As technology becomes more sophisticated and affordable, more opportunities flourish in the market. Similarly, in growing years of virtual events – there were many ups & downs. 

Many Global Bizz Leaders adapted full-fletched virtual communications for their hybrid workforce while many resisted the change. 

And the rest of a few test the water in their alternative quadrants.  

So, there’s not much awareness around to decide but a hard fact does make considerable ground, right? 

 “The Global Virtual Event Market Size is projected to reach USD 18.9 billion by 2026, growing at 12.7% during the forecast.” (~Source)  

After comprehending the global exposure and potential ROI, Michael Marcovici (Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor, Chicago) attended a few virtual trade shows in the financial industry last year, he chose a format for his first event target (Domain, Hosting, and SEO industries) and enabled his Web Fair Virtual to live for 2 days and had more than 650 attendees & exhibitors from all around the world. In comparison to the in-person events he had with a max 300 headcount, he found an exponential way to interact.

Does this case study have any purpose? Depends! Are you set up for virtual global exposure? Then this blog is essentially made to understand the dynamics & potential of the Virtual Trade Show in 2022.   

Let’s begin!

What is a 3D Virtual Trade Show?

In simple terms, a Virtual Trade Show is like a Trade Fair or Expo (physical event) that comprises lobbies, entry & exit points, exhibition halls, auditoriums, conference halls, booths in an Augmented Virtual Reality. 

The format of a virtual trade show can be as simple as a basic online directory or as complex as 3D Virtual World. The main objective of any virtual event is to exhibit & showcase the products and services of the organization.

Visitors or attendees of the online event are allowed to roam the freeway, exercising their choice of valuable interest (just like any physical event) to explore the digital marketplace.    

How does Virtual Trade Show work?

Common challenges organizers face while hosting Virtual Events:-

• Lack of technical expertise and support: 
• Virtual Event Organizers are unable to get Engagement Benchmark (as compared to physical events)
• Unable to plan a content strategy.
• No proper guidance to generate & nurture leads through virtual events 
• No Pre-Event & Post-Event marketing strategy
• Exhibitors unable to showcase their valuable features (Lack of networking spaces & tools)
• No Engagement metrics are in place to drive ROI. 

7 Steps to host a 3D Virtual Trade Show in 2022

Step 1: Think Strategically & Use Tools

A lot of event organizers face difficulties generating profits out of virtual events. With no pre-event strategy and lack of technical support during the event, if the exhibitors & attendees feel a bit of unease ambiance, they lose interest, resulting in a poor virtual experience & decreased ROI.

So it is best to think of a strategy to drive your desired results before planning for any virtual events & employ tools from your vendor (Try Demo First) to maintain the flow of your event.

Step 2: Develop an Event Marketing Plan

Your potential exhibitors and attendees are everywhere in the online & offline heap of the network; it is your job to reach where they live. 

Think beyond existing assets of email database, socials, or websites, consider investing in additional channels & deploy Facebook & LinkedIn ads to maximize your search quotient. 

Step 3: Educate your Audience & Exhibitors

Virtual Trade Show is still a new technology, so there is not much awareness as it is what all goes in the event. But still, to give an idea to your audience, you can use a teaser as a heads up. The teaser (demo) provides a better understanding of the experiences your audiences may have to avoid surprises.

Also, explain to your exhibitors about the virtual environment (interactions, product info, lead generation formats, booth details, competitor data in the pre-event training session.

Step 4: Have a Content Strategy in place.

In parallel to any physical event, content plays a crucial role, virtually, in enabling your event sales. So, always have a mix of content inclusive of keynotes, session breakouts, and invite sponsors and exhibitors to provide their insights.

Engage push notification to notify about the event and address whether your guest speaker needs a small training session, as in how to acknowledge & engage the audience.

Step 5: Encourage Networking & Add Gamification

In addition to providing product info and educational resources, one of the reasons why people attend virtual events is networking. 

Allow a deeper connection between the attendees & exhibitors virtually through easily accessible group chats & facilitate them a networking room to discuss & schedule their meets. Add gamification to make it an enjoyable experience for them while communicating with each other during the event. 

Step 6: Use the Data & Monitor Reports

Must track every action taken by the attendees through the virtual event software, e.g. “Mr. Smith Jones visited booth no.3 & queried about ‘XYZ’ product”. It will help your sales team to navigate the prospect & monitor such recent events data to tweak upcoming events.

Step 7: Facilitate an Annual Virtual Event Platform to extend your Event Life. 

Your efforts to host a successful virtual trade show shouldn’t be limited to a single take. Strategize your annual event hosting plan to make it a familiar experience for your exhibitors & attendees and boost ROI by exploring the future of virtual events. 

Inspiring Ideas to make your Virtual-Trade-Show memorable.

Before Event:-

1. Get your people (community) charged up before the event. 
2. Encourage Exhibitors to get creative with their digital marketplace.
3. Have a Customizable Exhibitor Package (Boosts ROI)
4. Educate Exhibitors before the event to get familiarized with Valuable Features
5. Allow Sponsors to Engage w/t Attendees (Pre-Event Surveys)

After Event: 

6. Embed links in Presentation at Booths to Boost Online Sales.
7. Have Exhibitors create a Brand Awareness touch. (Giveaways: Notebooks, Mugs, T-shirts)
8. Enable Group Chats to provide Networking Opportunities

Pick a Year-Round Virtual Platform ( 365 Days of Networking & Lead Nurturing)

Conclusion: 

Creating an engaging virtual environment for your exhibitors & audiences is imperative for any organization’s marketing strategy in the current marketplace. Your overall ROI is the result of your virtual experience. 

So how you plan your Virtual Trade Show will determine how satisfied audiences are with your event experience. Focusing on these key practices will allow your event strategy to get the crux of the matter, and then you can employ a virtual event platform to improve the overall experience.

And, remember these steps are touchpoints to your efforts, so keep improving, and keep learning your audience, experientially. Thanks for your time.