Don’ts and Don’ts of a Virtual Event

This post is based on the first-hand experience at a virtual event (essentially a webcast) to which I was invited. I attended this event wearing the hat of a qualified corporate buyer, and here are my observations.

1. Don’t bore the daylights out of me. Webcasts that are an hour-long lose audiences or their attention. Take a tip from TED conferences. 18 minutes long. Try allowing the presenters to talk for no more than 20 minutes, open it up for 10 minutes for Q&A, but let the audience members stretch it to an hour if there are a lot of questions. A lot of questions means a very interested audience. Ask the moderator to inform the online audience that all questions will be announced anonymously.
2. Don’t allow me to drift off aimlessly. Throwing a bunch of icons and tabs, and a lot of human-like figures gliding aimlessly on a screen just wastes my time. Give me a roadmap but let me have the flexibility to jump from point to point. By the way, back to my earlier point – long webcasts do contribute to people drifting off to other places including the networking lounge or worse yet, to a browser window outside of the virtual event.
3. Don’t make me feel like I am intruding – especially intruding on a conversation in the Networking Lounge. Have an usher welcome me. Have a few people from technical support in the networking lounge.
4. Don’t let booth chat conversations be publicly visible. It can hurt your event’s brand, your sponsor’s image, and certainly does harm the exhibitor’s image. I am not interested in reading the conversation between your sponsor and a booth staffer asking how the traffic was and how you had 2,000 registrants. That should be a private conversation.
5. Don’t call your networking lounge a ‘social networking lounge’. It is a dead giveaway that you are trying too hard to fit in. Most audience members can see through the gimmick.
6. Don’t make the public chat room a generic one. Give it a purpose. If you expect large traffic, consider opening a few (chat rooms) and give each one a purpose. That will help channel conversations more effectively. Most audience members do not participate in the chat lounge. I guess like me, they are afraid to appear rude and interrupt any ongoing dialog between the few participants who like to dominate the scene. One would not typically barge in the middle of a f2f conversation among two or three participants, so the same holds true in the virtual event.
7. Don’t drool in public. To the exhibitors and sponsors of the virtual event, if you have your clients in the chat lounge and they are lavishing praises on your product, a polite thank you is good enough. Besides, the conversation looks staged, so it can be counter-productive. I suggest that you ask this overly complimentary customer to leave a note in a testimonial on your booth in the message board on your virtual booth. If you do not have a message board, ask your provider to include it.
8. Don’t let every click in your virtual event respond with a ‘loading’ pause. Lucky you had only 5 virtual booths on display in your exhibit hall. Imagine a virtual trade show with 120 booths. With 10 items in each booth to click on, we are talking of 1,200 ‘loading’ pauses in the virtual event, which means I have wasted an hour simply loading stuff on my high-speed internet connection. Choose some combination of technologies to improve my navigation. Keep it simple where possible.
9. Don’t show me expired webcasts in your list. I spent a lot of time trying to see which one was going on at the time I signed in. The time zone it showed was PST where I am not. Online, audiences have fleeting attention. Don’t lose them for this.
10. Don’t let sponsors dictate your registration form. They did not leave me with an option of ‘not interested’ in their product. I was there to see if an exhibitor from whom we were considering purchasing a product had any updates on their product lines.

The role of the telephone in a virtual trade show

Virtual exhibitors often ask us to review their virtual booths and give them recommendations about the content they have displayed on their virtual booths.

What we have observed is that in the clamor to ‘go virtual’, marketing professionals who are responsible for displaying messages on their virtual booth tend to forget the main goal of the virtual booth. Let me reiterate it here: The raison d'être for your virtual booth is to get a buyer to contact you in the manner most convenient to such buyer. Even if that means a telephone call. (Feel free to replace 'buyer' with 'prospect', 'lead', 'job candidate' or whichever specialized category to which your audience belongs.)

It boggles my mind as to why a company would go to great lengths to try to hide the phone number as a way to contact them on their website. That same approach seems to be common in planning content on the virtual booth. While your company’s logo and the cool tag-lines may be great to display on your virtual booth, if you are serious about making connections through your virtual booth, do not for even a moment think that it is old fashioned to expect online visitors to make a phone call.

Instant messaging, text messaging, SMS, skype calls, a twitter message – all of these are fine. However, there is absolutely no harm in displaying a specially set up phone number – a hotline, for your online visitors to call decision makers at your company.

