Trade Show Technology Trends to Watch in 2012
At Nexus, we search for trends that will enhance your tradeshow presence. Using a seasoned tradeshow display company like Nexus exhibits in conjunction with the following trends will make you stand out and optimize your ROI.
Here some great technology trends that emergered in 2011 and are sure to carry on in 2012.
Indoor Positioning Systems use a new technology that is more precise than GPS. In conjunction with smart phones and tablets, these systems could be employed in exhibit halls to track traffic, provide directions, and deliver advertising and promotional messages. In conjunction with QR codes, the technology could be used to create a high-tech scavenger hunt.
QR Codes are popping up everywhere. Once incorporated into graphics, Quick Response codes can be used to run contests and videos, or to convey brochures and websites. They work best with “click to value”, so be sure to give attendees a reason to scan. Don’t limit QR codes to the trade show booth; think about getting them onto other promotional material, even lanyards. For now, the audience may not be familiar with how QR codes work, so they should be accompanied by instructions, and a shortened URL alternative.
Social media integration is not new, but it is not going away. Twitter hashtags are a great way to connect with attendees. YouTube videos of your booth in action could extend the reach of your booth beyond the exhibit hall. Something as simple as taking visitors photos at your booth and tagging them on Facebook could put your brand in front of hundreds of new prospects.
Free Wifi is increasingly in demand by trade show attendees and exhibitors. Look into the possibility of sponsoring the WiFi access to elevate your company’s profile. Don’t forget to make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
Interactive Kiosks such as Kaon’s Presenter Pro, which was named a “Buyer’s Choice” at the Exibitor2011 world conference and exhibition for trade show and corporate event marketing, are here to stay. No matter how knowledgeable the trade show booth staff, if they’re outnumbered they may not be able to help everyone who stops by. Also, some people prefer perusing products and information on their own. Kaon’s technology allows customers to explore, learn and engage with products with or without assistance. On a smaller scale, iPads loaded with the company’s product catalog can encourage customer interaction.
Technology provides valuable tools to connect with the customer. It doesn’t replace human contact, but it can enhance the interaction and help you stand out. There’s no substitute for face-to-face conversations.
Article from Kaon Interatctive by darlenehollywood
Create a Meaningful and Memorable Trade Show Pitch
Part one - The Goldilocks Effect
In the late ninety seventies one of my favourite television shows was the US sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. The character I remember most was Herbert Ruggles (Herb) Tarlek Jr., played by actor Frank Bonner. Herb was the epitome of bad salesmanship characterized by his boorish and tasteless approaches to clients. To complete his baboonish portrait, he wore loud plaid suits, with a belt that matched his white shoes.
Herb was the man you would never knowingly join on an elevator to face the consequences of his talking your ear off with information that you would have trouble relating to.
Fast forward to the second decade of the 21st century at a typical busy trade show when without warning you are approached by a modern day Herb who, while better dressed, still feels the need to overload you with information you care little about. You have just fallen victim to the greatest of exhibition sins – the poorly thought-out and executed pitch.
If you are a fan of fairy tales then surely you will remember the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” written by British author Robert Southey. It’s the story a young girl named Goldilocks who finds herself in a bear’s home and searches for perfection as she works her way through porridge, chairs and beds before drifting off to sleep. Goldilocks teaches us that the perfect solution to things in life, like a product pitch, should not be too long, not too short, but just right. That’s the “Goldilocks Effect” that all front line staff who meets visitors at a booth should adhere to rigorously.
A good presentation begins long before the exhibition. It is developed by uncovering four elements:
1. The features and benefits of your product and service
2. Identifying prospects and understanding what issues are most important to them
3. Finding your own voice
4. Rehearse...rehearse...rehearse.
1. The features from the benefits
There is an old adage in sales that says, you don’t go shopping to purchase a 1/8th inch drill bit, what you really want is a 1/8th inch hole.
What are you really selling? Make a list of all that your product (or service) provides. For example some of the features of an automobile might include, Exhaust Heat Recovery System, 2.4 Liter, is this right spelling? 4-Cylinder, DOHC, 16-Valve, Variable Valve Timing, Tier 2 Bin 3 Emission.
Next ask yourself which items bring real value to your customer. You record your answers in a second column beside the feature. For example the Exhaust Heat Recovery System generates electric current from waste heat in your automobile to improve overall engine efficiency resulting with a great potential for fuel savings. What does your customer want? An Exhaust Recovery System or fuel savings?
About Author
Barry Siskind, president and founder of International Training and Management Company, is a trade show consultant, trainer, speaker and internationally recognized expert in trade and consumer shows.
