Virtual tradeshow

A virtual tradeshow, or a virtual trade show, often called a virtual tradefair, or a virtual trade fair is an online environment, that goes live and stays live online for a limited period of time, often with the expectation that several like-minded participants will be available online for brief spells of time, allowing them to connect with one another without travel, via the Internet, no matter where they are located geographically, to exchange valuable information.

The structure of a typical virtual tradeshow often includes a virtual exhibit hall which users enter with specific permissions and capabilities, to either attend and view virtual trade show displays in the exhibit hall or build virtual booths to exhibit information related to products or services on offer, just as they would at a trade fair in a convention center. The virtual tradeshow may have other components such as a virtual web conference, or a web seminar or a webinar, or other educational presentations. The virtual trade fair thus results in live interaction between all the users on many levels (one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many) and simultaneously. Detailed tracking mechanisms allow organizers to determine the flow of traffic in the virtual tradeshow. Although virtual tradeshows are usually conducted in specialized web environments, many have been organized and conducted in tightly controlled text based environments.

Visitors to a virtual trade fair or a virtual tradeshow fill out an online registration for] to create an online badge, and then enter a virtual exhibit hall to visit various virtual booths. The virtual booths often reflect the imagery of a real-world tradeshow booth with desks and displays. The visuals also sometimes reflect those seen in real-world convention centers so that users can relate to them easily. A virtual booth typically has several icons which can trigger different responses upon the click of the mouse. There are icons on which a visitor would click for instant communication with the exhibitor, such as by sending an instant message, or an instant email, or making an instant voice-call. There are icons on which a visitor will be able to click for instantly playing multimedia such as videos and audio messages or other slide-show presentations. Users within the environment often create avatars as a visual representation of their person.

Virtual exhibitors use online tools to upload relevant and tailored content to appeal to the audiences. Virtual exhibits may be made to look like an exhibitor's real-world booth in any in-person trade fair where they may be exhibiting. Virtual tradeshows could be run in conjunction with real-world or in-person tradeshows. Sometimes they are stand-alone online only tradeshows. Businesses that use virtual tradeshows, sometimes use them as part of their overall marketing mix.

Virtual tradeshows are used for a variety of purposes such as international tradeshows, business match-makers, procurement fairs, product launches. The experience also translates well for other applications such as virtual job fairs, virtual benefits fairs, online employee networks, distributor fairs, and venture capital fairs.

Virtual tradeshows typically cost much less than traditional trade shows. Since virtual trade shows can be conducted from a person's desk, the cost of travel, lodging, and trade show displays is virtually eliminated.

List of major virtual trade fairs and shows

List reviewed on September 30 2008 - in alphabetic order.

References

* "Virtual event companies gaining traction with new tech and soaring fuel costs", By Jay Rizoli, Published in Mass High Tech, August 8, 2008. [http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2008/08/04/focus3-Virtual-event-companies-gaining-traction-with-new-tech-and-soaring-fuel-costs.html]

* "Registration open for 'virtual college fair'", By Greg Toppo, Published in USA Today, November 13, 2007. [http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2007-11-12-virtual-college-fair_N.htm]

* "Cyberspace Trade Shows Bring Action to the Desktop", By Heather Clancy, Published in The New York Times, September 12, 2007. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/technology/techspecial/12show.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin]

* "Customer Relationship Management in Electronic Markets", By Gopalkrishnan R. Iyer, David Bejou, Co-published simultaneously as Journal of Relationship Marketing, Volume 2, Numbers 3/4 2003. Published 2004, Haworth Press, p. ISBN 0789019450 [http://books.google.com/books?id=TqGj-OgrVXsC&pg=PA101&vq=virtual+trade+show&sig=T99ab2Uu9KBld83gLx0vZmY44jQ]

* "International Marketing" By Philip R. Cateora, John L. Graham, Published 2002, McGraw-Hill, p.395 (ISBN 0072398841) [http://books.google.com/books?id=anEMdn4d5VMC&dq=0072398841&q=virtual+trade+show&pgis=1]