The virtual trade fair and digital product presentation in the virtual showroom are far more than just trends or expedient stopgap solutions in the face of the Corona pandemic. Due to their numerous clear advantages, they will also be a real alternative or additional option to the conventional exhibition in the long term.
In this respect, a virtual exhibition stand enables many things that people are also used to from a presence exhibition and which make corresponding events so useful for companies. The focus here is clearly on the stand-alone presentation of one's own brand, effective relationship management and customer acquisition through the possibility of direct interaction with many existing customers and serious prospects, or the generation of leads.
The central difference between presence trade fairs and virtual trade fairs is that they take place in the digital space. Here, the virtual world offers unlimited individualization possibilities and thus immense unique selling proposition potential as well as enormous opportunities to not only convince one's own target group, but to inspire them in the long term. Last but not least, at a digital trade fair, data for highly efficient follow-up is received practically automatically at a variety of points.
However, the highly important factor of "interactivity" can quickly be neglected.
Why is an interactive exhibition stand so important?
A presence trade fair and its benefits for companies thrive on personal contact and interaction. In direct conversation, much more is often achieved than, for example, bringing interested parties closer to one's own products or making initial contacts by quickly answering a question. Good salespeople guide trade fair participants subtly, but highly effectively, towards the respective trade fair goals through skilful communication and interaction with products or specific trade fair features.
Visitors also see themselves as part of the event through their involvement in question-and-answer sessions, clapping during presentations, participation in stand parties and other typical forms of interaction, and tend to accept their offers more and more as a result. Ideally, in the course of this, customer emotions are forced at the trade fair, which are useful to the company's concerns. In addition, interested parties can view products from all sides at the actual trade fair stand and not infrequently even take them in their hands, touch them or at least feel them and perhaps even try them out.
When these aspects are combined with comprehensive, non-intrusive support, companies signal customer orientation and a genuine understanding of visitors' needs, among other things. At best, trade fair staff address precisely those pain points that are likely to be of particular concern to their counterparts on the customer journey and offer the right solutions. A personal touch makes a strong contribution to ensuring that the communication or interaction and ultimately the brand in question are remembered. Appropriate processes create an all-round positive customer experience, thus encouraging direct deals and a lasting trade fair experience. It goes without saying that all of this is extremely useful for maintaining relationships and acquiring new customers.
Transferring interaction to online trade fairs
At an online event, organizers can offer visitors the opportunity to exchange ideas and interact with each other, present products in detail in a virtual booth and/or hold workshops, just like at a face-to-face trade fair. Of course, the customer experience here is always somewhat different than directly on site. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned benefits can be achieved very well with such interaction formats - if they are implemented optimally.
Contacts can be made in conversations and the typical exchange as well as the experience of conventional trade fairs can be amazingly transferred to Virtual Reality. Virtual product presentations and rich media foyers are created, where visitors really find what they expect. Optimally, this happens on a technical level that participants would not have thought possible in a browser. Keynotes, interaction via live chat, special video formats as well as video animation, discussions, augmented reality, 3D product interactions, digital selling, artificial intelligence or hybrid show elements - all this and more can, depending on the brand, topic and objective, make a massive contribution to the digital trade fair not only coming very close tothe presence trade fair, but even trumping it.
If, on the other hand, interactivity is skimped on or even completely omitted, a virtual trade fair will quickly become nothing more than a somewhat jazzed-up website or, at best, an extended video conference.
How does a digital trade fair stand work?
There are various solutions for a digital trade fair stand: Not only are the design and interaction possibilities of a virtual trade fair stand extremely diverse, but also its basic orientation can be very different.
From a relatively simple 2D or 3D walk-through with product information, to a CD-compliant complete solution including a CRM tool, to an entire trade fair world, various options are available.
For example, a virtual village can be created in which visitors can move freely and visit themed rooms. The branding and storytelling opportunities offered here are enormous.
