Today when the whole world is moving towards technology, everything has gone virtual from online classes to online conferences to online events.
The majority of industries have transformed their live in-person events into online events. Exhibitions are no exception to this trend. The online exhibition is a great way to showcase to the world digitally what you have got.
In this blog, we will tell you about online exhibitions and how you can host a successful online exhibition. So let’s start our blog.
What is a Virtual Exhibition?
Generally, an exhibition is the presentation and display of an item at a particular place or venue. Similarly in online exhibitions, exhibitors present or display their items over internet spaces. Online exhibitions are different from traditional exhibitions in only one way that they are held over the internet. In online exhibition events, exhibitors have a large audience irrespective of their locations. Following the trend, online exhibitions have also gained popularity and as compared to traditional exhibitions, they are more convenient to organize and more affordable for both organizers and the attendees.
Advantages of Online Exhibitions
- Cost-efficient
- Lead Generation
- Wide Audience Reach.
- Environment Friendly
- Easy data analytics
- More Secure
What are the steps to host an online exhibition?
Now that you know what virtual exhibitions are? And what are its advantages? Let’s see how you can host an online exhibition.
Set A Goal:
When you have decided that you want to host an online exhibition then the very first thing that you should do is, to draw the outline of the exhibition. Then set the goals you want to achieve from the exhibition. Ask these questions to yourself first. Do you want to showcase your products to generate leads for your business? Or you want to host this exhibition because you want to generate revenue. Or you want to retain your existing customers or attract new customers. Whatever your goal is, keep them clear in your mind and plan the online exhibition accordingly.
Effective Planning:
Now that you have decided your goals you are clear in your mind what you want from the online exhibition. The next step is the effective planning of the exhibition. Plan the schedule(day and time) of the event ,make a list of things you want to showcase in your exhibition, decide the registration medium for the attendees , and the number of attendees you want in your exhibition. How will attendees interact with you and other attendees in the exhibition?
How can you keep your attendees engaged during the exhibition?
Number of sponsors and type of sponsorship you want, payment gateways, etc. Considering all these things; you should effectively plan the strategy to host successful online exhibitions that meet all your goals.
Select The Right Online Platform For Your Exhibition:
The next step is to select the platform that provides you ample opportunities to make your exhibition more productive and effective.
As we can see there are numerous online platforms available in the market which caters the online exhibition event. So, select the platform according to your business needs. You can select a platform that provides the exhibitors best online space to display their products, meet the prospects, and build their market presence. Also an online platform should offer you interactive digital booths that can drive ROI. A platform should be customizable, scalable, trackable and offer you multiple interactive features. Chats, polls, Q&A keeps the attendees engaged during the exhibition.. Moreover, go for that online platform which is easily accessible and offers you features like data analyst to keep track of attendees.
Also you can ask the platform for a quick demo session, so that you can know details about that platform.
Customize The Online Exhibition Halls Or Booths According To Your Needs:
After the selection of the platform, you can customize the venue according to you and the brand you are collaborating with. Create such beautiful 3D exhibition halls online that can quickly steal the attention of attendees. You can put images and logos of the sponsored brand to the floor of the exhibition hall, so that attendees can click them and reach branded booths.
Engage The Attendees At Online Lobby:
Provide chats, polls, Q&A, gamification, video calls, group chat to attendees to keep them engaged and make them feel like they are actually present there and connecting with other attendees.
It will help them in keeping their interest alive in the exhibition, along with this it will also help in better lead generation.
Analyze Your Exhibition Statistics:
From the registration to the exit of attendees, it is necessary to track the data of attendees. With the help of digital footprint you can easily do that. It enables you to know the number of attendees, when attendee entered and when he left, what kept him engaged, engagement hotspot, what did attendees share, etc.
Using these data you can later analyze the performance of the online exhibition.
Follow Up:
After the online exhibition don’t forget to take follow-up from the attendees. You can send them emails to know their feedback, ask attendees to provide their valuable suggestions and feedback.
It will help you to improve the areas where you were weak, along with this it will also help to convert the fresh leads.
In this blog, we have introduced you to some basics about online exhibitions, which will be beneficial for you. You can use the above-stated information while hosting your next online exhibition and make it successful and productive.
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