During your virtual trade show, try giving your prospective buyers a refreshingly new experience. Allow visitors to cut through the corporate red-tape by setting up a hotline with your company CEO or a VP of Marketing or Sales. Display the phone number prominently on your virtual booth. You might even use some variation of the phrase common in infomercials … “Our operators are standing by to take your call! Call now!” That is because, in a virtual trade show, you have the power to attend to your online visitors no matter where you or they are located. It’s a promise you can make and keep. All you need is a phone that works.

Now, one can get fancy with technology relating to phones as well, but we’ll save that discussion for another time.

Virtual what?

Virtual trade show service providers have a serious problem - not knowing what to name their baby. Virtual Tradeshow, Online Event, Online Tradeshow, Virtual Expo, Virtual Environment, Virtual Show. Lately, event-management companies have joined the party, so we also have Virtual Experiential Services launched through Virtual Experience platforms.

Earlier at least we used to know the top player for robust webcasts, but now even they have started doing virtual shows, thus hurting their unique positioning built over the years. I was talking to a veteran publisher from the industry last week, and my worst fears were confirmed. The market of trade show organizers is confused with all this new terminology. To all that add the word 'social' to taste, and now you will have the perfect recipe for a virtual experiential social networking environment and lead generation event solution.

When we at iTradeFair.com first began calling our offering a virtual trade show, we created visuals of trade show booths and used the trade show metaphor in our messaging to help the market make the connection and leap over the learning curve. What has however, been happening lately, is that virtual trade show providers have taken that metaphor quite literally - straining to recreate the visual effects of a real convention center. These virtual experiences, as they are being labeled are mind-bogglingly slow to load on the screen and painfully two-dimensional to navigate with ease. Special efforts to un-level the playing field by offering 'real estate' at the portal entrance to the highest bidders is an example of the tactile-event mindset limiting the immense growth-potential of the virtual trade show (for want of a better name). Wayfinding in such environments is a nightmare; prompting trade show veterans to go ballistic every time the phrase 'virtual trade show' is mentioned to describe these venues. Organizers of such venues gushing about the virtual lounges and the chat functionality may hurt their own credibility - it's a text chatroom, for crying out loud. Alright, throw in a video-chat. It's still a chatroom. Why not keep it simple? I am sure that such environments please the branding agencies, but what about the attendee?

Did anyone look at the abandon-rates of these experiential environments? It is not simply who visited your online venue that matters - it is also how many would have liked to visit that is of consequence here.

In the ultimate analysis your typical virtual trade show site is just an engaging yet structured way of presenting information while collecting audience data for follow-up. If only we figure out how to keep it simple, we will see acceptance rates increase in the millions as against the present mere thousands that put aside their work to take part in these online events. Unfortunately, the way these sites are structured today are quite unwelcoming - designed to discourage the bulk of the potential traffic. We at iTradeFair.com are guilty of the same issue even though we are constantly trying to simplify the navigation. We do get very positive comments about the simplicity and elegance of our itradefairs, but we have a lot more work to do in that direction. Hopefully, we will also establish a simple name by which to refer to our virtual trade shows, a name that does not confuse the potential users. Or like some of our customers prefer, we might simply resign ourselves to calling it an itradefair.

Attendees Highly Value Trade Shows - What About Absentees?

I happened to read the analysis of the results of a survey by Tradeshow Week magazine, in a blog post titled 'New Study: Attendees Highly Value Trade Shows'. The blog post points out that, "Michael Hughes, Tradeshow Week Vice President of Research, pointed out several years ago that it was higher attendance at shows in 2003 that then led to increased exhibitor numbers and booth space rental coming out of the last recession. His latest report predicts that history is likely to repeat itself: When the economy improves, more attendees will go to shows, and then more exhibitors will return." Incidentally, I have known Michael Hughes since my first email to him about 11 years ago to show him a demo of our online trade show; I deeply respect him and I even quote him from time to time.

Seeing the survey makes me wonder if there is a way to survey those who do not attend tactile trade shows. The absentees. Those left behind. Those who do not exhibit in tactile trade shows. I also think that the trade show industry, in gazing into its crystal ball also needs to factor in (a) tools popularized by the Internet becoming part of everyday business usage, and (b) the changing habits of marketers and buyers who seem to be able to switch seamlessly between the online and tactile worlds. Having reframed it thus, let us now revisit the reasons listed in the blog post referenced earlier, on why attendees value trade shows highly.

