Virtual events put up a good show

Citation

(2001), "Virtual events put up a good show", Work Study, Vol. 50 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2001.07950gaf.006

Virtual events put up a good show

Virtual events put up a good show

Exhibitions, trade shows and conferences are important for many firms' business strategies, whether to increase sales, launch a new product or simply to boost brand awareness and recognition.

However, trade shows require a lot of effort and resources from the exhibitors – they must dedicate time and financial resources to attend, organise materials and cover for those absent from the office. Exhibitions also demand stamina and perseverance from visitors.

Now there is an alternative. Both Webevents and Expocentric have developed alternatives to physical shows, to make it easier to set up and view exhibits, and so lower the cost of promotional activity.

Webevents developed the standalone online trade shows, E-Intelligence Online and CRM2001 Online, which focused on particular areas of technology. Both mirror traditional exhibitions in many details. Online visitors, once registered, enter the sites and are able to visit company stands, seminar rooms and newsrooms. The Web sites are designed to mimic an actual exhibition, with maps, stands organised into topic areas, and offices containing information about visitor numbers and exhibition details.

Andy Bevan, Webevents' chief operating officer, said the online technology was designed to solve key problems with physical exhibitions. The initial aim was "to create a basic site, which did not require downloads, credit card details and flash technology" but was visible day and night, all year round.

Once signed up, exhibiting companies use the Webevents wizard to pass on relevant information to Webevents, such as contact details and electronic copies of material to be exhibited. Video clips, Power-Point presentations, brochures and PDF files can be included. Contact details are labelled on virtual stands, and a Phone Me facility asks visitors to fill in details online so the exhibitor can contact them directly.

Webevents checks the information and submits it to its database, which dynamically creates the virtual stands. It is also responsible for the ongoing management of the stands. Each visitor is given a personalised shopping basket to store brochures selected from stands. The content of their basket is then e-mailed to their mailbox.

The technology can be adapted to suit any industry, and can scale up or down to cope with varying amounts of data, exhibitors, languages and visitors, said Bevan.

These virtual events are usually cheaper than their physical counterparts. Whereas a stand at Earl's Court or Olympia costs from £30,000 upwards, Webevents' virtual stands cost from £5,000 to £15,000, depending on requirements.

Bevan said online trade shows can encourage a wider range of visitors, including senior staff who do not have time to dedicate an entire day to a show, because a visit can take place at any time, from any location and will not cause the loss of a full working day. Online shows also eliminate travelling time and expenses.

For exhibitors wanting to extend the reach of physical trade shows, Expocentric has developed systems to allow online visits to stands and communication with exhibitors in real-time. It also enables online ordering and booking of appointments.

Stephen Moore, Expocentric's chief executive, said: "Conferences are very powerful communication tools and have been part of business for many years. With interactive multimedia technology we could develop a product with increased marketing reach for organisers, as well as offer a responsive online conferencing experience for delegates".

But although online exhibitions suit areas such as technology – where detail can be more important than viewing goods – for industries such as textiles, online events work best in a complementary role.

see www.expocentric.com and www.webeventseurope.com