Tech & Trends
With many organisers
creating or thinking
about creating virtual
and hybrid experiences,
the question of event
merchandise and lead
generation may be weighing
on their minds.
How can they add value to
the visitor proposition and
increase lead capture for
their exhibitors and sponsors
if those attendees are logging
on rather than showing up?
To this end, I thought I’d
share a few suggestions
on electronic ‘swag bag’
providers, which might be
useful as they provide a
magnet for generating sales
leads.
For those not in the know,
e-swag bags are the online
version of the classic goody
bags that exhibitors and
sponsors fill with their
branded merchandise,
discount vouchers and other
marketing collateral and
content.
The advantage of using
e-swag bags - native or
web based apps - for
organisers and exhibitors
is that valuable data can be
collected and can be used to
more finely segment visitor
characteristics.
US-based Balou offers
a mobile first marketing
tool that allows exhibitors
to display, on an app
downloaded by attendees -
which can also be integrated
into an existing event app
- with all the physical and
electronic giveaways at a
show.
The offers range from
branded giveaways, samples,
and exhibitor special offers,
to much larger prizes. The
platform increases foot
Lead magnets
James Morgan suggests e-swag
solutions for virtual events
traffic as visitors must visit a
stand – virtual or physical –
to collect the swag.
All the visitor actions,
which are recorded by the
app are stored in a data rich
real-time and post-show
dashboard. There is no cost
for organisers. Implementing
a value-add like this
by organisers wanting
to enhance the visitor
experience is a no brainer.
Balou only charges a small
fee to exhibitors for this tool
and offers a revenue share
opportunity to organisers
if they help promote the
solution to both visitors and
exhibitors. When organisers
are wanting to add extra
attractors to their shows,
this app is ideal.
Similarly, Germanbased
Fanomena offers a
communication channel to
attract more exhibitors.
For exhibitors, they receive
direct access to specific
target groups attending a
show.
The platform also allows
exhibitors to increase their
on-site traffic with engaging
advertising possibilities,
which include information
downloads, discounts and
product offers alongside
brand content such as
brochures, images and white
papers.
When exhibitors sign-up
to distribute their content
through the platform,
organisers generate a new
revenue stream. Visitors
receive the information
they want in a paperless
format and can take up the
discounts and offers from
those exhibitors using the
platform.
There is a comprehensive
dashboard that allows data
analysis in real-time and
post-show.
My final choices for swagfocused
lead magnets are
US-based Virtual Event Bags
and Israeli-based Everthere.
Both platforms follow
a similar set-up and user
processes as Balou and
Fanomena.
The organiser process for
offering visitors swag and
exhibitors’ leads is based on
a self-service approach. The
organiser invites exhibitors
and sponsors to set up their
own image-rich content
pages. As with the others,
these can be shared pre,
during and post-show.
Sharing via email or social
media channels gives all the
platforms maximum reach if
used to their full potential.
And importantly, all the
platforms provide valuable
data for the organisers and
exhibitors, whilst enhancing
the visitor experience online
and off-line.
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