"Here’s why attendees value trade shows, even during a recession" says the blog post, proceeding to list several very timeless reasons, quoting Michael Hughes, on why people do trade shows ... to which I have taken the liberty of adding in parenthesis some taglines about common web-based tools that come to mind immediately, not only for attendees, but also for absentees... those who can't afford to enjoy the tactile experience of trade shows for whatever reason.

• The ability to keep up-to-date with changing industry trends. (Google Alerts)
• See new products, equipment, technology and services (Online video demonstrations and lead-generation webinars using inexpensive tools like GoToWebinar and Skype)
• See or participate in product demonstrations (GoToWebinar, Skype, Zoho Meetings, Twitter, BlogTour, Online Trade Fairs, Netbriefing's Proclaim)
• See products first reviewed online (Industry Blogs)
• Maintain and build relationships, network (LinkedIn, Ning, Meetup, Other Social Media)
• Meet exhibitors’ senior management and staff (Online Trade Fairs)
• Make purchases (Online Trade Fairs and Virtual Booths)
• Acquire new ideas (Online Trade Fairs, Twitter, Industry Blogs)
• Education and training (Webcasts and eLearning Tools)
• Save money, with the efficiency of seeing many suppliers in one place (Searchable Online Exhibit Halls, Online Business Matchmakers, Online Vendor Directories)
• Compare competing products and company teams (Online Research, Online Trade Fairs, Product Comparison Charts available online)
• Access competitive intelligence (LinkedIn, FirstRain, Twitter Search Feeds, Google Alerts)
• Maintain a presence – “see and be seen” (A plethora of Internet tools - too many to begin naming here)

There is no question that the tactile trade shows will never lose their place (they might morph into new shapes but will always be around) in the world of business - people like to do business with people they like, and that is what tactile trade shows help them find out. Tactile trade shows allow attendees to make up their mind whether they like the exhibitors' team or vice versa. It helps participants answer questions such as "Is this a team we would like to deal with?" (What about those who could not make it in person? What about exhibitors who could not exhibit and attendees who could not attend? We will address that in a moment)

I must hasten to add that a tactile trade show is not really always necessary for a buyer to like a seller and generate business. I personally know of exhibitors who have won contracts worth half a million dollars in a standalone virtual trade fair that we delivered recently for a major corporation. I want business leaders, and their marketers and buyers - to know that virtual trade fairs do generate real business. Even if the tactile trade show industry does not have a way to meet the needs of attendees and exhibitors until they physically walk in through the doors of the convention center, the itradefair (used as a noun here) offers tremendous value for such absentees - both potential attendees and potential exhibitors - right at their fingertips.

Every Virtual Show Has a Raison d'être - Know Yours?

This article is primarily meant for the event organizer. From an event organizer's point of view, the nice thing about a virtual fair is that it is open to interpretation. One person's virtual trade show might be another's exhibitor-listing or an interactive floor-plan, or vendor directory or just a webcast. It does not really matter. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

What matters is whether the format chosen helps further the goals of the event organizer. What matters is to keep it simple and not let your technology vendor make it into a massive project requiring a major investment of resources, ignoring the fact that your virtual show is simply a means to an end.

Your virtual show is to let your exhibitors and attendees know that you care about them after the tactile event is over. Your virtual show is to hand-hold the virtual participants until they have a tactile experience with the exhibitors' products and people. Your virtual show is to let them navigate the exhibit hall in whatever sequence they like. Your virtual show means giving your virtual participants the freedom to use their time wisely. Your virtual show means allowing the parent to attend the soccer game. Your virtual show means allowing the marketing professional to stay in touch with industry peers while caring for his dying father. Your virtual show is a considerate thing to do. It shows that the event organizer cares about the participant both onsite and online. Your virtual show might also be about lead-gathering. Your virtual show might also be about demonstrating ROI to the financial planning department.

Try some corporate introspection to know what your virtual show is really about. Ask yourself the question, "Why are we doing it?" Then tell your technology provider or event planner what you want. Not the other way around. Stay in control of your virtual show, and you stay in control of your brand. Otherwise you risk dilution of your brand. The kind of virtual show at which you display your logo sends a message to the world. Make sure it sends the right message.

Triiibes - Beginnings of a Legacy

A year ago, I became a part of Seth Godin's Triiibes, an online gathering of fans of Seth. The initiation that was required to be part of the group, the way it governs itself and the way ideas are exchanged for the greater good make Triiibes among the the greatest of permanent online venues that I have ever experienced in 10 years of doing online events in my own line of work.

