We have all learned and witnessed that during the pandemic, the majority of events transferred on virtual platforms. The same practice goes for trade shows or now virtual trade shows. Trade shows are usually done in-person. However, as they focus on networking and acquiring potential leads virtual platforms enhance those characteristics.

Typically trade shows happen in a showroom venue, but with technology they have transformed and now they exist on screen. With AVIANET Virtual Event Platform (VEP) you can have virtual booths, one on one meetings, lead tracking, data analytics and more. Virtual trade shows provide exhibitors the chance to find sponsors and future customers.

Benefits of virtual trade shows:

More attendees

The most obvious reason is that you can reach a much wider audience. Virtual trade shows tend to have 8-10 times more attendees than in-person trade shows. Having a virtual trade show allows a more global reach of audience and therefore fewer overall costs. Another benefit is that your attendees do not have to travel to the trade show so it won’t limit your event capacity. This you can avoid way all unnecessary travels and it is more sustainable for the environment. Having a bigger attendee list means more potential leads and having the opportunity to host more exhibitors.

Increased visibility during the virtual trade show event

For exhibitors, the main success factor of in-person trade shows is the booth location, hosting virtually omits this from the equation. While hosting the trade show virtually, you as an organizer can provide your exhibitors great exposure. By offering exhibitors different booth types and a spot on your virtual event’s homepage they will get more recognition. Each exhibitor has the chance to have their own customized virtual booth with all materials- presentations, videos, brochures and more. These booths are designed to gather all relevant company information and data.

Meetings with interested customers

The essential feature of each trade show is to have one on one conversations with interested parties. When it comes to virtual trade shows, they can be organized using video conferencing tools. Meetings can be pre-scheduled to make organizing the event even easier. Each exhibitor has their own customized meeting room with brandable features and networking options.

Capturing potential leads more easily with virtual trade show

Event Return on Investment (ROI) is a crucial part of trade shows. ROI depends on each companies wanted results of the event and end of event goals. Sales leads are an important part of the ROI calculation. Lead capturing shows attendee engagement based on their activity. This doesn’t only show engagement among attendees, but it better portraits attendee’s interests and needs. Exhibitors have their own virtual booths and potential leads can exchange contact and information with them. Exchanged contacts become inbound leads.

Exhibitor content:

Branding

As we already mentioned, each exhibitor has their own virtual booth where they represent their companies’ products/services. First thing that distinguishes one exhibitor from another is branding. Branding is number one representation of your company. With virtual trade shows, exhibitors have the option to fully brand their virtual booths and their auditoriums.

Clear video and audio

Virtual trade shows are better for networking because they don’t have to be noisy and loud as on-site events. When trade shows are virtual, you have control of the whole organization. Make sure that your booths representatives have great audio, visuals and a stable Internet connection.

Sponsorship opportunities

Exhibitors want to be visible to all attendees, so they will likely be sponsors of the event to get the most exposure. This is a chance for them to showcase their company logo on the event website or have sponsored sessions. Most likely sponsors at your virtual trade show are companies directly involved as exhibitors or companies looking to expand their target audience. You can even offer featured sponsorship which means featuring exhibitors on high traffic areas.

Another good opportunity for sponsors is to have sponsored video ads. So, when attendees log in and wait for a session to start, they can see a sponsor’s commercial.

Final Takeaway

With the right technology that AVIANET VEP has. We can help you host virtual trade shows and make sure that they are even more successful than in-person ones. Since the event landscape has broaden, the possibilities are endless.