Technology in Exhibits: thumbs up or thumbs down

Using technology in exhibits has many advocates but also gives rise to Chicken Little-ish naysayers who prophesy the disappearance of the personal interaction. Anne Trompeter， Principal， Live Marketing， shares professional views on the subject.

There is controversy over the use of technology in face-to-face marketing. In your opinion， does technology detract from the in-person experience？

AT： Much depends on the design of the technology. The best technology complements and integrates with the rest of the experience. Certainly， it detracts if it hasn’t been thought through or doesn’t help tell the story the exhibitor wants to tell. Technology has to support whatever else is going on. It can guide the attendee experience and foster understanding of the goal of the exhibit and the exhibitor’s message.

Are attendees more inclined to embrace technology—or to seek out a person to talk to？

AT： That preference depends on the audience. There have been studies about personal approaches to grocery shopping that are relevant to the psychology of trade show audiences. How audiences want to experience the environment is a pivotal issue. Who are the attendees？ For example， an audience of nurses likes to connect on a personal level. So do people with specific questions， ongoing issues， or a beef with the company or product. At the same time， technology has to be very friendly， inviting， and interesting as well as relevant. It needs to give attendees something they wouldn’t otherwise get. The best use of technology fosters a smooth transition to engaging with a person. You don’t want a booth visitor standing at a kiosk asking，“Now what should I do？”

How should staff be trained to use technology to enhance the attendee experience？

AT： If an exhibitor is introducing a technology-based engagement at a trade show， the staff needs to be brought up to speed and to understand their role. They need to know the dollars spent on technology will result in a good ROI. For optimal results， introduce the staff to the technology and the exhibit design， say， four weeks in advance. Let them know the technology will enhance engagement. Sell it to them. Allow them time to get their minds wrapped around using technology so when they come to the pre-show meeting， they’re ready. Show them demos. If professional facilitators will lead attendees through the experience， introduce those people to the staff and define roles： who will do what in the exhibit？

What are some ways to use technology in an exhibit that can provide value to attendees？

AT： The attendees’ time is limited. Their goal is to learn， and technology can help them grasp the value of the product or solution in the exhibit. Moreover， they are eager to learn in an interesting way， and technology gives them the experience they are looking for. Many attendees are really very geeky and are especially excited about cutting edge technology， like new ways to use artificial intelligence（AI） or applications of virtual reality （VR） they haven’t seen before. Personalize the technology experience so it feels relevant to the attendees. For example， in healthcare， exhibitors are using technology to foster empathy between doctors and patients. And keep the experience brief！

What are the major advantages of using technology in an exhibit？

AT： Technology can be a fantastic and relevant draw. It has the power to create interactive learning experiences with attendees. For instance， large equipment manufacturers can create a virtual experience that eliminates the need to bring a piece of heavy equipment to a show. Technology can help create an unexpected brand experience. Every industry has legacy companies that have been around for， say， a hundred years. Technology can help readjust the attendees’ perspective about these companies， as in， “Wow， this is a cool experience！” Technology can provide new brand attributes， something attendees wouldn’t have previously associated with the company.

What are the biggest stumbling blocks to using technology in exhibits？

AT： The first stumbling block is cost， but like any other type of engagement technique， there is a range of pricing if you investigate. Find a way to make technology cost-effective. It can be pricey， particularly if it’s cutting edge because it hasn’t become a commodity yet. There are flexible out-of-the-box solutions to make technology inclusions work.

The other stumbling block is that someone in the company sees something they’re excited about， and they want to do it in the booth. But it’s not appropriate for the message or the design. Figure out a way to capture the spirit of the technology： what was exciting？ What did you think might work？ Technology has to be appropriate. You must build in enough time to develop it and， when necessary， get approval from regulatory bodies.

Are you aware of any cultural issues that exhibitors should keep in mind when using technology？

AT： You have to be hyper-aware of the audience when you are preparing language， text on a screen， lifestyle photos， and so on. We always advise exhibitors to work with companies in the region where they are exhibiting. The wrong cultural nuances can destroy an experience.

Have you found that technology can provide scalable solutions—e.g.， something developed for a trade show that can be used to sell in the field？

AT： For sure！ And this connects to the idea of getting buy-in to develop a technology experience. If you are creating an interactive tool for messaging， create a tool that’s powerful on and off the trade show floor. A good experience for attendees can also be good in the field. Create an interactive sales tool that works on the show floor and in the field.

If feasible， have you seen companies where development costs are shared across budgets？

AT： Budget sharing is a best practice. The event department pays for part of the engagement tool， but then different business groups kick in as well. It really helps to have different departments with skin in the game. They get involved with the project， they care about it， and sharing it across multiple entities in the company means that the technology project is much more likely to be a success.