Virtual events are an increasingly popular way to connect with your audience. They are a great way to provide high-quality content to your audience without the time commitment and without incurring the costs of hosting an in-person event. It is also a flexible and inexpensive alternative that can provide excellent ROI. In this article, we’ve outlined how to achieve an impressive ROI at your virtual events.
Allow exhibitors to create their own virtual booths
There’s a lot to see at any event and attendees won’t be able to explore all exhibitors. One way you can give them access is by displaying profiles on your website or in an app for people attending the show. It will allow them to ask questions and get more information about what they’re interested in which could lead to an important contact.
Exhibitors can have a big impact on attendees by showcasing their brand with pictures, logos, and posters. Consistency in branding is key to catching the attention of prospects who might be looking for that specific niche product or service. Showcasing booth staff will also make it easier for your company’s potential customers to get in contact.
Highlight videos and live feeds on the exhibitor’s profile page
There are many ways that exhibitors can engage with attendees and encourage them to purchase their products. Exhibitors should demonstrate their product through live streaming or a pre-recorded video, depending on the type of merchandise they’re selling. They might also want to find creative ways for customers to participate in these demonstrations so they have a better understanding of the how behind the sales generated while boosting engagement levels at the same time.
Use social media to promote exhibitors
Use social media to make sure attendees never miss what’s going on. As the event progresses, promote exhibitors by featuring them through your live or Instagram stories. You can also use this as an opportunity for sponsorships and promotional offers in order to get more people interested in attending their events.
Encourage visitors to visit different exhibits through gamification
One way to ensure that attendees are engaged at your booth is by implementing gamification. For instance, try awarding prizes for the attendee who visits all of the demonstrations and offer points on their profile when they interact with exhibitors’ profiles. This will encourage them to visit more booths in order to increase their score.
Survey visitors and partner them with exhibitors
Sending out a survey before the event will help you figure out which products and services are of interest to attendees. Pair these with exhibitors by location or other commonalities that may be relevant, like hobbies for example. You can even facilitate a short meeting so they feel more at ease when communicating outside of their virtual booth space.
Let exhibitors organise virtual workshops with visitors
One great way to not only introduce your product but also gather traffic and leads is by hosting workshops onsite. This will allow you the chance to answer any questions that may arise plus provide an educational opportunity for those who might be interested in what you have available.
Before the event, send an email to attendees with information on all exhibitors
Organisers should make it easy and convenient for attendees to speak with exhibitors by emailing their company’s information in advance. This way, they can contact the company before or during the event if there are questions about products that need answering.
Encourage attendees to visit all exhibitors through online coupons
You can partner with event exhibitors to provide discounted offers for new leads during and after the event. You could have a company’s booth advertise their offer through an online virtual space, or include promotional coupons in your pre-event messages about upcoming events.
Set a designated time for attendees to visit the exhibits
You can encourage attendees to explore the virtual exhibits by scheduling specific times for them, which may make it more likely that they will visit all of the available booths.
Keep exhibitor pages active after the event is over
Booths can still make connections with attendees after the event has passed. By leaving exhibitor profiles open during the weeks following, those who missed out on connecting at an in-person booth have time to reach back and get that opportunity for a connection post-event.
Increasing attendee size to increase opportunities for exhibitors to generate more leads
No matter if some decide not to check out the exhibitors’ booths, there will still be plenty of interested attendees and more opportunities than ever for exhibitors. They can collect contact information from people attending their booth or event so they have a chance at generating leads.
Online events offer many advantages, from saving on travel costs to avoiding last-minute changes. A virtual event doesn’t mean a weaker event! With the right preparation and planning, you can help exhibitors get better ROI than ever before.
