Top 6 Virtual Trade Show Benefits: Why Opt for a Virtual Trade Show?

Advances in virtual trade show software have paved the way for the exceedingly popular movement towards all-virtual sales experiences. Exhibitors and event marketing professionals everywhere are championing virtual trade shows for their relatively low costs and substantial ROI. 

Here’s why:

The ability to generate qualified leads directly from your office without having to run up expensive travel bills makes virtual trade shows extremely attractive. Lower barriers to entry also mean that virtual trade shows attract more diverse exhibitors and attendees, creating massive online audiences for companies to share their innovations with.

How do we know? The numbers prove it. 

Virtual events rank as the second most important source of information considered by big business decision-makers when it comes time to invest in new technologies, according to Forrester’s research.

If you haven’t considered it yet, these benefits for working with a virtual platform for your trade show will change your mind. Let’s take a closer look at the top virtual trade show benefits. 

1. Event hosts and exhibitors save a ton of money on resources.

You guessed it… more money in your pocket!

Virtual trade show events mean hosts and/or exhibitors can save a ton of money on travel, lodging, promotional items, and other costly expenses typically associated with trade shows. 

The reduced cost of virtual exhibiting allows many more exhibitors to participate, which increases the value of the trade show itself.

But wait, it gets better…

2. Virtual events bring more attendees (a.k.a. qualified leads).

The larger pool of exhibitors is only surpassed by the even larger increase in attendees. 

Stay with us here. Virtual conferences are easier for attendees to join because there is no travel involved (particularly international) and there is no minimum space requirement, so you can fit as many as you’d like. Come one, come all, from the comfort of your laptop or smartphone. 

The best part?

Online trade shows and exhibitions allow you to track those self-qualified leads in the following manner. 

3. Big data captures information you just can’t get at physical events.

At physical conferences, you usually just get a standard attendance report. 

At virtual conferences or virtual exhibitions, reporting and analytics track every move attendees make. You know how they came, where they went, what they did, with whom they chatted, what they tweeted, which videos they watched, etc.  

Here’s the best part:

On the lead nurturing front, you can even run analytics on content located in the event. By knowing how many attendees viewed and/or downloaded a piece of collateral, you can tailor your future content and conversations around the content that your qualified leads found valuable. 

We’ll explain. 

As hyper-personalization in virtual events becomes the norm, this data will contribute to your follow-up strategy, giving high-value content and personalized CTAs based on specific user’s interest.

Historically, this data has been virtually impossible to track. 

Now, the aforementioned lead data collected at virtual trade shows can actually be collected and redistributed for all exhibitors. The data compiled is readily available to all of the exhibitors involved, which allows for smooth lead capture if you are using the right virtual trade show platform. 

The 6Connex virtual trade show platform features, for example, provides integration directly into many of the top customer relationship management (CRM) systems including Eloqua, Salesforce.com, and Marketo, making capturing leads and funneling them to the correct channels a breeze.

4. Virtual trade shows give exhibitors increased exposure. 

Virtual events and virtual trade shows have longer lifespans than their physical counterparts. 

What does that mean?

Where a physical conference might last 1-2 days, a virtual conference can have as many live days as you’d like. 

Not only can you go live longer, but with the right virtual trade show platform, you can also leave the event on-demand for 30, 60, 90 days, or opt for permanent access to booths, presentations, documents, videos, etc.

Here’s why that’s important:

Permanent access to your virtual exhibition online will create residual SEO juice for your brand and generate a substantial amount of leads LONG after the doors to a physical trade show would have closed.

Now that’s just good business.

5. Various forms of media enhance the sales experience.

What’s the fundamental goal of virtual trade shows? It’s to allow for the same type of interaction that is available at traditional trade shows without the high costs of travel and purchasing trade show booths. 

Virtual trade shows often integrate instant messaging, seminar technologies, podcasting, and other means of communication into a single, smooth operating environment.

Is a smooth sales experience that important? The answer is a clear yes. 

Online shopping statistics show us that companies with strong omnichannel engagement retain 89% of their customers.

