5 Best Video Practices for Trade Shows in 2022

Events are looking way different than what they used to before the pandemic hit us. With masks, social distancing, numerous restrictions, and fewer footfalls, it is becoming increasingly difficult to connect to the attendees on the trade show floor. Even if these measures fade away in the coming years, trade shows would take some time to bounce back to their pre-pandemic days. All of these factors make video a more valuable tool than ever.

A well-produced video is an excellent way to engage with your audience, even if you can’t talk to an attendee face-to-face. And even if the trade show is cancelled, postponed, or moved to a virtual format, your video still works. 

Today’s post is all about the best practices to follow for a trade show video in a pandemic and post-pandemic world.

So, you are always one step ahead no matter what comes your way. 

1. Get Started Early

Many exhibitors make the rookie mistake of thinking that the trade show promotion only starts at the event. But, that’s not right! There are a number of ways you can create a buzz around your brand even before the show begins, with video being an important part of this.

Make your presence known even before the attendees have hit the trade show floor. Use videos to inform your contacts that you will be attending the trade show, the location of your booth, and any other details you think would be important. Send them the video via email. Video links have demonstrated much greater click-through and share rates compared to standard email increasing the impact.

 

At every trade show, there are presentations and seminars. If your company is hosting a panel, talk, or special event, you can share a preview video like a trailer to give the attendees a glimpse of what to expect from the main event.

These types of videos can not only be used in the email but also play an important role in promoting on your website or social media.

2. Create New Video Content

A trade show is a great opportunity to create new video content for your brand. Your CEO might be speaking at the event. There are two ways to use this. Film the video so you can use it later on your YouTube channel or website. And you can also use it to live stream the whole keynote event to exclusive members.

With human attention spans dropping sharply, today’s audiences crave dynamic, fast-paced, engaging experiences to keep them engaged. Nothing is boring than hearing the same voice drone on for a long time. Using a video you can break up a long talk with compelling imagery and keep the energy high.

Take a cue from Apple keynote presentations and product launches. Over the course of the two-hour keynote, they use a number of videos to simplify complex technical topics, break up the dialogue, and convey emotion.

And of course, don’t forget to capture your talk on video. You can use it to share with your contacts who have missed attending the trade show. These well-made videos can also be shared on your YouTube channel.

Trade shows are replete with content opportunities. Make sure to have a video production crew ready by your side to capture them all. Create behind-the-scenes, time-lapse footage, live stream portions of your event, record the discussions of top brass attendees, capture snippets to use for promotion next year, record interviews of attendees or exhibitors for more innovative content, use drones to capture unique shots, there’s always something you can capture. All you need to do is to hire an experienced video production crew who knows what they are doing.

3. Add a Large Video Screen to Your Booth

Trade shows held during or after the pandemic are already evolving. There was a time when trade show booths were right next to each other, but now that’s over. Most of the trade show organizers are placing the booths quite far from each other. In such situations, it’s essential to capture the attention of attendees quickly.

Adding a large video display to your booth can attract attendees easily. With a quick, visual introduction, you can share your message even if you can’t talk to every attendee face-to-face.

When setting up your booth, make sure you have a large screen that’s positioned in a way that’s easily accessible to viewers. Keep it elevated to expand your reach and attract attendees from a distance.

 

4. Be Quick and Be Smart

We all know that trade shows floors are loud, crowded, and huge. The perfect music or voiceover that you planned for your video may end up meaningless here. Chances are, the trade show organizers won’t even allow you to increase the volume of your video. So, you can’t count on people being able to hear your video. Captions can help you get the story you are trying to tell visually, without words.

Trade shows videos should also be quick to capture the attention of your audience. You only have 5 seconds to do that as the audience tends to get fatigued with all the visuals, wandering, and exploring.

Video can help you make the most of that time. For this, you need to know your audience well, have eye-catching visuals, a branded color scheme, and readable text to convey the message in the shortest time possible. 

5. Follow Up with a Video

Once the show is over, you can really put some of those videos you have filmed during the show to use. Use the videos to help your sales team follow-up leads as well as for long-term marketing strategies. 

You can post a trade show event highlights video at the association, corporate, or event websites and the social media channels, reminding attendees of what a good time they had and showing non-attendees of what an excellent meeting they missed. 

The videos produced during the event make excellent material for a variety of marketing channels including blogs, social media platforms, mobile, email campaigns, promotions, and more.

Wrapping Up

A trade show is a great opportunity to both display existing video content as well as create new videos for your brand. They can help you make most of your time on the trade show floor even if masks and social distancing put a damper on the situation. Additionally, videos also help you stay flexible in case the trade show is switched to a virtual format at the last minute. 

Follow the tips shared above to make the most of video marketing at your next trade show. If you are looking for a pre-event video to entice visitors to your booth, or need to film your CEO’s keynote presentation, we can help. Our video and audio production Company cover everything you need to make video central to your trade show strategy. We have helped hundreds of companies turn trade shows to their advantage. View our portfolio or contact us to discuss your requirements.