Virtual tradeshows and events have taken off since the pandemic – and this presents a great opportunity for the insurance industry.
It’s far less expensive and challenging to participate in virtual tradeshows than it is to set up a booth at an in-person insurance show. And while there’s no reason your strategy can’t include both, including virtual tradeshows in your promotional mix allows you to expand your reach and appear at more events than you would otherwise have time or budget for.
Just as with in-person tradeshows, your goal for a virtual tradeshow is to get attendees to visit your online booth. This virtual booth is where you showcase your company, connect with customers, give away merch, and make valuable connections.
Because it’s virtual, you have a lot more “space” to attract attendees (and more sophisticated tools for collecting information). Here are four tips for attracting attendees to this virtual space.
1. Know your booth before the event.
Before the event, make sure you understand all the tools at your disposal for running the virtual booth. How do you interact with visitors? Is there a video component? What tools do you have for networking, collecting emails and other information from customers, and monitoring your performance and KPIs? Can you give away merchandise and content through the platform, and if so, how?
How many people will you need to “run” your booth – including interacting with visitors, giving presentations, and speaking one-on-one with high-priority leads? How does the booth facilitate it all? These are just a few things to consider.
2. Set up your booth to succeed.
Each virtual booth is kind of like a mini website for your company. While the virtual booth setups will vary on different platforms, your booth can generally be customized to show off your logo and company branding. Make sure your logo is prominent on the page and your branding is consistent throughout.
Your “About” page should be clear about who your company is and what it does, including your USP. It’s also a good central place to suggest topics for discussion and present a schedule of talks at your booth (if applicable).
3. Offer a lead generation product that stands out.
Consider what free lead generation tools you offer at the top of your sales funnel – such as e-books, case studies, white papers, and other high-value, educational pieces of content that attract your audience. These can also be great tools for attracting visitors to your online booth.
It can be helpful to offer a new one specifically for the tradeshow (especially one that’s particularly topical and timely), but it’s not necessary, and it may be better to use one that’s been proven to attract leads. Your mileage may vary.
4. Let your customers know you’ll be there.
Finally, it’s important to let your customers, existing mailing lists and social media contacts know that you’ll be at the virtual event. Send out emails reminding people to come visit your booth. Post about your attendance on social media leading up to the event. Make sure people know how to find you.
Virtual tradeshows can help expand your client base, make contact with high-value prospects, showcase your expertise, and expand your email list. With these tips, you should have a great experience – and generate great returns on your appearance!
Anita Nevins is the founder and CEO of Spark Online Events, a division of Direct Connection Advertising & Marketing. She has planned and orchestrated numerous high-profile online events and tradeshows including the Foremost eConference and the Trusted Choice Virtual Experience. Her events have reached thousands of agents, brokers, and attendees across the country and around the world.
Call (707) 429-0877 or email anita@sparkonlineevents.com for more information.
This blog was originally posted by Spark Online Events, a division of Direct Connection.
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