If you want to see the latest innovations and product launches, there’s no better place than a trade show. From highly desirable fashion to super speedy motorbikes, trade shows offer attendees a unique opportunity to see and buy the very latest products and services.
Whether it’s generating leads for exhibitors or delivering up-to-the-minute product information to potential customers, trade show organisers want to make sure that every stakeholder gets the most from the event…which is where event tech comes in!
Event Tech and Trade Shows
The right trade show event tech will ensure attendees, exhibitors and sponsors are delighted by their event experience.
While event planners have a mind-boggling array of event tech options to choose from, it pays to find a solution that offers a seamless delivery. Juggling multiple different platforms and providers can end up creating more work rather than less!
A seamless solution not only makes for a smoother experience, but it can also ensure that important data is transferred securely from point to point without the need for custom APIs or third-party extensions.
A comprehensive Event App is the ideal event software to deliver trade show essentials in one place. Combined with badge-printing kiosks, this event tech solution can create a smooth, productive, and enjoyable experience for attendees and exhibitors alike:
Fast Kiosk Check-in
Badge-printing kiosks make trade show check-in super simple and fast. Instead of waiting in long lines, attendees simply walk in, scan their QR code, and voila! The kiosk prints their badge right there in moments.
High-quality kiosks will have ultra-fast processing to get as many attendees as possible into the event. It’s also worth checking that a kiosk provider can supply an onsite team to help with any last-minute arrivals and general queries.
Personalised Agendas
There’s always a lot going on at a trade show! Attendees will appreciate any help to ensure they get to see everything on their must-do event list.
Event Apps, like CrowdComms’ offer a personalised agenda feature. This interactive feature acts like an attendee’s personal event guide.
Attendees can see what’s happening and when, choose their favourites, and then create their own agenda. This agenda will only show chosen sessions and workshops – making it a lot easier to navigate a packed event schedule. Push notifications act as a useful reminder that a favourite session is about to start.
Lead Generation
High-quality leads are one of the key reasons exhibitors attend trade shows.
Event Apps with lead generation features are the smart way to say goodbye to physical business cards (easy to lose/inconvenient to store). Digital solutions are often QR code enabled, which means exhibitors can simply scan an attendee’s code (contained on their event app) and have immediate access to lead data.
This data can be downloaded straight into a spreadsheet for easy pipeline management.
Gamification
In order to collect lead data, exhibitors need to make sure plenty of attendees visit their stand or booth.
Event planners can help them by offering a gamification feature on the trade show Event App. In short, gamification incentivises attendees to visit certain places in the event venue. This can be in the form of points, prizes or simply the kudos of being the best!
Accessed as an Event App feature, games can be created to suit your attendees, exhibitor needs, venue and event length. There are endless options available that will help drive traffic to your exhibitors.
Interactive Mapping
Ok, so our exhibitors are ready to generate leads, and attendees are pumped to visit their stands – but the event venue is huge! How can we help attendees get to their booth destination without getting lost?
Interactive mapping is a handy Event App feature that will get attendees from a-to-b without unintended stops at g-f-n and z! Much like Google or Apple Maps, attendees simply key in where they want to go, and the Event App map wayfinder will show them the fastest way to get there.
Trade Show Networking
Connecting with like-minded enthusiasts and professionals is a fun and rewarding part of the trade show experience. However, scheduled networking sessions can feel forced and somewhat awkward.
Allow attendees to facilitate their networking when it suits them via a digital feature within the Event App. A networking feature is like a digital icebreaker – it makes meeting new people and making connections smoother, more enjoyable and natural.
Online profiles allow attendees to find people with similar or complementary interests and objectives. While instant messaging and online calendars make spontaneous or scheduled meet-ups easy. Interactive forums and chat channels extend the dialogue beyond the exhibit floor to maximise opportunities for continued conversation.
Social Media Integration
Event Apps with integrated social media walls make it easy for attendees to share their experiences and generate event buzz on social media platforms.
Circulate and promote trade show hashtags before the trade show starts so people are familiar with where to tag their posts and make content simple to find.
Content on Demand
The last attendee has left the building, and the trade show doors have closed – but that doesn’t mean event engagement has to stop.
An Event App platform with an extended life span can keep the trade show community engaged months after the event finishes. Organisers can use the Event App to show recorded content from the event, publish updates and offers from exhibitors or promote upcoming events of interest.
The App becomes a community hub and a go-to spot for trade show-related information. It’s an effective way to deliver ongoing value to event stakeholders and keep interest piqued for the next show!
Analytics and Data Insights
Talking of delivering value, post-event data analytics will make sure communications and event delivery meet stakeholder needs at future events.
Event platforms with comprehensive analytics allow organisers to glean insights into attendee behaviour, preferences, and engagement. Combined with qualitative post-event surveys, this information helps plan for successful trade shows that stay relevant and compelling to attendees and exhibitors.
In Summary
Finding the right trade show event tech is a game-changer for attendees, exhibitors, and event organisers. A seamless solution that delivers event enhancing features will leave stakeholders feeling great about their trade show experience and excited for the next one!