As part of Triiibes I have had the privilege of seeing Seth Godin's presentation in person during a preview of the book launch of Tribes - we need you to lead us.Triiibes helped me give finishing touches to my first attempt at an ebook that has since been very well received. Communicating with triiibals constantly gives me new perspectives and input from accomplished and generous individuals - on matters of work and life.

Besides his insightful books and his blog, I believe that with Triiibes, Seth may have created one of his greatest, lasting, living and growing legacy. Thank you again Seth! Congrats to Triiibes on the first of many purposeful years!

Bookmarks that make Benjamin Button Blush

When an itradefair attendee writes back "Really a cool site! I bookmarked it, but will I always be able to access it - or will the site (tradeshow) shut down at some point?" it makes us blush with pride. It is always nice to be 'favorited', added as a 'friend' or simply to hear things like "I enjoyed today's event immensely. Although we scrambled with a few problems, after the server was re-started, I experienced no problems. I really liked the new skins. They looked up-to-date and more sophisticated than the old ones, and having a broader variety of skins added to the diversity of the event. It was fun to open a booth and see a new skin."

We just completed yet another highly successful itradefair for a closed corporate event yesterday. I want to list 3 lessons learned. We have been doing itradefairs for 10 years now; yet there is always something new to learn because we are basically dealing with humans, computers, the Internet, distance and time-zone differences - all variables, most of them dynamic as well.

1. Embrace the variables. When we have to deal with as many dynamic elements in a live itradefair against a ticking clock what makes for a great itradefair is how well we manage all of the variables simultaneously and deliver a wholesome experience for everyone involved. That could mean devising quick workarounds, shutting down non-essential elements to isolate and neutralize possible issues, trouble-shooting for every single attendee no matter what their system limitations are, responding swiftly and satisfactorily to questions so that they do not escalate into something so huge that they sideline the entire event, all the while shielding the programmers so that they can do their thing without feeling the heat and the pressure, staying in a calm state of mind. Once we accept the fact that there are so many uncontrollable factors in delivering a live itradefair, it becomes easier to decide how to manage the genie and focus on delivering on the goals of the event.



2. Convenience, Convenience, Conveneience. Here is a question that came our way for yesterday's online trade fair. "Please answer a question for me – I am unable to be online tomorrow from 1-4 – Is it necessary for someone to man the booth during those hours. Will the trade show be available for attendees until the end of the month? Is manning the booth online necessary at all or preferred?". Short answer: If online attendees like a virtual exhibitor's offerings, they will find a way to get a hold of the exhibitor. An itradefair must give them a choice of tools to reach out and make the connection, without tying them down to their desk. One of the reasons people keep coming back to do itradefairs is because it is so convenient. Do not let your passion for technology overshadow your passion for the convenience of your customers. Find a balance. (borrowed from Steve Ballmer's recent speech). I have started using a modified version of the word 'convenient' in my signature line, a deliberate mis-spelling that combines the words 'convene' and 'convenient'. I call an itradefair simply conveneient.



3. Manage Expectations, but Beat Expectations. Virtual trade shows are not meant to replace tactile experiences. They can't. They are not the greatest thing since sliced peanut-butter. Focus on the quality of the audience, quality of interaction and quality of outcomes. Build in elements of wow for the audiences right in the middle of the event -- we soft-launched new graphics or skins in yesterday's itradefair and pleasantly surprised the audiences who clicked away not knowing how fascinating and captivating an itradefair can be. At the same time, they knew that it was not about the online experience, rather it was meant to be an efficient way to pre-screen participating businesses with niether party expecting the proverbial 10 million dollar contract to emerge right away at the virtual event. The itradefairs merely aim at creating pathways to that 10 million dollar contract, giving tools to cut through layers in business decision-making. That is all it is - an efficient reseach and interaction tool - and efficient process-improvement too - just a little fun-filled though. Do not forget to tuck in a few pleasant surprises even as you manage expectations.

As we at iTradeFair.com prepare for the next decade, we will chart new waters. Every itradefair is so invigorating, it almost seems like we are doing a Benjamin Button with each passing year. Thanks are due for the past 10 years to our team of brilliant programmers and designers (and their supportive families) over the years, to our customers including several repeat-customers who have mentored and moulded our thinking and products, our forward-thinking prospects who direct our future vision, thank you to our formidable competitors who have helped make virtual events real by making them a part of business lexicon, and last but not the least to our investors and advisors without whose faith in us, we would not have made it this far.