For this reason, virtual trade shows are becoming one of the most popular ways for companies to communicate their messages quickly and effectively, exhibiting their innovations to mass online audiences. 

6. Attendees and exhibitors engage at an unprecedented rate.

We can almost hear your thinking “…but my attendees want to network with other attendees and exhibitors!” However, this common misconception couldn’t be further from the truth.

Virtual trade shows actually make it easier for attendees to interact with each other and sponsors. 

Attendees can now create their own online profiles, interact in event-wide group chats, and engage in value-packed conversations with other participants. Additionally, electronic business cards can be swapped with just a keystroke. 

What about sales reps? 

Chatting with booth reps becomes a breeze with virtual because attendees feel they can ask questions uninhibitedly, attaining all the information they need without ever fearing they’ll miss a seminar or keynote speaker. 

All the data accrued from chats and interactions are stored in a database and allow you to better nurture your leads post-event.

It’s time to use a virtual trade show software: get started today.

The virtual trade show is a growing tool in the marketing and training arsenal. 

Although physical exhibitions may never go extinct, reliable virtual trade show platforms make it easier than ever to extend your web of industry contacts and gain more qualified leads, all while effectively improving your company’s bottom line. 

If you’re thinking about hosting a virtual trade show, download our free Virtual Event Planning e-book to get started. For more information, get in touch with a rep at 6Connex to see how we can help you get started today. 

If you are creating an employee benefits communication plan, there’s a new way to think about how to best present benefits to employees.

In traditional benefits fairs, less than half of the working populace actually understand the benefits available to them.

If employees don’t understand benefits, then tons of goodies available to them can’t even be used. Due to this waste, a new way to present benefits online has emerged.

In this guide, we will go over what it is and exactly how you can host one at your company.

Let’s get started at the top with what benefits fairs are.

What is a Health and Benefits Fair?

Many companies strive to retain their employees by offering company benefits, such as health and vision care, membership discounts to local businesses, and great retirement fund options. However, not all employees may be aware of the benefits available to them, especially if they are new to a company.

Planning an employee benefits fair can introduce workers to all the extras that a company has to offer and are important in recruiting and retaining the best hires. 

The Challenge of Communicating Benefits to Employees

Successfully educating your staff on their health benefits is no small feat, most notably when it comes to planning and setting up all of the logistics. Both employees and employers struggle with the effectiveness and outcome of a traditional benefits fair. 

We will explain the struggle from both sides when benefits fairs are not planned effectively.

Employees

If you want employees making the most of the benefits you offer, you will find overwhelmed and disinterested staff skimming over the benefits plans available to them.

Let me give you an example:

The traditional approach involves handing out printed materials like brochures and packets about benefits to employees. These might be provided within the office or even at a benefits fair – in-person – with booths and representatives from different companies involved. 

The down-side to this method is that many employees feel they don’t have the time to educate themselves on the benefits when just handed material. They might not even know which benefits to choose from with all the information they need to sift through.

In-person, it is great to have a short discussion with a rep about benefits, but it is impossible to review and understand everything in the short amount of time allocated for a benefits fair during company time.

In fact, employees admit they spend just 30 minutes on average thinking about their benefits choices when making decisions. The engagement is not there, so their attention isn’t either.

Employers

On the flip side, several employers may not have the resources or the know-how to educate employees on the benefits they’re offering. In fact, only 40% of employers help employees understand the benefits available to them. Yikes.

In addition, employers may have to keep spending excessively on the printing and re-printing of outdated educational material, racking up the costs to keep staff up to date on their benefits.

Add venue or location drama, organizing sponsorships and partnerships to show up, and you’ve got yourself a big plate of stress on your table. Nothing that is impossible, of course… but there is an easier way.

The Solution to Communicating Benefits to Employees

What about presenting this information in a place your employees feel most at home and can review their information in one easy place? How about eliminating the constant printing and in-person coordination, all while adding more engaged and happy employees?

This is where the virtual in virtual benefits fair kicks in. And data shows that it actually works.