Communication is - as clarified above - a very important aspect of interaction at trade fairs. For this reason, visitors should be given the opportunity to contact a salesperson directly at any time and in any area of the trade fair.
Discussion panels also allow attendees to interact directly. Group chats and larger video meetings are also highly useful in many contexts.
Even when registering for a virtual trade fair, leads are generated efficiently, because all those who register as participants are likely to have a real interest in the goods or services on offer.
At best, not only leads are generated, but already qualified leads to a certain degree.
At the virtual trade fair stand, these can be further qualified through interactions and appropriate tracking.
How can the virtual trade fair stand be made interactive?
There are many different ways to incorporate interactivity at a virtual trade fair. Depending on the setup, interactive ideas can be included on the different trade show touchpoints.
Here are a few examples:
Even at the very beginning of the virtual trade fair stand, interaction options can be useful in a variety of ways.
By giving their visitors the chance to contact them via live chat in the entrance area and to receive direct support for their visit to the trade fair via this channel, trade fair operators can, among other things, signal customer orientation and increase the likelihood that participants will make extensive use of the offers at the stand.
It is also possible to offer participants a choice of different paths through the stand or to let them jump directly to areas that are of particular interest to them.
Product presentations or talks on possibilities and opportunities in the context of offered goods or services are always very useful to bring interested parties closer to one's own offers at a trade fair.
In a live webinar, such information processes are taken to the extreme. Products, for example, can be explained in detail in terms of their functions and participants have the opportunity to contribute directly via chat. There is undoubtedly a lot of potential for persuasion here.
At best, products are not only presented as images at the digital trade fair stand, but in 3D and can be viewed interactively from all sides.
If typical functions or core benefits are also shown through video animations, the chances of convincing the customer increase massively.
Ideally, the functionality of the product is shown in different contexts - and finally a high quality as well as an optimal adaptability to the respective requirements is suggested.
Via augmented reality, products can even be virtually projected directly to their eventual destination via smartphone or tablet.
As with the real trade fair, it sometimes makes sense to integrate places of relaxation and diversion into a virtual trade fair stand.
It can be a very memorable experience to immerse oneself in such places in things that are ostensibly away from the promotions and marketing of normal trade fair operations. One of the things that can be done here is to provide opportunities for booth visitors to interact with each other.
Games and competitions are always a success at trade fairs - and the same applies to the virtual trade fair stand. They make the stand more lively.
Augmented reality games on a theme that fits the trade fair objectives and the general brand message make a trade fair stand have a lasting effect. The same applies to a raffle or a quiz, which may even result in attractive prizes for the visitors.
Conclusion:
Virtuellen Messestand erstellen und eine interaktive Plattform schaffen
In order to benefit maximally from a digital trade fair stand, you must not skimp on interactivity.
Ideally, you enable your visitors to interact in the virtual space very close to the real trade fair experience and also offer certain extras, for example in the form of augmented reality, outstanding visual impressions and/or very easy usability.
The coherent overall package is convincing - and interactivity plays a major role in directly increasing the potential for closing deals. Last but not least, it ensures that the virtual trade fair stand and your own brand are remembered in the long term.
Creating an interactive platform on the basis of a digital trade fair stand enables companies to position themselves competitively and with an eye to the future.
Our support around the topic of virtual trade fairs to increase the efficiency of your digital sales:
- We support you in the conception of your individual and success-oriented trade fair strategy - according to your intended goals and target groups.
- In addition to the professional implementation of your digital trade fair stand with our virtualbooth tool, we show you how you can benefit from optimal data utilisation.
- Make sustainable use of your digital trade fair stand by not only generating leads, but also developing them into customers in a targeted nurture process at the appropriate points of the customer journey - our experts are happy to help!
- Of course, we will work with you to ensure DSGVO-compliant implementation and will be happy to advise you in this regard as well.
For your holistically successful digital sales, we are also happy to support you around these topics:
Oliver Parrizas will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the subject. 
+49-800-911-91-91
