaign can be successful if it doesn’t have a goal and a plan to achieve it.

2. Promote the Trade Show

As the date for the trade show draws closer, it’s important to let prospective attendees know that your brand will be at the event.  

Write a blog post about attending the event. Schedule a few posts about the show on social media. The goal is to encourage as many people as possible to meet you at the event.

3. Send a Qualified Team

The best team to send to a trade show is one that combines some of your best sales personnel. Send people with the right experience and training to talk to highly qualified leads.

4. Create a Streamlined Process for Your Booth Management

A quality booth management process helps you separate real prospects from random attendees. Here’s an example of what a successful booth process looks like:

• Greet the visitor
• Scan the visitor’s badge
• Ask qualifying questions (to weed out unqualified suspects)
• Demonstrate your products to qualified suspects
• Get a commitment for a call, physical meeting, or other forms of follow-up communication

Collecting leads at trade shows is easier if you have a quality process in place.

5. Pay Attention to Your Booth Design

You want your booth to stand out from the dozens of other businesses at the trade show. Ensure it is welcoming enough without losing your brand identity.

A colorful booth with neatly designed, legible banners can help boost booth traffic.

6. Don’t Be Quick to Dispatch Promo Material 

Excellent booth management ensures you don’t hand out promo material and literature prematurely. However, even if you don’t have a booth management process, you should still avoid handing out literature too quickly. Otherwise, you’ll find most materials on the floor and in trash bins.

7. Leverage Technology

The days of lugging writing pads and paper forms to trade shows are long gone. You should incorporate technology into your trade show planning.

Using digital tools to scan attendee badges and collect their business card will significantly simplify the follow-up process.

Get More Expert Advice On Trade Show Lead Generation

Do you need more guidance on collecting leads at trade shows? Are you looking for a qualified event marketing consultancy group to work with?

Call our experts at Oser Communications Group at (520) 721-1300. We can offer guidance on everything from literature material to booth display colors for trade shows.