Page 32 - Grapevine NovDec 2020

Marketing & Innovation

How To Get The Most Out

Of A Virtual Trade Show

By: Susan DeMatei
A ll indicators suggest we will continue our missing the first 10 minutes because you had to

download and install an application. Don’t wait
social distancing well in 2021, which means
the late winter trade shows in North
the software; check that it works on your computer
America will be chiefly virtual this year. The vast until the morning of the conference to download
majority of us have never attended a virtual trade and that you have sufficient bandwidth and a work-
show, let alone hosted a booth in one. So, as we ing camera and microphone.
all venture into this new virtual age together, let’s
discuss what to expect, how to prepare, and how to Ideally, during the weeks before the conference,
“walk through the virtual exhibition hall” to get the take a quick tour of features and set up your pro-
most out of this year’s upcoming events. file name and company name so you can present
your best self to the other attendees. If you already
BEFORE THE CONFERENCE have the software on your computer, review the
settings. This is not the time to be logged in as your
Try The Software: Your virtual conference will spouse or child. If you have a profile section, fill it
use an online tool you may not have downloaded out, and upload a picture of yourself. Remember,
or used before. Nothing is more frustrating than this is your “face” to your industry colleagues.
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