Creating a Trade Show Experience That’s Built to Last

While cities and states are reopening their doors and returning more to a state of semi-normalcy, not every company is ready to send people around the country to trade shows and industry events, especially when budgets are down. 

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You’ve spent the past year adjusting to the realities of working and operating digitally. Now you can use that newfound expertise to create a virtual experience that impacts a wide audience. 

Even as trade shows reopen and invite in-person guests, attendance may be lower than usual for a while. With this in mind, virtual trade shows offer several opportunities that in-person experiences do not. 

For one, you’re able to reach a much wider audience than you would otherwise. A virtual show allows everyone in an organization to attend, not just specific members of the sales team. 

Additionally, you’ll be able to craft an experience that remains active even after the initial show, meaning that potential customers can visit at any time and get an in-depth understanding of your offerings. 

When it comes to creating a virtual trade show experience, you have a good chance of setting yourself apart if you can find ways to make your experience memorable and appealing to your audience. Here are a few tips: 

  • Create a visually appealing landing page that serves as a gateway to your “virtual booth.” Utilize CTAs that include next steps on purchasing, discounts or information about your product or service offering.
  • Keep your event in your audience’s mind by scheduling email communications to remind them of the show, event registration, calendar invites and agendas. 
  • Make it interactive. Include live chat tools that allow people to virtually catch up, network and chat about different topics. 
  • Refresh sales presentations by turning them into engaging PowerPoint presentations that you can use as part of a live webinar. 
  • Host live Q&As to allow audience members to engage with you about your products and services. 
  • Create breakout rooms and roundtable discussions to facilitate interaction between attendees and experts. 
  • Include a private sales room to offer an appropriate setting for negotiations.
  • Use the data collected in your reporting dashboard to score leads and event attendees for follow up after the show. 
  • Host contests and games with exciting prizes/incentives. 

With all these things at your disposal, not only will you be able to create a virtual experience that sticks with your audience long after the event itself, you’ll also have ready-made digital marketing tools to use after the fact. The landing pages, videos and presentations you create can drive your marketing efforts for the rest of the year – and help your budget dollars go further. 

And there’s no reason you can’t mix and match by combining your virtual trade show experience with in-person events throughout the year. Maximize your outreach by making the best of both worlds. 

For more information about making your trade show experience one-of-a-kind, visit:

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