On The Aisles: Tradeshow Multimedia

Bob Aiese ©2013

If you think back to the last conference you attended, you're likely to agree that multimedia presentations were just about everywhere. There's a reason for that. Studies have shown that interactive multimedia displays at trade shows can increase customer leads by a minimum of 20%! Some of the reasons behind this are obvious.

• Familiar Territory
Multimedia and interactive presentations are now enmeshed in our daily lives. Thanks to smartphones and mobile apps, consumers and customers expect the answers they seek in an instant. An ideal interactive presentation welcomes conference attendees to your booth, and then enables them to help themselves to vital information.

• Star Quality
Getting noticed at the show is always a challenge. But a combination of animation, special effects, video and arresting headlines can carry enough visual impact to lure potential customers into your booth.

• Speed Reads
Detailing your 40-year company history or explaining the intricate design features of a new product probably involves a lengthy conversation. Multimedia gives you the ability to get to the heart of the matter and quickly tell your story in an engaging way.

Those were some of the easy advantages. But perhaps you've already invested a great deal of time and money in producing a dazzling multimedia presentation and your leads haven't increased that significantly. Right now, you might be rehashing some of the following positives, which could be hiding other critical issues.

• "The presentation is amazing...like nothing we've ever done before!"
Multimedia shouldn't break totally new ground. That's why we always advise our clients that the images, words and visual icons used throughout the booth and in handouts should be the building blocks of their interactive presentation. Reinforcement of key messages also helps to make the experience more memorable.

• "The booth representatives say that it covers absolutely everything."
Our creative strategy team holds firm when asked to do a presentation which includes all the "talking" that the salesman used to do. Too often, multimedia is crafted to cover every detail of the company pitch, rather than to enhance and deepen it.

• "Our staff was a little hesitant at first, but we knew they would see the advantages once they started using it at the show."
Our agency usually starts out by listening to sales and booth reps and assessing their needs. Be certain that your staff is very enthusiastic about the overall experience and that they are also 100% comfortable about using the new technology. If show representatives aren't excited about the multimedia in your booth, then show attendees won't be either. You might also consider maximizing the impact of the larger display by adding tablet-driven applications for booth representatives that will drive conversations.

• "The agency that produced it delivered a real winner, even though they had never worked with us before."
Don't choose an agency solely because of the work they've done for other clients or the new techniques they offer. They need to be familiar with your company's reputation, objectives and goals. To sum it up, their specialty should be you, and not just bells and whistles.