Top 6 Virtual Trade Show Benefits: Why Opt for a Virtual Trade Show?

The ability to generate qualified leads directly from your office without having to run up expensive travel bills makes virtual trade shows extremely attractive. Lower barriers to entry also mean that virtual trade shows attract more diverse exhibitors and attendees, creating massive online audiences for companies to share their innovations with.

How do we know? The numbers prove it. 

Virtual events rank as the second most important source of information considered by big business decision-makers when it comes time to invest in new technologies, according to Forrester’s research.

If you haven’t considered it yet, these benefits for working with a virtual platform for your trade show will change your mind. Let’s take a closer look at the top virtual trade show benefits.

1. Event hosts and exhibitors save a ton of money on resources.

You guessed it… more money in your pocket! Virtual trade show events mean hosts and/or exhibitors can save a ton of money on travel, lodging, promotional items, and other costly expenses typically associated with trade shows. The reduced cost of virtual exhibiting allows many more exhibitors to participate, which increases the value of the trade show itself. But wait, it gets better…

2. Virtual events bring more attendees (a.k.a. qualified leads). 

The larger pool of exhibitors is only surpassed by the even larger increase in attendees. Stay with us here. Virtual conferences are easier for attendees to join because there is no travel involved (particularly international) and there is no minimum space requirement, so you can fit as many as you’d like. Come one, come all, from the comfort of your laptop or smartphone. The best part Online trade shows and exhibitions allow you to track those self-qualified leads in the following manner.

3. Big data captures information you just can’t get at physical events.

At physical conferences, you usually just get a standard attendance report. At virtual conferences or virtual exhibitions, reporting and analytics track every move attendees make. You know how they came, where they went, what they did, with whom they chatted, what they tweeted, which videos they watched, etc. 

On the lead nurturing front, you can even run analytics on content located in the event. By knowing how many attendees viewed and/or downloaded a piece of collateral, you can tailor your future content and conversations around the content that your qualified leads found valuable. We’ll explain:

As hyper-personalization in virtual events becomes the norm, this data will contribute to your follow-up strategy, giving high-value content and personalized CTAs based on specific user’s interest. Historically, this data has been virtually impossible to track. Now, the aforementioned lead data collected at virtual trade shows can actually be collected and redistributed for all exhibitors. The data compiled is readily available to all of the exhibitors involved, which allows for smooth lead capture if you are using the right virtual trade show platform. 

The 6Connex virtual trade show platform features, for example, provides integration directly into many of the top customer relationship management (CRM) systems including Eloqua, Salesforce.com, and Marketo, making capturing leads and funneling them to the correct channels a breeze.

4. Virtual trade shows give exhibitors increased exposure. 

Virtual events and virtual trade shows have longer lifespans than their physical counterparts. What does that mean? Where a physical conference might last 1-2 days, a virtual conference can have as many live days as you’d like. Not only can you go live longer, but with the right virtual trade show platform, you can also leave the event on-demand for 30, 60, 90 days, or opt for permanent access to booths, presentations, documents, videos, etc.

Here’s why that’s important: Permanent access to your virtual exhibition online will create residual SEO juice for your brand and generate a substantial amount of leads LONG after the doors to a physical trade show would have closed. Now that’s just good business.

5. Various forms of media enhance the sales experience.

What’s the fundamental goal of virtual trade shows? It’s to allow for the same type of interaction that is available at traditional trade shows without the high costs of travel and purchasing trade show booths. Virtual trade shows often integrate instant messaging, seminar technologies, podcasting, and other means of communication into a single, smooth operating environment. Is a smooth sales experience that important? The answer is a clear yes. Online shopping statistics show us that companies with strong omnichannel engagement retain 89% of their customers. For this reason, virtual trade shows are becoming one of the most popular ways for companies to communicate their messages quickly and effectively, exhibiting their innovations to mass online audiences.

6. You'll see audience participation from attendees and exhibitors engaging at an unprecedented rate. 

We can almost hear your thinking “…but my attendees want to network with other attendees and exhibitors!” However, this common misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. Virtual trade shows actually make it easier for attendees to interact with each other and sponsors. Attendees can now create their own online profiles, interact in event-wide group chats, and engage in value-packed conversations with other participants. Additionally, electronic business cards can be swapped with just a keystroke. What about sales reps? Chatting with booth reps becomes a breeze with virtual because attendees feel they can ask questions uninhibitedly, attaining all the information they need without ever fearing they’ll miss a seminar or keynote speaker. All the data accrued from chats and interactions are stored in a database and allow you to better nurture your leads post-event.

It’s Time to Use a Trade Show Software for Your Virtual and Hybrid Events - Get Started Today

The virtual trade show is a growing tool in the marketing and training arsenal. Although physical exhibitions may never go extinct, reliable virtual trade show platforms make it easier than ever to extend your web of industry contacts and gain more qualified leads, all while effectively improving your company’s bottom line.