With the recent transformations in the event industry, we have been experiencing several changes and modifications adopted by businesses to continue hosting successful events. Having said this, we all understand that virtual and hybrid events are the new normal and are here to stay and prosper in the years to come.
Virtual trade fairs are of a similar format that lets you expand your global reach of sponsors and attendees to create unique event experiences.
What is a Virtual Trade Fair?
Powered by an ideal virtual event platform, a virtual trade fair is the replica of physical shows. With endless networking features and engagement tools, organizers can make way for new connections and drive audience engagement. Also, the online format of trade shows is cost-effective, helps you expand your global reach, and offers a better return on investment.
But with so many virtual expos, exhibitions, trade shows, fairs, and conferences happening online, the question is, how do you stand out at your online event?
Let us take you through the key features and best practices of a virtual trade fair;
Key features of a Virtual Trade Fair;
- Attractive 3D Designs
It is important to leave a lasting impression on your participants right from the beginning. And 3D environment with stunning designs is the unique selling point of virtual trade fair platforms. Creating an immersive stage with excellent virtual booths, eye-catching graphics, dynamic banners, a virtual lobby, and GIFs. It is an excellent way to take your attendees in awe.
- Custom Branding
Branding is the key for exhibitors to attract more attendees and potential customers. Exhibitors can choose to keep attractive imagery, videos, and booth design to wow their attendees. Customization allows exhibitors to display their brand logo, colors, content, services, and products exceptionally.
- On-event annoucements
Virtual job fairs, virtual career fairs, expos, or trade shows expect the participation of numerous sponsors and attendees. Hence, it is important to keep everyone notified about the live and ongoing sessions to drive attendees to that particular session. Event organizers can use pop-up features or push notifications that will keep everyone updated. You can choose to send either text or video notifications to promote attendee engagement.
- E-commerce platform
Adding an e-commerce platform is an effective way to increase sales opportunities. Virtual product launches are an excellent example of the same. You can use the 360-degree feature to give a holistic view of the brand’s product. With the e-commerce platform available at the virtual venue it becomes easier to make on-spot deals and sales.
- Real-time chat feature
For online events, several virtual event solutions offer endless opportunities for people to engage, interact, and make new connections. One of the most important functions is a live chat feature that promotes real-time 2-way interactions. You can also insert this feature while the speaker is taking the sessions. It will help you gauge the active participation of the attendees.
- Distinguished stand designs
These stands are the exact replica of stalls available at physical fairs or trade shows. You can decide to add a personalized touch to these your stands or exhibitor booths. With platforms like Dreamcast, you can use customized templates and eye-catching graphics to increase visibility and lure more attendees.
How to Host a Virtual Trade Fair?
#1. Set Clear Goals
To host a successful virtual trade fair, you need the first know the reason for hosting it. Are you hosting this event to drive more sales? Is it to boost the brand value?, or Do you just want to enhance the global reach of your brand? Getting clear answers to these questions will help you plan your events more productively.
#2. Select an Ideal Virtual Venue Partner
An events platform plays a significant role in elevating the level of a virtual or hybrid event experience. Hence, it is important to wisely choose the virtual trade fair platform with features that suit your business needs.
For example, custom branding, engagement tools, and networking opportunities are a must for a virtual trade show, expo, fest, or fair.
The key features of an event platform include;
- Customization
- Networking tools
- Engagement features
- Security
- Customer support
- Follow-up
- Detailed analytics
- Seamless integrations
- Automated tools
Platforms that embrace these features seamlessly help deliver a memorable event experience. Also, with integrations of popular apps, it becomes easier to improve the attendee experience.
#3. Prepare Engaging Content
Content is the tool to keep the attendees engaged and hooked in an event. It makes an event more valuable for both attendees and sponsors.
With high-quality content, exhibitors can lure more people and make them their potential buyers. It is the content that is available via PDFs, documents, presentations, slides, or videos at an exhibitor’s booth that explains more about them. For example, at a virtual job fair, or a career fair, it is the booths and their content that give more information about the employers to the interested candidates.
#4. Promote attendee engagement
Keeping attendees engaged is the only way to increase the dwell time of the audiences on the platform. There are several ways in which you can encourage attendee engagement.
Keeping shorter sessions or including different speakers are a great method to make the event even more interesting.
Besides this, you can also add games like spin the wheel, temple run, tic-tac-toe, crossword, and word games to keep everyone hooked and involved for a longer time. You can also leverage on-event announcements to ensure that the live and upcoming sessions are attended by a maximum number of people. These are some excellent ideas to leave an impactful impression on your attendees.
#5. Offer Networking Opportunities
Networking is one of the significant traits of virtual trade fairs where several attendees and sponsors participate to make new connections. Features like AI-based recommendations, business card exchange, and B2B meetings scheduler, are excellent ideas to let people connect virtually. It is an excellent way for exhibitors to get prospect leads.
#6. Promote Your Virtual Trade Fair
Marketing efforts are the code to let more people know that the event is happening. You can employ social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to expand your global reach. Besides this, you can practice email marketing to send periodic reminders to potential attendees. You can also write SEO-optimized and keyword-specific content to heighten the search potential.
#7. Strengthen the Technical Aspect
With so many attendees and sponsors taking part in a virtual trade show or fair, it is important to ensure that, they have a seamless platform experience. Hence, you should always look for a platform that is backed by technical or customer support. This feature helps provide immediate assistance to the virtual attendees in case of log-in platform navigation issues.
#8. Detailed Reporting
It is the most beneficial point for organizing events virtually. You can ask your platforms to help you with a comprehensive record of attendee navigation, downloaded content, the count of registrations, the number of questions asked to the exhibitor, and more. With these helpful insights, it becomes simple for event organizers to measure the success of their event.
Final Word With businesses facing massive competition, each of them needs to incorporate strategies that help them stand out. Today, with the popularity of virtual event platforms, they are leveraging the opportunity of hosting successful virtual food fairs, virtual property fairs, virtual job fairs, virtual career fairs, and more to expand their global reach and boost the brand value.
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