Posted in Tradeshow Technology, Tradeshows Bookmark the permalink. What do you think?

TRADE SHOWS ARE BACK. ARE YOU READY TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE?

July 15, 2021 at 10:10

We create interactive immersive experiences that connect with your customers and drive new business.

There is a lot of good news out there for the overall health of the economy. Each day, we’re seeing statistics about businesses, manufacturers and the travel industry all showing signs of a strong rapid recovery. This activity is driving a resurgence in our industry – the event and experiential marketing sector. It’s great to see crowds at sporting events and the concert business is ramping up quickly. The next area of rapid growth will be trade shows.

Trade shows are an $11 billion industry, and since 2020 was a lost year for trade shows, there is a significant push to get shows up and running again. Right now, there are literally hundreds of articles about how the trade show business will return and what things will look like in the second half of 2021 and into 2022. After reviewing an extensive amount of information from top publications and industry professionals, there are some common themes that many people seem to agree on. To help save you time, here is a summary of three top trade show predictions for 2021:

Everyone Sees The Importance Of In-Person Attendance At Trade Shows. Without question, virtual meetings, seminars and conferences have been a success for many people and companies over the past year, and everyone will agree this “virtual meeting universe” is now a staple of the new norm. However, there is no denying that live interaction cannot be replaced, and these benefits will bring trade shows roaring back to life.

One recent article outlined three ways live participation at trade shows drive sales:

Continued sales to existing customers (relationships matter).
Sales to new buyers dissatisfied with their current providers.
Buyers attracted to a new offering.

(Read the whole article in Forbes here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2021/03/01/trade-shows-will-regain-importance-after-the-covid-pandemic/?sh=6a989353792e)

Augmented Reality (AR) Mirror

How Trade Shows Look in 2021 Will Be A Mixed Bag of Styles, Sizes and Activities. One of the top industry news sources is The Trade Show News Network. After conducting interviews with several top companies and executives over the past few months, they are making some predictions on how trade shows will look in 2021. Here are 5 key takeaways:

Some Events Won’t Change Much. Industries that rely on tactile experiences and are designed to produce bulk orders will look like past shows.
Exhibitors Need To Move Outside the Box. Many experts see companies expanding their messaging and activities outside of the trade show booth.
Creating A Better Experience Will and Should Be A Key Element. Cookie cutter shows and activities will not be effective anymore. Brands will need be more intentional engaging with their audience.
Crowds Will Be Smaller, But Maybe Better. Travel costs and time will limit some attendee numbers, but those that do go will be more engaged and more likely to sign deals.
Shows Will Regionalize. There could be a shift to smaller regionalized events and not one huge national event. This approach could improve participation for more companies and make networking more effective.

(Here is a link to the full article: https://www.tsnn.com/index.php/news/future-trade-shows-part-i)

This non-touch motion game was a hit with attendees.

Technology will play a bigger roll moving forward. Interactive content and technology have been growing in trade show booths for several years, but most experts expect this trend to accelerate in 2021. Show attendees will have a deeper and more memorable experience with increased use of motion-based displays, augmented reality (AR) elements and immersive virtual reality (VR) content. (Here is a link to a good article about technology at trade shows: https://www.artanddisplay.com/trade-shows-trends-in-2021/)

One thing everyone agrees on is there will be an abundance of trade show activity in the next 12-18 months. Regardless of the size of the show or a brand’s budget, Elation Digital has a proven track record of helping exhibit builders and brands create interactive experiences that engage attendees, increase leads and make lasting memories. Email us at Team@elationdigital to discuss your upcoming event.

Posted in Custom Branded Games, Events, Experiential, Interactive Brand Experiences, Tradeshow Technology, Tradeshows, Uncategorized Bookmark the permalink. What do you think?

Prize Management Drives Lead Generation

May 27, 2015 at 08:29

by Chris Rogne

Elation Digital recently finished up another successful event. For this trade show, we worked with Capgemini at Sapphire Now, the SAP conference in Orlando that took place earlier this month. Their goal was to generate leads and collect information from interested attendees in a fun and engaging way. We developed an integrated software solution that scanned the badges of attendees and offered the opportunity to play a spin wheel game for a chance to win a prize. We also incorporated a trivia game to educate visitors about Capgemini. This concept made learning about their company more interesting and gave the salespeople an opportunity to engage with the prospects.

Here’s how it worked:

ATTRACT: An attendee approaches the booth and is enticed to learn more about Capgemini (and possibly win a prize–this always a great booth attractor).

COLLECT: The brand ambassador scanned the badges to collect the lead.

QUALIFY: The addition of a quick survey captures additional important information about the lead.

EDUCATE: As the trivia game gets played, the attendee learns about Capgemini. The brand ambassador is also nearby to share any pertinent information tailored for the visitor based on information gathered during the survey.

