Going Digital: Modernizing Conference & Trade Show Displays

The digital era has transformed the way businesses represent themselves online, but we still have a long way to go in the trade show and industry conference landscape. 

Key industry players continue to gather on an annual basis to hear new keynote speakers and visit exhibits and booths from today's leading companies and sponsors. And yet, they’re still being bombarded with old-school print signage and interaction requests.

Since trade shows and industry events are still experiencing year-over-year growth even in today's increasingly digital world, businesses need to find a way to use digital assets to stand out and interact with audiences long after the event is over.

Show Up the Competition

Industry events and trade shows aren’t just for startups anymore. Many corporate giants show up in an effort to “shop” the competition and build out their acquisition lists for consideration.

Investing in digital signage options such as a video wall—which can be enhanced with real-time promotions, 3D animations, and other motion elements—will bring your brand to life in a way that will make neighboring booths with simple vinyl signage disappear.

Improve Social Media Presence

In-person events are the heart and soul of social media. They give brands a unique opportunity to use specific hashtags and industry keywords to attract new fans and followers, call for engagement and interaction on specific channels, and build brand image and momentum.

You have several options when it comes to displays, videos, and live feeds for social media:

• Set up a digital display that feeds real-time social media activity and coverage. The constant scroll of posts and news updates is a surefire way to drive foot traffic over to your booth.
  
  
• Set up a contest that coincides with a giveaway at the event. You can even livestream the giveaway on social media, drawing in maximum engagement and coverage.
  
  
• Interviews and pre-recorded webinars. Hold interviews and live demos at your booth, but don’t limit attendance to the people at the event. Record all of the sessions with professional-quality video and leverage the content after the event is over.
  
  
• Real-time video messages. Match video messaging with the daily theme or topic. Many industry events break each day down into a specific focus; you can capture attention from attendees by mirroring these messages on your video displays.

Improve In-Booth Experiences

It’s the fear of every business at an event: a boring booth. Free pens and swag only go so far, especially when the company next door is giving away a car or some other item because they have a ridiculous budget.

Use the power of digital to modernize your booth experience and generate some excitement:

• Capture attention with the release of brand new animated videos for new products and services. Once the show is over, leverage the video content for a digital campaign, getting more bang for your marketing budget.
  
  
• Advertise and offer free charging stations for device and gadget lovers while they visit your booth.
  
  
• Offer a touch-panel display screen for demos and interaction from visitors.
  
  
• Set up a 3D holographic display to showcase top products.
  
  
• Give visitors a taste of new virtual reality technology with rich interactive graphics.
  
  
• Capture visitor attention with high-quality, professional product videos.
  
  
• Be sure to train your in-booth staff properly. Make sure they fully understand the goals of the booth and all the information being displayed, not to mention how any of the interactive experiences work.

Focus on Interactive Experiences

A focus on interactive experiences will ensure that booth visitors are never bored. Replace as many print materials and “sales pitches” with interactive experiences as possible. Investing in product videos, virtual reality technology and displays, or touch-screen gaming experiences can extend the life of your initial technology investment.

Once the show or event is over, plan out a year-long strategy to use the new assets at future events, meetings, and training. Work with your development team and create a plan to merge these in-person interactive experiences with your company website, allowing the value of new assets to deliver ROI far beyond the event.

Digital Display Ideas

Short on time or budget for planning your digital display? Use these digital display ideas to get a jumpstart on your project and begin working with a creative agency right away. After reviewing this list, there will be no excuse to show up at your next industry event or trade show with traditional vinyl signage and printouts.

Partner/Customer Testimonials and Videos

Does your company website have a testimonial page or customer success story videos? Give these assets to your digital signage partner and ask them to create an eye-catching trade show display with the content.

Use Display as Message Board

You can display everything from trade show presentations, contests, and event news to weather reports. Get creative!

Agenda Details

Keeping up with an event agenda is difficult for many attendees; they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of events and presentations. NO TICKERS! Keep attendees updated with video snippets for directions to each upcoming presentation, speaker, or social event.

Event or Industry Trivia

Work with a developer and your graphics team to deliver an engaging touch-screen trivia game. Go all-out with prizes and video recordings of winners to share on social channels.

Countdown Tickers

Keeping track of timelines at major events is difficult, especially when people are jumping multiple time zones. Have a screen of time countdowns to the major events and presentations at the show.

Event Photo Reel

Capture photos from around the event and display them on a photo feed. People will stop by as they recognize team members and colleagues. Turn it into a contest by allowing viewers to vote on the best pictures or create captions for the images.

Awards Feed

Are there awards ceremonies at the event? Display a video or slideshow of award winners with logos and social media feeds.

Restaurant and Entertainment Info

Trade show attendees like to go out after a busy day and take in the city that is hosting the event. If there’s enough time to plan, you may be able to get a sponsorship contribution toward the cost of your display by offering some local restaurants or entertainment venues to advertise on one of the screens.

No matter what your timeline is, setting up a digital display at your next trade show or industry event won’t take long when you partner with an experienced creative agency. Contact us today!