The challenge of every trade show is to rise above the noise of the crowd. Creating a booth and showing off your product isn’t enough anymore. Standing out from the crowd requires connecting with your audience at a personal level. The way to do this is by creating an immersive experience that appeals to your audience at the intellectual, physical, and emotional levels.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
Your immersive experience should begin before the attendees arrive at the trade show. In previous articles, we’ve discussed the potential for using social media to drive booth traffic. Social Media can also help create a personalized experience for your attendees by involving them in the conversation before, during, and after the event. Using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc to cover industry hot topics helps! Cutting through the clutter through email should be individually-focused also. For example, you can create a Personalized URL (PURL) campaign. From the first time they log in to their PURL to the moment they step up to your booth, you have the opportunity to learn about your customers. The more you know who they are and what their needs are, the more effectively you can target your messaging and your booth experience to meet those needs. When attendees feel that you’re solving their problems, you are more likely to convert them to customers.
MAKE IT USER-FRIENDLY
We live in a world where the information we need is at our fingertips, anytime, anyplace. Attendees expect the same from your immersive experience. When you communicate with your audience, it isn’t enough just to talk to them, or offer canned information. Instead, you need to create an experience that guides your attendees to the information they need, as directly and effectively as possible. The good news is that the power to do this rests in the palm of your hand. Provide attendees with interactive opportunities, such as a touchscreen device and ear buds for an augmented reality tour of your booth. Don’t have the hardware? Provide them with a link to an app or website that puts the power of your company on their own device.
MAKE IT FUN
From smartphone games and fantasy sports, to reality TV, we live in a world of gamification. We are intrigued by a test of skill or challenge of knowledge. As we all remember from school, when we know that something is going to be on the quiz, we lean in, pay attention, and are likely to learn more. From game shows with live presenters, to touch screen video games targeted at your potential customers, digital technology makes it easier than ever to turn your trade show booth into an interactive wonderland. Best of all, while attendees are having fun, they’re also providing you with valuable insights that will help you convert them to customers.
TPG Game Show Host wows ’em at Mid America.
MAKE IT A STORY
As human beings, we are hardwired to listen to a good story. We can read facts and figures until our eyes are weary, but a trusted human voice makes all the difference when we make an important decision. As a company, you have to be more than just a line of products, or a string of services – you need to tell your story, and an immersive experience can do that. As you welcome your attendees to your booth don’t just tell them about your products and services, tell them about the people like them, and how your products and solutions helped them solve problems. Video-taped customer testimonials are excellent ways to do this. Have an exciting development, product launch, news, or a milestone to share? Make it part of the booth experience, and watch attendees clamor to become a part of your story.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
The options for an immersive experience are unlimited. Imagine the excitement and engagement your customers can get from:
- Live action game shows
- Augmented reality tours of your booth
- Interactive touch screens manned by professional Brand Ambassadors
- Custom video games for any industry
- Digital quiz shows and surveys
- Live interviews and panel discussions with industry experts and audience polling systems
- Corporate announcements with live Twitter feeds that let your customers join in the celebration
TPG created interactive touch screen at IBS.
With the right vendors on your side, immersive experiences like these are more readily available than ever before. All can be put together in a few short weeks and can be scaled to your booth and budget. The only limit to an immersive experience that will connect you with your potential customers is your imagination.
Jean Howard, Director of Business Development