Attending virtual tradeshows is the “new normal” for 2020, so what does it take to be successful at the virtual tradeshows you’re attending? The main takeaway that we’d like to emphasize is that a virtual tradeshow is still very much a tradeshow. So go into it ready to get the most out of your day, factor in time for snack breaks, and sign in early to make sure you have time to see and do everything you want!
SAGE Show Virtual, the largest nationwide virtual tradeshow for the promotional products industry, will be on September 22nd – 23rd from 10:00am – 4:00pm Central. Even if you’ve been to the in-person SAGE Show many times, this year will look a little different because it’s all online! To help make sure everyone has the best experience possible at this brand-new virtual tradeshow experience, we’ve put together some of the ways for you to get the most out of SAGE Show Virtual, right from home!
Maximize Your Time
The SAGE Show Virtual exhibits will be open September 22 -23 from 10:00am – 4:00pm CT! That’s plenty of time to explore the show floor, attend education sessions, find new and trending products in the product pavilion, and have time to chat in the networking lounges. However, just like an in-person tradeshow, it’s important to start the day early and have a plan before you sign in.
Plan out your day by making a list of the suppliers you want to talk to and product categories you want to explore! The virtual show floor makes it easy to find specific exhibitors who carry a certain product type. You can even create a tailored walk list or check off the booths you’ve already visited.
To quickly find the newest trending products, check out the product pavilion to see the curated selection of products in popular categories like New Products, PPE & Supplies, Work From Home, and Top Products. The top featured exhibitors will also appear on the lobby page so you can save time and visit them right away!
Attend Education Sessions on Your Schedule
One of the most frustrating parts of live tradeshows is that you can’t be everywhere at once and sometimes you miss an education session you were planning on attending because you lost track of time on the show floor or had to choose between two sessions at the same time. The great thing about moving the event online is education sessions can be attended anytime, anywhere! There are plenty of on-demand education sessions from SAGE, PPAI, and suppliers that you can attend at any time and fit them into your schedule. Choose from sessions on how to easily manage projects, impress your customers with company stores, how to reach customers with marketing solutions, and trending topics in the industry like PPE items and Prop 65. Presenters will be available throughout the session through our live chat feature so you can get answers to your questions in real-time and give feedback! You’ll also be able to earn CAS / MAS credits for the sessions you attend.
Connect With Suppliers
Just like an in-person tradeshow, one of the most beneficial aspects of an online tradeshow is connecting with the exhibitors to see their latest products, get answers to your questions, request samples, schedule meetings, and save money with their show specials! With just a few clicks, SAGE Show Virtual makes it easy to live chat or even video conference with exhibitors, so you can connect face-to-face. Their featured products, catalog, show specials, and meeting request form are available on their booth page so you can get all the information you need right away.
From the show floor page, you can see how many users are currently in each booth, just like you can at an in-person tradeshow. This allows you to gauge how busy they are and if the booth staff will be available to chat or video conference.
Make It to the Top of the Leaderboard
One of the coolest features we’ve added to SAGE Show Virtual is the leaderboard! Distributors earn points for every booth visited, every time their information gets scanned at a booth, every chat they send, and for every education session they attend. The top distributors on the leaderboard will win special prizes! Be sure to keep track of your progress and compete with fellow distributors to make it to the top of the board!
Don’t miss SAGE Show Virtual on September 22 – 23, 2020! Find out more about SAGE Show Virtual and register here!
