8 BIG Trends in the Trade Show Biz You Should Know About

The question is “What’s Trending?”

Not necessarily on Twitter but in the Trade Show biz?

Luckily, we did our research and found a few answers for you.

To get a full list of what is trending in the trade show business, check this website out here.

Other than that if you just need some quick ideas to run off of what is new and popular, then this blog is for you.

Here are 8 BIG Things You Should Know About What is Trending in the Trade Show Biz

1. Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality is starting to be used for many things, including for the event planning process.  Marketers are leveraging it not just for the experience but to help them build the event plan as well.  Instead of physically doing a walk through of an exhibit, you can now try looking at it virtually.  This also opens up the option of saving that feed for getting ready for next years event.

On the other end for driving sales, event planners are starting to use virtual reality for “hot” entertainment as well as an informative tool to help guests learn more about their specific company.  For example, Lowe’s Home Improvement in Canada has been working on a service called Holloroom, which allows the guests to enter into a “room” and renovate it.  How cool is that?

2. App Investments

The importance of apps is increasing daily, as well as the innovation that is coming along with them.  Companies such as Levi is allowing fans at the new 49ers Stadium in San Fran to reserve their own parking spots before the game.  Target’s Cartwheel gives guests special deals whenever they are in the store.  There are even apps for reserving tables at restaurants as well as saving your spot online such as No Wait and Open Table.

In order to stand out amongst your competitors and stay in the game, your company should have their own app up and running so they are ready to steal the show.

3. Additional Events

Just one event is not enough anymore.  Companies are focusing more on the experience as a whole, including additional events outside of the main one, as well as specific housing for the event attendees in order to allow their guests to truly soak everything in.

If an event is found to be successful, some companies are starting to launch smaller versions of it in order to capture more viewers.   They start to ask themselves, if the exhibit booth is doing well on the show floor, why not take it on the road?  If the show receives a ton of press coverage on social media, even print media, then why not continue that?

They are quickly realizing, the huge benefits you get by the attending trade shows don’t just have to be once a year when you attend them.

4. Design Strategies

Design thinking is not just something “artists” do anymore.  It is trying to become incorporated in almost all business aspects.

David Kelley came up with a concept that he used to teach at top design schools such as Stanford and Cornell, which companies are finding to be very useful during the event planning process today.

The idea involves determining solutions for challenges by considering the end-user more adamantly.  Design thinking is extremely essential in solving problems and trying to make the customer experience more enjoyable.  Why not use it as much as you can?  It certainly doesn’t hurt.

5. Social Media Talent

Major entertainment deals that costs tons of money are no longer the must have at trade shows.  Rather, companies are trying to make their way around that big expense by coming up with new ideas that bring just as much traffic, if not more.

To illustrate, they are looking towards platforms such as YouTube and pulling popular social media stars to show up at their event, or take over their social media platform, in order to bring more awareness to their projects.  Come to find out, the presence of these social media stars is just as big as any other celebrities, yet at lower costs.  They typically have just as much fans to account for too.

6. Digital Brochures

We are obviously in a go green day in age where everyone is trying to find ways to save energy on top of saving the world.  Which has brought companies to start thinking about all of the paper they hand out at shows and where it goes exactly?  Let’s be honest, it’s normally the trash.  Therefore, electronic literature is starting to look more appealing.

Instead of trying to fit everything about the company and what might interest guests into one brochure why not offer several options online?   That way people can pick and choose from what they are most interested in learning more about.  Possibly even be able to send that info to their emails while they are there.  It’s a win-win situation.

7. Special Housing

Like I mentioned earlier, companies are extending the experience and bringing it to the customer's preferred “housing,” for their stay during the event.  With that said they are offering other options for their customers to stay at in order to get the full experience.

As said in the 2015 Trend Tracker Article by GES, (Global Expertise Specialists), about the special housing choices...

“In late 2014, GES recognized this opportunity and added the leading two event-housing companies on Peak and Travel Planners to their network. “Where you stay is a critical part of the live event experience, and should be as awesome as the event itself.  Hotels are the emotional and social headquarters of events,” says Colin Bunn, VP Product Development and Marketing, onPeak|GES.”

8. Post Show Content

This is extremely important, especially with all of the data you can receive from it in order to improve your campaign for next year.  Marketers have found that letting the experience live online brings more awareness and customer loyalty to the platform.  Luckily it does not detract from the event but only enhances it.  And those who chose to relive it can go to the social media site and share their thoughts.  Which in turn increases more awareness about the show and or company.

All and all, these trends are definitely something to look more into and consider when planning for your next trade show.  It is important to keep up in order to maintain your status as one of, if not, the strongest competitors in the bunch.