Tech talk by Louise Walters

With new technologies being launched at a rapid rate, there are hundreds of different ideas to execute within your exhibition stand. New ideas are always good for engaging with new customers and delegates. Think of them like a conversation opener.

But do you always stop and think why you are using a particular technology? Is it because it’s new and it looks impressive? All technology takes time and money to implement, so it’s important to install it for the right reasons.

If you are incorporating new technology into your exhibition stand, take a step back to look at how it will help you achieve your business objectives?

Will it demonstrate your product in a more accurate way? Will it make capturing visitors’ data quicker and more accurately?

Technology is changing exhibition stand design for the better because there are more opportunities for us all to demonstrate our product and connect with new customers.

Technology is there to make all our lives easier and to open new opportunities. But if you cannot measure very simply how it improves your sales leads or website hits, for example, it is not the best use of your time.

I think the next five years will see a massive change in how we integrate technology into our exhibition stands and how we use them to increase sales.

We recently used augmented reality to generate leads for our client Nederman. The technology was perfect to illustrate their complex product proposition but it wouldn’t work for everyone. I think it stands out by a mile when a technology is shoehorned into an exhibition stand design and this will have a negative impact on visitors too.

Louise Walters is the CEO of Priority Exhibitions, a full service exhibition stand designer, manufacturer and installer.

The growth in mobile phone and smartphone use has brought with it a wealth of opportunity for exhibitors. Simply being able to check emails and connect to the internet through 3G has made life a lot easier for anyone out of the office.

However, now with the huge growth in the mobile tablet sector, they too are bringing a lot of benefits for companies at exhibitions. By being portable and lightweight, a tablet is much easier to use than a laptop or a desktop computer when talking to delegates.

Best uses of a tablet for exhibitions

1. Create real-time content
You can create blog posts or upload a video blog post live from an exhibition using your tablet. You can also update your Twitter and Facebook pages with images or video, creating real-time relevant content to really make the most of your exhibition presence.  Of course you could do this with a computer and a camera, but the lightweight portability of a tablet makes content creation so much more accessible.

2. Capture delegates’ contact information.
By connecting to wifi you can bring up your company’s CRM software and enter new customer details into your system, quickly and easily. There is no need to drag off a delegate to a PC.  You exhibition staff can do this on the move.

3. Showcase a gallery of images
Using the touchscreen to swipe through a new catalogue, brochure or image gallery on a high definition screen is a great way to showcase your products.

4. Use augmented reality
Augmented reality technology means delegates can use the tablet to visualise products in 3D right in front of them.

5. Talk new customers through your sales presentation
Having a visual aid as you talk through a sale is highly beneficial. By uploading your visuals and Powerpoint presentations, you can increase the chance of dwell time and so increases the chances of conversion

Louise Walters is the CEO of exhibition design company, Priority Exhibitions.

Near Field Communications will be an incredibly exciting development within the exhibition stand field. We’ve already got clients planning how they’re going to use the technology within their exhibition stands.

With NFC enabled, two mobile devices can communicate with each other by placing them very close together. This will be incredibly useful by enabling data exchange very easily and very quickly.

Here are three examples of NFC that instantly sprint to mind (but there are many, many more)

1. The end of the name badge scanner

One of the most powerful uses of NFC is the ability to scan delegates’ information simply when they walk into your exhibition stand. This is could spell the end of the dreaded name badge scanner that is always a bit awkward and not the best opening for your sales pitch.

2. Offering free downloads

A company will also be able to offer free downloads of content, say a White Paper or their brochure, in exchange for gathering sales leads. Obviously there are many ways to exchange electronic data currently, but in an exhibition hall this would involve having to email files or physically handing them over on a USB stick, which again wastes time and is a barrier to passing on information.

3. Cashless payment system

If you are selling products direct to customers at an exhibition, a contactless payment system using NFC would be a real time-saver. Instead of requiring a float and cash system and a credit card chip and pin machine, using NFC would make it easier and so much more efficient.

Currently new mobile phones and devices are being fitted with NFC chips, so we will be watching closely as this new technology is being rolled out over the next few years.

Louise Walters is the CEO of Priority Exhibitions, a full service exhibition stand designer, manufacturer and installer.

I think 2011 was the year of the QR codes. I’ve seen them everywhere, from bus shelters to the back of my hand cream tube.

Essentially a QR code is a computer-generated unique scanner code. You can then use a mobile phone app to photograph the code and reveal the hidden message.

Usually you are routed to a special offer or promotion, but sometimes they just take you to a company’s website. A hyperlink can be stored within the QR code which means it can take the user to a game to play, a business’s Facebook page or some downloadable data. You need to ensure that the webpage is mobile-friendly though.

Use of QR codes within exhibition stands has been varied. We’ve not seen lots of them, but there is the potential for them to be very effective if well thought out. You could have them printed on leaflets, printed onto your actual exhibition stand or within your brochures.

If you have a promotion or special offer for delegates, using a QR code means they can store it their smartphone, without having to take the leaflet or write down any details.

Additionally, you could use a QR code on your stand to link to your exhibition marketing brochure online, so your visitors don’t have to carry physical brochures around with them all day.

By ensuring your visitors click through to relevant and interesting information, you can begin to build a good relationship with them. In addition to this, you can track all downloads or clicks from the link used in the QR code to see how successful it was.

Using a QR code as a call to action can be highly successful if implemented properly.

Louise Walters is the CEO of Priority Exhibitions, a full service exhibition stand designer, manufacturer and installer.