These days, trade show multimedia has become a common sight on the exhibit floor. Walk by any booth, and you’ll find a mix of audio, video, and lighting working to attract your attention.
This isn’t surprising, given their effectiveness in today’s competitive trade show environment. When used correctly, multimedia shows can help you capture more leads and leave a memorable impression on attendees.
What Is Trade Show Multimedia?
Before we explain how to use multimedia in your trade show, let’s start with a definition: Multimedia refers to content that uses a combination of images, text, sounds, lights, and movements to present information.
Digital signage is a common form of multimedia that is often used by exhibitors to draw visitors’ attention. These eye-catching displays typically use text and imagery to convey messages to specific audiences.
Other types of multimedia include:
- Interactive games
- Custom video
- Animation
- LED displays
- Backlit displays
- Banner stands
- Digital kiosks
- Augmented and virtual reality
- And much more
By using trade show multimedia strategically to form an elaborate presentation, you can dazzle your audience and make a lasting impression on attendees.
The Benefits of Multimedia Shows
Why incorporate multimedia into your trade show display? Here are a few good reasons!
1. Capture Attention
It’s no secret that trade shows are fiercely competitive. When you’re up against some of the biggest names in the industry, you need to do everything you can to make your trade show booth stand out. Multimedia shows are extremely effective at grabbing attention because our brains are hardwired to react to movement and sound.
2. Educate Attendees
Is your product difficult to explain? Does it lean a little more technical than purely intuitive? Using visuals in your trade show exhibit can help break down complex information, so it can be easily digested by your audience. Sixty-five percent of the population are visual learners, so using visuals is key to ensuring your company’s message resonates with the majority of trade show attendees.
3. Engage Your Audience
Multimedia shows are an excellent way to break the ice with prospects and pave the way for deeper conversations about your product. After attendees take an interactive quiz or view an animated product demonstration, you can answer any questions they might have and move them further along the sales funnel.
4. Leave a Lasting Impression
Nothing is more memorable than creating an immersive booth experience for your audience. Imagine theatrical lights beaming down on your product display, perfectly timed to dramatic music. With a well-choreographed multimedia display, you can easily set your booth apart from the competition. And a trade show display they remember is a product they remember.
Using Trade Show Multimedia at Your Next Event: Do’s and Don’ts
Multimedia shows can be incorporated into trade show exhibits of any size. Whether you have a large, custom exhibit or you’re using a trade show rental, you can easily harness the power of multimedia to make your event appearance a huge success.
Here are a few basic do’s and don’ts for your multimedia show:
Do Have a Goal
What is the purpose of your multimedia? Your goal will greatly influence your design choices. For instance, let’s say your goal is to establish yourself as a thought leader. Your trade show multimedia might include visual elements that are educational, such as infographics and animated videos explaining industry concepts.
Your multimedia choices would differ if your goal was to unveil a new product line. Rather than use infographics, your multimedia presentation could include dramatic lighting, background music, and product demonstration videos.
Don’t Cut Corners
Cheap trade show multimedia can hurt your show-floor image. The last thing you want is to have a display malfunction while you perform a demonstration or negotiate sales.
There are smart ways to cut costs of your trade show while still appearing professional. Pop-up displays; truss displays; fabric displays; and, more generally, rental exhibits can all be affordable options depending on your company’s needs.
Do Tell a Story
Visual storytelling is an effective way to hook your audience and be remembered long after the show is over. Think of the emotion you want to evoke from your audience. Excitement? Nostalgia? Then use visual storytelling to sell them this feeling. This could be done with graphics alone or with narration over video. The opportunities are endless.
Don’t Make Presentations Too Long
Most attendees don’t want to—and won’t—spend most of their time at a single exhibit. Be sensitive to your audience, and try to keep your presentation under 10 minutes. Any longer, and attendees may leave and miss the key message of your presentation.
Do Be Aware of Booth Size
When it comes to using trade show multimedia, large and small booths have their advantages and disadvantages. With larger booths, be careful not to overwhelm attendees with too much sound and imagery. Consider where you want your audience’s attention, and make sure your displays don’t compete with one other.
Need to fill some space? Consider creating a lounge area in your exhibit space. This encourages attendees to engage in further, relaxed conversation after your multimedia show. Extreme Networks, a network solutions company, did this with their mobile showroom and successfully increased their sales and exposure.
If you’re working with limited space, large-scale wall videos and theaters are probably off the table. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Take advantage of the intimacy by using interactive games and hands-on product demonstrations. People are less likely to get self-conscious playing a game or participating in a demonstration when a huge crowd isn’t watching their every move.
Don’t Forget to Practice
Whether your video displays aren’t working or your background music sounds wonky, technology has a habit of failing at the worst of times. Practicing your multimedia show before the event will reduce the potential for technology failure, as well the potential for human error, like forgetting information during the presentation.
Run through your show multiple times to ensure it goes smoothly in front of an actual audience. The more polished your presentation, the higher your chances of generating qualified leads and sales.
Trade show multimedia is now an essential part of the booth experience. When properly executed, your multimedia can allow you to dominate the trade show floor and maximize your ROI. Not enlisting the help of trade show event management professionals means more room for error.
If the thought of being an expert in graphic design, lighting, exhibit materials, video production, and marketing sounds daunting, consider working with a professional exhibit design firm, so you’re sure your trade show multimedia shines without a hitch.