ENTERTAIN: Spin to Win! Our prize management system allows booth personnel to add the prizes, quantity, and expected booth traffic times, so that the prizes are inventoried and evenly distributed throughout the show in real time.

WINNER: The attendee finds out what they won!

The Capgemini booth was well received by attendees. Lead generation and product education are two of the main goals most companies have for events and tradeshows. Some marketers fear that giving away prizes do not generate qualified leads. If the interaction between the brand ambassador and the lead is genuine and informative, as it was in this case, it works. We are pleased our integrated interactive solution met the needs of our client.

Elation Digital develops a wide variety of interactive brand experiences and event technologies to draw crowds for tradeshows, events and mobile marketing tours including photo & video activations, custom branded games, infotainment, social media, data capture, tracking and reporting. Their solutions are perfect for all budget levels from simple solutions to complete integrated campaigns.

Posted in Events, Experiential, Interactive Brand Experiences, Technology, Tradeshow Technology, Tradeshows Bookmark the permalink.

When Tech Trends Don’t Matter

January 27, 2015 at 10:15

by Chris Rogne

There are many exciting technology trends for 2015. We’ve even written about Google Cardboard and Samsung’s 3D Project Beyond. We’ve used Kinect technology to create motion games that generate huge crowds at events and tradeshows for launching new products. But when do these trends not matter? When they don’t meet the goals you’ve set for your campaign.

Be sure when choosing a tech trend for your event, tradeshow or mobile tour, that it meets the specific needs of your goals and brand – not for the sake of being trendy.

Ask Yourself:

What is your audience looking for?
Is it relevant to them?
Is it delivering the content you want your audience to know?
Will it reinforce and amplify your brand?

New tech trends might capture audience attention and be engaging but what will they walk away remembering? Will it be the technology or your message?

Elation Digital develops a wide variety of interactive brand experiences and event technologies to draw crowds for mobile marketing tours, tradeshows, and events including photo & video activations, custom branded games, social media, data capture, tracking and reporting.

Posted in Events, Experiential, Interactive Brand Experiences, Technology, Tradeshows Bookmark the permalink.

4 Reasons Why Capturing Attendee Information is Key to Event Success!

December 17, 2014 at 14:59

by Chris Rogne

Companies attend events and tradeshows to generate new business and choosing the right data capture technology and tracking software is critical. Utilizing data properly drives future success.

1) Controlling the Queue—People at events are used to waiting for an attraction if there is something interesting they want to see or do. Good data capture software can help manage that queue process which makes it easier for you to control the line and your attendees will be happier knowing when it’s their turn. Dynamic personalization is a fun option to choose so the participant can see their name incorporated in the event. Having an attraction loop playing so your attendees will be entertained while waiting is a great idea.

2) Lead generation—Let’s face it, you participate in events to generate leads. Collecting information for potential customers allows you to engage over time to build a solid relationship and eventually convert those leads to customers. If the contact is already current customer, it allows you to further your connection through brand perception, drive demand, offer special discounts and coupons or provide education or information.

3) Consumer Insight—Staying in contact with the leads you have captured allows you to gain insight by conducting surveys and collecting information that can help you serve your customer better. What do they like, what do they dislike? It also can provide knowledge of features you could add or develop for your product or service to stay ahead of the curve and your competition.

4) Reporting—The numbers talk. The information you collect can help you develop reports to create an ROI for your event. How many attendees were there? How many leads did you capture? You can track follow through sales if you send them a coupon or special offer. Measuring success of an event helps you determine whether to participate in that event again and/or look for similar events if this one was a success!

Be sure the software you choose can integrate with your existing CRM platform.

Things to consider when choosing a provider:

What type of devices can be used to capture the information? Are these devices purchased or leased? Is a brand ambassador necessary or is it self-service? Is it easy for the brand ambassador to manage and set up?

Posted in Advergames, Events, Experiential, Interactive Brand Experiences, Multi-Touch, Tradeshows, Uncategorized Bookmark the permalink.

Successful Show at IAEE Expo! Expo!

December 11, 2014 at 19:28

by Chris Rogne

We just wrapped up at IAEE Expo! Expo! We showcased our photo activation software, data capture as well as several interactive games, including a custom game with Kinect Motion technology. By simply moving your arms in a steering wheel motion you can direct a car through a virtual city.

We teamed up with Cordell Racing who offers simulated racing experiences and corporate branding on Nascar race cars. By combining our event technology and social media solutions with Cordell’s expertise in corporate sponsorship and promotions at events and tradeshows, we can offer clients an even greater opportunity to draw crowds and generate brand recognition.

This unique combination drew in a large crowd as well as much interest in our combined offering. What did we learn? Two IS greater than one and it’s always a good idea to pack extra hardware so when all the parts don’t arrive, you are in a much better place to start the show!