Map Dynamics - Interactive Floor Plans, Tradeshow Floorplans, ExpoRep, and Interactive Mapping Systems.

Go Online for Less!

July 29, 2010 | by Amy Wilson

The Internet has changed the way we do business, and the trade show industry is no exception. From extreme examples like the rise of virtual trade shows to less drastic changes like exhibitors using Internet kiosks at their booths, being able to harness the power of the Internet has become essential to success.

Before the Event

A recent article on the Trade Show News Network Blog summarized some analytics about the link between an exhibitor's online presence and in-person traffic at their booth. Author Dave Lutz explains that the way attendees walk the show floor has changed. Now they plan their day and which booths they are going to visit before they even get on the plane. Basically, the greater an exhibitor's online presence, the more attendance they will receive at their booth.

What does this mean for show managers? It means they need to provide their exhibitors and sponsors with online visibility. According to Lutz, that means an online floorplan and online exhibitor profiles. Show managers who provide these services will create up-selling opportunities for themselves at the same time that they strengthen their relationship with their exhibitors.

At the Event Itself

But pre-show online marketing is not even half the battle. With more and more exhibitors using Twitter profiles and Facebook pages to reach out to attendees at the show, Internet access has become a necessity during the show itself. The high cost of using your hotel or convention center's in-house provider (an average of $1200 for a single line) can be prohibitive, but Joyce McKee of Let's Talk Trade Shows has made an amazing discovery:

Trade Show Internet (TSI) is the first on-site cellular Internet service for the trade show industry. At the price of $299 for a 3-day rental, show managers or exhibitors can rent an "Internet-In-a-Box" kit and receive unlimited use of TSI's broadband wireless Internet at T1 speeds for up to four computers. The kit also comes with TSI's 24-hour tech support.

Even better, show managers who select TSI as their official Internet service provider (as opposed to just using the venue's) will receive TSI On-Site service, which includes on-site pick up and technical support during the pre-event setup days and throughout the event. TSI On-Site also includes an order form so that show managers can include ordering an Internet-In-a-Box kit as part of their exhibitor registration process.

Trade Show Internet couldn't have arrived on the scene at a better time. They're stepping in to provide a low-cost solution just as exhibitors' and attendees' demand for high-speed Internet access is beginning to exponentially increase. The trade show industry as a whole can only benefit from services like this one.