For many enterprises is a digital trade fair booth new territory which they now quickly have to explore. However, being hectic about it is not advisable. Here is where enterprises can find out how to create the right environment for their B2B customers and which mistakes they should avoid.
Digital trade fairs: many events in cyberspace in 2021 too
The corona pandemic has shifted trade fairs to the virtual room due to a possible infection with the virus. B2B enterprises, too, have to deal with the new format for the time being and, as a result, adapt how they present themselves. In the process, they quickly notice: a digital trade fair booth has its own rules and factors for success.
However, this also offers chances that have been unknown – or unseen – until now. To leverage these, marketing must develop and execute a logical concept involving all departments. If the topic is an online trade fair with several exhibitors under a virtual umbrella, you should get in touch with the organiser as early as possible to find out about the technical requirements and possibilities.
5 tips for your success at digital trade fairs
Whether it is an industry meet-up organised by a third party or your own company trade fair – there are various dos and don’ts which enterprises should keep in mind when it comes to the concept, the design and the execution of their digital trade fair booth.
- One of the most important points of preparation for a digital B2B trade fair is to announce your participation in a suitable way. And this depends on the target group. Usually, social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as the business networks LinkedIn and XING, serve as multipliers. An effective medium, for instance, is teaser videos which give a view of the digital trade fair booth and the promotions the visitor can expect to find here. Such appetisers can also be communicated well via a newsletter, email marketing and the enterprise’s website, or on a dedicated landing page.
- The virtual room is never-ending. A digital trade fair booth offers many opportunities to show what you have compared to traditional forms of presentation. For instance, huge machines can be introduced while they are in use – this would not be possible in a hall. Solutions from the area of virtual reality (VR) enable visitors to gain a 360-degree view close-up. Guided tours for individual guests through the online showroom are also possible. By the way: with a digital company trade fair, small enterprises, too, can reach interested persons worldwide. If this is desired, the appearance should be concepted for an international audience.
- Enterprises should promote their ongoing trade fair appearance for leads generation using a broad basis of marketing measures and, on top on this, leverage as many contact opportunities as possible. Suitable for this are, for example, live streams, chat functions, digital business speed dating, email forms, newsletter subscriptions, and surveys. It also makes sense to offer your own blogs and vlogs, or those created by partners, which deliver information about and dates of upcoming virtual talks and trade fair highlights.
- A digital trade fair booth only makes sense if the Internet connection is stable and free of interruptions. Otherwise the visitor will quickly jump ship, and all your efforts were for nothing. Enterprises should therefore take the necessary precautions and have a technical team on standby in case of an emergency.
- Just as important as the preparation is the taking stock and follow-up of your trade fair appearance, with the aim to express the success in numbers or identify improvements. Capturing data using digital analysis and marketing tools are well suitable for achieving this. The tools measure the reach and interaction rates, or illustrate who, when and how long a visitor was in the virtual booth. The analysis shows which leads were particularly interested in the offer and are recommended for you to get in touch with further.
Don’ts with digital trade fairs
Virtual showcases are not new for many enterprises. But inexperience increases the risk of making mistakes. These include:
- Hectic and uncoordinated planning
- Too many digital events
- Lack of an appropriate announcement
- Supposedly unique promotions which don’t pique the public’s interest
- Not reacting to obvious mistakes in the execution
A digital trade fair booth, therefore, requires – as mentioned at the start of this guide – a certain amount of preparation. First and foremost, this involves drawing up a concept which both considers the technical feasibility as well as places the interests and needs of the target group in the centre of all things. This is key to generating high-quality leads.
For the successful virtual trade fair appearance, agreements between all persons involved is absolutely necessary, mainly between the Marketing and IT departments. The goal must be to find ideas and explore their feasibility for the digital trade fair booth. Reference to traditional concepts is, of course, possible, but new solutions are needed on many levels.
