Best Virtual Trade Show Event Ideas

It’s been quite some time since virtual events have made their presence in our lives, and they are here for a longer duration, if not forever. Who had thought there would be a time when events would be just a click away? We owe this comfort and flexibility to the technology and a little bit to the pandemic. Now that employees are working remotely across the globe and physical interaction doesn’t carry the same importance, businesses are making the best of the opportunity. Organizations are optimizing their resources and planning events online, right from group meetings to year-end ceremonies. 

What is a virtual trade show?

Trade shows allow companies and businesses to exhibit their products and services. A virtual trade show is simply a trade show that happens online. Such events allow the attendees to interact with the sales representatives and have virtual exhibition halls and spaces with a realistic touch. Attendees can get a product demonstration and get all the experiences that a physical trade show offers, all this while sitting at their homes. 

Organizations are using virtual 3D platforms to conduct trade shows in the pandemic era. These platforms allow them to waive off expenses that would generally come with an in-person trade show. 

Best ideas for a virtual trade show-

1. Find the right virtual trade show platform:- The most crucial factor that decides the success of a virtual trade show is the online trade show platform. Though there are a lot of platforms to choose from, select the one which has features that make your virtual trade show stand apart. Look for event solutions that allow you to customize virtual booths as per your brand needs. Another feature you should look for in an online trade show platform is the chat option. The biggest advantage physical trade shows have over virtual ones is that they allow you to interact with other attendees and the exhibitors. Some platforms like Dreamcast offer you a live chat option with your fellow attendees and the exhibitors. They also provide you with various engaging features like AI matchmaking, dynamic banners functionality, gamification, B2B meeting scheduler, and many more like them that will make your virtual trade show a memorable experience. 

• Look for sponsors- Sponsoring your virtual trade show is as important as sponsoring any other event. Reach out to your potential sponsors and pitch in what you can offer. Describe your target audience, strategies, and all benefits they will get by sponsoring your trade show. Sponsorship will help you increase the brand and trade show credibility, build reputation, and win the audience’s trust. Use a well-planned strategy to approach your potential sponsors. Sponsorship is another form of marketing that will help you increase your audience reach. Draft a proposal mentioning the USPs of your event and different sponsorship plans as per the branding. Finding sponsors can be a tedious task, so  spend enough time researching and contacting your potential sponsors. 

• Effective promotions- All your efforts to bring together a virtual trade show can go in vain if you are not serious about promoting it. There are many marketing strategies you can follow to make sure enough people know about your event. Start with creating your event website. It will give your event a virtual foundation and help your attendees get all the program details in one place. Include the information of your exhibitors and every relevant information you think will attract your audience. Use your social media presence to its fullest to spread the message. You can also create a separate page for the event. You can also ask your exhibitors and sponsors to promote the trade show on their social media channels. Apart from social media, use traditional media like newspapers and radio for effective marketing. 

• Use Social Walls Productively- Social walls can help you get your audience together on one platform. Various virtual trade show platforms like Dreamcast offer you the option of the social wall to increase the reach of your event and bring more people on board. Social walls publish data people post across all social media channels with the event tags, mentions, and hashtags. The posts could either be user-generated, sponsors-generated, or custom posts. Social media walls help you gain the trust of people and increase brand reach. 

• Event Analysis- After completion of your virtual trade show, use the live analytics to measure the success of your event. This data will give a detailed analysis of what features were a hit and which needed better execution. It becomes crucial to go through real-time audience analytics to prevent repeating the same mistakes in future strategies. You can also ask your attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors to give their feedback on the event. You can send a personalized thank you mail with feedback questions, surveys, or forms.

Virtual trade show event ideas-

Virtual Food Shows- Virtual food shows allow people and industry specialists to come on a single platform. Brands like Nestle organized virtual food expos which were a great success and helped spur their engagement and brand value. 

Virtual Auto Shows-  Virtual auto shows allow agents and customers across the globe to connect on a virtual auto show platform. These virtual platforms allow them to network and interact and crack the best deal.  Virtual car shows also help the brands expand their reach and customer base.

Virtual Real Estate Shows- Virtual Property fairs allow property owners and buyers to connect over virtual property show platforms. Virtual property shows allow buyers to showcase apartments, flats, and houses reachable by the global audience.

Virtual trade shows are an excellent way to increase brand popularity and audience reach. Along with expanding the network, they give a clear picture of what is happening in the market and get new partners aboard. While virtual events can’t forego the advantages of in-person trade shows, they are equally or more beneficial. There are various myths associated with virtual events that make businesses very skeptical about hosting them. Now is the high time to bust those myths for yourself and others. Take the much-needed step towards the future and conduct your first virtual trade show with an efficient virtual trade show platform like Dreamcast.