Engaging Audiences

Business is booming at trade shows, with many exceeding pre-pandemic metrics and setting new records. But as attendees flock to shows, it becomes even more important for exhibitors to engage audiences. ECN asked numerous industry experts for their thoughts on engagement and technology. Here are some of their comments:

Stacey Thorp, Director, Sponsorship Experiences, NTERACTIVE:

“With attendees’ increased focus on how to best spend their time and money at expos, the importance of capturing—and keeping—their attention is also heightened.

“While a memorable experience varies for audience personas, sponsors and show organizers are wise to consider these basics in designing engagement:

• Know your audience. What problems are they trying to solve? What will they share on social media? What stories will they tell their colleagues after the show?
• Appeal to a combination of senses. Visual impact is the hook; layering other senses adds immersion.
• New technology can be captivating, but only truly memorable when tied to solving a need. How can the latest tech make their life simpler? What will inspire them to act?”

David McCormack, Executive Vice President, 4 Productions:

“Trade shows offer an ideal platform for businesses to showcase their products, services, and ideas to a captive audience. Engaging attendees is essential to stand out from the competition and leave a lasting impression. Leveraging various technologies can significantly enhance audience engagement at trade shows.

“Interactive displays and touchscreens enable visitors to explore products, watch videos, and interact with virtual demonstrations. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences transport attendees into immersive worlds, allowing them to visualize products or simulate real-life scenarios.

“Social media integration encourages attendees to share their experiences, generating buzz and expanding reach beyond the event. Live streaming and webinars enable remote participation, widening the audience and fostering engagement from afar.

“Gamification elements, such as interactive quizzes or scavenger hunts, create a sense of excitement and competition. Mobile apps provide personalized experiences, offering schedules, exhibitor information, and networking opportunities.

“By harnessing these technologies, businesses can captivate audiences, spark conversations, and create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression long after the trade show concludes.”

Michael Schaiman, CEO, gencitylabs:

“Immersive technologies like augmented and virtual reality are revolutionizing the way we engage audiences. We can upgrade from passive storytelling to fully interactive, customized experiences while optimizing budgets by reducing hard costs such as drayage and fabrication. The evolution of hardware and mobile devices has become a game-changer for trade show service providers and booth builders. The scalability and versatility of these technologies allow for seamless re-use and greater reach, enabling brands to augment their event presence with digital experiences for remote audiences. For example, a few years ago, we worked with a large equipment manufacturer at ConExpo—who used an AR version of a massive machine, instead of the real thing. Not only did they save on shipping/drayage/handling, but they ended up with a digital experience that could be reused at future shows. These technologies have the opportunity to significantly impact event experiences for years to come.”

Zack Kingdon, Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships, Extended Reality Group:

“With the resurgence of live events and the emphasis on brands using the trade show floor to re-engage with people through multi-sensory experiences using technology, brings that user experience full circle. Imagine using AR to provide an exploded view to highlight the features of your new product, or using VR as an impressive way to tell your brand story. The possibilities and potential to develop something that can live on beyond each trade show are endless. The key is to not get lost in the technology but rather use the technology to enable the creative delivery of your brand’s message in the most resonating way.”

Elizabeth Jean Poston, Group Director, BD, ADVOC8:

“The key to any good presence at a trade show is for a brand to retain a storytelling approach. There is always a guest journey to be provided regardless of the size or financial investment in the space. Key aspects that make for compelling real estate are interactivity and opportunities for guests to personalize their experience, which can be accomplished through elements such as gamification, unique takeaways, sweepstakes, and opportunities to donate. As brands seek to create resonance with their customers, customers also have higher expectations for the cost of their time and personal information. In that vein, it’s critical that brands also consider what they can do pre-event to enhance the onsite experience as well as how they can continue the experience beyond the event using tools such as online and Web3 extensions. Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the future event attendees, expect nothing less than a 360-degree approach to their brand engagement.”

Maziar Farzam, President, and CEO, Inhance:

“Immersive, interactive technologies (including AR/MR/XR) can bring virtual products to the trade show floor. These technologies allow deeper interaction between brands, their products, and their customers, and if used effectively, they can be a powerful storytelling vehicle to build an emotional connection to a brand and help visualize the invisible. Saving shipping and drayage is only a part of the value added.”

Trade shows are magical marketing extravaganzas. They bring people together for education, networking, and sales. They are business malls displaying products and creating jobs. But none of it works if the audience isn’t engaged.

Brand architecture hooks audiences. So do content, visuals, and “immersive technologies” (which, in my way of thinking, are any tools that help merge the real and digital world). All these tools help transform experiences and lead to enhanced user engagement.

It’s an exciting time to be involved with trade shows.

Willwork creates labor and technology solutions for experiential marketing applications, including trade show exhibits, corporate events, brand activations, and themed retail environments. Bob McGlincy is the director of business management. He can be reached at Bob.McGlincy@willwork.com.

Immersive technology creates engagement on a totally different level.