Tech
The secret sauce
of interactivity
James Morgan, founder of Event Tech Lab, takes
a look at some effective examples of interactive
technology on the show floor
A
dding value to the
visitor experience
through attractive booths
and the use of technology
to provide an efficient
information transaction
between exhibitor and
attendee has a direct impact
on the success of any show.
If visitors feel that the show
experience was of real value,
they amplify their positive
opinion through word of
mouth and social media.
This creates brand loyalty
and positions the show in
a positive light for the next
edition.
This month I’m going to
explore how organisers and
exhibitors can provide pull
factors that creates attractors.
By using technology to create
attractors and providing
a frictionless transaction
in retrieving product
information without being
‘hard sold’ to, is a way to
add value to the visitor
experience. And, the secret
sauce is interactivity.
That’s certainly the case
for the GES Smart Booth.
The installation of well-
known Poken information
collection stations on
either an exhibition booth
or a Poken wall branded
with exhibitor logos at a
convenient place on the
show floor, allows seamless
information collection on
exhibitor’s products. The cute
little Poken hands given out
to visitors are touched on
NFC points and immediately
information is transferred
to the Poken. When back at
the office, the visitor pulls
out the USB device hidden
in the Poken and downloads
the information to a PC. This
value-add to the exhibitor
proposition, can create
another revenue stream for
the show organiser.
Familiarity with how to
interact is all important.
There is definitely the
advantage in deploying
the Giant iTab. I have seen
these screens around the
world at various shows. iTab
interactive screens look like
giant smart phones, and
everyone knows how to use
a smart phone. The iTab is
usually a successful attractor
that can be used anywhere
on the show floor. Organisers
or exhibitors can add event
apps, wayfinding apps, native
apps from the Google Play
Store on iTunes to the screen
for visitors to engage with.
Again, show organisers can
create new revenue stream
by third party hiring to
exhibitors or use the screens
in public areas to add value to
the visitor experience.
The last two examples of
interactivity are bespoke
applications. The first is from
the NASSCOM Technology
and Leadership Form in
Mumbai. JWW Marketing
and Event Solutions created
an interactive information
portal. An interactive booth
was set up to allow ease of
interaction. The purpose of
the portal was to educate
visitors on educational
products. The booth had a
main interactive touchscreen
displaying tiles on particular
types of information available
through the portal. This
was further connected
to ten individual circular
touch tabs surrounding the
screen and representing
the ten core skills that the
organisation was promoting.
The ten circular interactive
tabs functioned by a visitor
placing their palm on top of
a tab. Immediately detailed
information about the
particular skill would display
on the main interactive touch
screen. The booth had queues
of visitors wanting to interact
with the technology.
Finally – a Roulette Wheel
– something we all know
how to approach and use.
Lithuania-based Altum Retail
have created a programme
that runs off a PC connected
to an interactive screen.
Visitors spin the wheel via
touchscreen. The wheel is
divided up into segments
with some offering swag and
others saying, ‘Spin Again’
or ‘No Prize’. For winners to
retrieve the swag, they had
top enter their details on
the screen, making it easy
for the exhibitor to collect
leads in a fun interactive way.
The most important aspects
of the interactive activities
discussed here, are that both
information and lead retrieval
can be a fun and frictionless
activity. The value-add for
visitors, exhibitors and
organisers relies on deploying
interactive technologies.
September — 47