Navigating Virtual Trade Shows

 

With in-person events largely on hold, more and more organizations are turning to virtual events in an effort to fill the void. For everyone involved, from attendees to vendors to planners, the experience has been flipped upside down; leaving everyone struggling to figure out how to get the most out of an event. To help on that front, we put together a guide on how to gain the most of a virtual event as an attendee. We also tucked in a small surprise to help make the upcoming PSAI show a bit more fun.

  1. Plan ahead – this applies to in-person shows of course as well, but your conference time will likely be more divided than ever. Make sure to:
    1. Review the agenda and identify sessions you’d like to attend ahead of time
    2. Check the vendor list, anyone catches your eye? If so, check the exhibit schedule and make a plan for when you’ll visit
    3. Block out the time needed on your calendar
  2. Find a quiet place – for some this may be at home, for others, the office might be a little deserted right about now. Either way, you’re spending your time attending this conference, you might as well get the most out of it.
  3. Poke around the platform – once you’re allowed into the event space, take some time to get to know the software that’s hosting the event.
  4. Taking notes? Take them on pen and paper to avoid the temptations of using your mouse and keyboard.
    1. Be sure to check and see if the presentations will be made available after the show, that could save you some scribbling time.
  5. Don’t forget to network – from little tips to career opportunities, we often learn the most from just getting to know the people around us at shows. Most events these days are offering opportunities to get to know your peers, albeit virtually. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and join the group in Q&As, chats, and virtual events within the event.
    1. Typically for situations like this, we’d have a beer in our hand. If that’s the case for you as well, don’t be afraid to crack a cold one. We’ll even buy you a six pack if you book a demo before the show and mention “PSAI” in the meeting notes.

 

Not finding exactly the advice you’re looking for? Let us know what questions you have by emailing joy@servicecore.com. Additionally, we highly recommend reading similar posts by Unito and CVENT that helped inform this post.