By Rieva Lesonsky
If you’re like many small business owners, cost concerns have forced you to cut back on trade show attendance in recent years. But attending fewer trade shows can be penny-wise and pound-foolish, since trade shows are a great way to find new products and services to sell in your business, to make connections with potential partners who can help your company grow, and to spread the word about your own products and services to potential buyers.
Well, there’s some good news: You can still accomplish all three of the above goals—and save money, too—by swapping real-world trade shows for virtual trade shows.
Virtual trade shows have become a growing trend for small businesses, powered both by the need of show organizers and attendees to cut costs, and by advances in technology that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Virtual trade shows take place entirely online. If that sounds intimidating, don’t worry. It’s not quite “Tron Legacy” and you won’t need 3-D glasses or a degree in tech-nerd-ology to attend. But in order to get the most from a virtual trade show, there are a few things you need to know.
First, let’s look at how it works. Just as in the real world, exhibitors pay for displays in online “booths,” where they can show promotional materials such as videos, product shots or brochures. When an attendee clicks on your both, your company is alerted so you can chat online with the person, just like you would at a regular trade show, or contact them via other options.
While some virtual trade shows are only a few hours long, many last days (just like real-world shows) and feature extras such as webinars, podcasts and interactive “lounges” where you can chat with other attendees.
By exhibiting at a virtual trade show, you save the cost of travel, hotel bills and per diems for your booth staff. The fees are generally less than at real-world shows, and in fact, you often get more data than you’d get in the real world. Some shows capture data such as the contact info for every person who clicks on your booth (no need to ask for a business card).
Manpower issues are a big factor for small companies. By going virtual, you can staff a booth without taking key people out of the office. And since most virtual shows are still smaller than the real-world ones, your company can be a big fish in a smaller pond. Last, but not least, virtual trade shows can be more likely than real-world ones to get attendees from around the world—so if you’re looking for a global clientele, this could be a great option.
Before exhibiting at a virtual show, do your homework just as you would with any trade show. Ask your contacts if they’ve attended the show and whether they felt it was worthwhile. Ask the show organizers for data about the expected attendee mix. It’s also a good idea to check out some virtual shows as an attendee, to get a feel for what you like (and don’t like) in exhibits and whether a show is worthwhile. Some major virtual trade show providers include INXPO and On24; you can also search online and ask colleagues for virtual shows in your industry.
Image by Flickr user Sergio Prado (Creative Commons)
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