Question

Many traditional trade show organizers do not foresee that virtual trade shows will become a major threat to the shows themselves. Their view is that nothing can replace seeing and touching a product in person. Find the information about virtual trade show and develop arguments for and/or against virtual trade shows.

Answer 1

Introduction

Trade shows which are organized traditionally are focused on sales driven model where they provide a platform for companies to display their products, technologies to the larger group of audience to make profits. It provides a direct face to face trade show which helps to build personal connections with the people as well. On the other hand, Virtual trade shows facilitate a direct interaction over an Internet which provides goods and services for a specific industry are demonstrated and exhibited. It is a platform that lends itself to a broad range of application beyond trade shows such as training sessions, chat rooms; customer meeting etc and anyone can participate in this trade show.

Arguments against Virtual Trade show

• It's not Exciting: With the virtual trade show, the audience doesn't feel that excitement which they feel in a live event, so they are not necessary as engaged. In this platform it is very hard to catch the attention of attendees.
• It's complicated: There might be a trouble connecting with the attendees at the time of show because the virtual booth where the meeting should be conducted needs some plug-ins to be downloaded, but some attendees don't want to do that considering wastage of time. Moreover, the layout of the virtual booth can become chaotic on different devices. This can be avoided by using fluid designs and providing documents in stable formats, but again there are few certainties in that.
• Hard to make an impact with sponsorship: When people are in a live show then it creates positivity amongst the attendees who love to eat a cookie of your company's name on it. But sponsorship at virtual trade show is just means that your company logo will appear on the page, which will miss the chance to create a strong positivity amongst the attendees who are our target audience.
• It's not Personal: When you are communicating virtually it’s hard to make an expression over the internet. Also, it is very difficult to demonstrate the brand and show the company's personality to the target audience. The communication style also transformed from the personal immediacy of a conversation to instant messaging exchange. Therefore, this gives us a huge loss by not putting our face with the company's name which is a most valuable thing to do.

Arguments in favor of Virtual Trade show

• It's Green in nature: Virtual trade show eliminate the transport of people and material from the event which helps to reduce the carbon footprint of an event. They also help to remove the production of materials which may go waste after the completion of an event such as posters that are branded with company name.
• It is Logical: For those who work in software companies will get a chance to explore and utilize new technologies. It is also a strategic advantage that the target is already present in the computer. In some industries, benefits of the products are described in person but especially in software industry, it takes a computer to really show off what the product contains.
• Easy to track Lead Generations: The virtual trade shows make it easy to provide prospects and download the materials. It also helps to built in tracking the attendees profile and lead management so that we must know who is downloading what. Money which is used to print is also saved by virtual trade shows.
• Saves Money: It is cost effective platform as there is no need to pay the cost of employee, electricity bill, travel, lodging, carpet, furnishing, shipping cost to get all the stuff at the event. Hence, it cost significantly less.
• It's Time Saving and Long Lasting: Virtual Tradeshow allows saving time on travel as well as the money that has been paid to buy the space is not just for few days but it goes up to a year after the actual event. This means it is a long term marketing platform.