4 Simple Trade Show Technologies to Increase Attendee Engagement
As more and more businesses start exhibiting at trade shows, it's important to arm your booth with the right technology, not only to generate leads, but to engage your audience and create a more memorable experience for attendees. Nowadays, trade show exhibitors use some type of technology, evening out the playing field between enterprise brands and small to medium-sized businesses. Therefore, it's important to invest in of the right expo technology to have a positive ROI on the show and for your company to stay in the race.
Mobile Apps
One of the most common types of technology, as well as one of growing importance, are event-specific mobile apps. Whether your company develops its own mobile app for the show or uses one provided by the trade show organizers, mobile apps are a fast and easy way to reach attendees and exchange information at the show. Apps offer lead tracking and advertising abilities to help you to set up more meetings and demonstrations than you have before, as well as close more deals! Most shows have apps they make available to all exhibitors so be sure to take advantage of them.
Interactive Displays
Another popular type of technology is interactive touchscreen displays. These displays engage attendees in a fun and memorable way while giving them information about your business. A common starting point to implement this technology using tablets throughout your exhibit space. They're being used to create experiential displays, as videos or demo tutorials, and to more efficiently gather information from interested attendees. Many companies are also deploying them to survey visiting attendees to discover new trends in the market and can incentivize their participation with giveaways throughout the event. Similar to interactive touchscreen displays, are video walls and 3D displays. Both of these instantly grab the attendee's attention and are a creative way to present information about your company.
Social Media
Social media is also an excellent form of technology that should be implemented in your strategy when exhibiting at a trade show. Though this may seem too simple, social media is an effective way to reach attendees before, during, and after the show, and increase excitement and attendance at your booth. For example, promoting a hashtag and having a special display for attendees to take pictures with and post their experience will expand awareness to their social network and help you make a bigger splash among exhibitors. Try including a raffle or drawing using your hashtag through social media posts, or set up a TweetWall or an InstaWall that displays the live tweets and pictures attendees are posting for everyone to see!
Phone Charging Station
Lastly, a clever way to increase attendance and engagement at your booth is having a phone charging station. With all of the attendees on their phones keeping up with your mobile apps and social media conversations, they will need a place to sit, relax, and charge their phones! Having an easily accessible, comfy, charging area will surely increase the number of attendees who spend significant time in your booth. Having a display or video near the station is a great way to inform attendees and engage them with your products while they charge.
Overall, there are many different types of simple trade show technologies out there that will not only increase ROI, but create a memorable attendee experience. Most are easy to use and set up as well as affordable for any type of business. When you're contending with competitors just down the aisle, it's important to put your best foot forward and take advantage of as many tools as possible in order to capture interest and information from the opportunity.