Hosting a benefits fair pushed employees from spending 30 minutes revising their benefits package to up to an hour. Aside from the convenience that virtual benefits fairs offer, they also packed a punch in efficiency and effectiveness for employees when understanding their benefits. A win-win for employers and employees.

Need we say more? Of course, we do. Here are 10 more reasons why you should choose to go virtual when presenting benefits to employees this year.

More Reasons to Host a Benefits Fair ONLINE for Employees

The advantages are endless when deciding to educate employees on their benefits online. From location independence for employees to cost savings for employers, there is a win-win for everyone when going virtual with a benefits fair. 

Here is a brief list of each reason with further detailed explanation below. 

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Reach and inform all employees, no matter the location

Believe it or not, many companies spend thousands putting human resource managers on planes all over the world to meet with employees in-person. A virtual setup means saving all of that money, while still having everyone in the same room.

Employees take full ownership of their benefits package

In a virtual benefits fair, employees can visit the booths or watch the presentations that they need and only those that they need. They can download certain information and refer back to it whenever they need it. A great time and energy saver for your employees.

The convenience and comfort from doing it at home

Hosting a virtual benefits fair puts people in multiple situations where they feel comfortable — in an online environment, accessing information from wherever they work. This allows employees to better absorb the provided information.

New levels of engagement 

A virtual benefits fair is new and exciting, and getting employees engaged may give them an entirely new outlook on wellness.

Direct access to representatives

No more playing a game of telephone with important information on health insurance. At a virtual benefits fair, employees can ask the questions they need answers for and they can get direct answers from insurance representatives.

Eliminates fixed costs 

Virtual benefits fairs are cost-effective in many ways, from travel, printing, venue rental, and time spent organizing an in-person benefits fair.

Employers get immediate feedback

Employers can get statistics on what booths employees visited the most, or what presentation had the most attendance, which can help guide future communications.

Employees can involve their partner and/or family

Because employees can access the fair and any accompanying information from anywhere, it means they can include the people in their lives (whom will likely be affected by the benefits) that matter.  

Employees will see (and feel) that their health and wellness is important to their employer

Virtual benefits fairs tend to show employees just how much they mean to their employer and to the company, and that’s likely one of the top reasons to host one!

But how do you even get started on hosting a virtual benefits fair? 

How to Present Benefits to Employees Online

So you have decided to educate employees about benefits online? Let’s go over 5 quick steps you can use as a benefits fair checklist for when you host a benefits fair online. They are explained in detail below.

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1. Choose a virtual events platform that’s right for your benefits fair

A platform is going to do all of the hard work for you when it comes to any virtual event. This way, you can focus on areas of your expertise and leave the rest up to the platform. If you’ve already got an idea of what you want your virtual benefits fair to look like, make sure you approach different platforms with that in mind. 

You’ll want to make sure the platform is capable of doing anything and everything in the benefits fair. Keep in mind that not every virtual event platform can be flexible with what you have in mind or includes the tools you need to make your benefits fair as effective as possible. So explore your options as much as possible beforehand.

It’s also a great idea to look for a platform that offers quality customer support. 6Connex has helped countless companies host virtual benefits fair if you’re interested in reaching out to someone who can help you get connected to a trusted virtual benefits fair platform.

2. Decide what elements you’ll include in your virtual benefits fair

Once you’ve chosen your platform and you know what it’s capable of doing, you can start to make a list of the elements you’d like to see in your virtual benefits fair. 

This could be anything from:

• 1:1 chats
• Booths for the different benefits providers and representatives
• Live webinars
• Pre-recorded videos
• Downloadable collateral
• Auditorium

This will all depend on what type of experience you want your employees to have. 

Employee Benefits Fair Themes 

You might also think about how different elements will fall into the employee benefits fair themes you have thought up. If you need help thinking up themes, ask our specialists for help. We can help you draw inspiration from other theme ideas we have helped clients build up in their benefits fair event. 

3. Schedule a date and time for virtual benefits fair

Choosing the right date and time to host your virtual benefits fair is important. Questions you should ask yourself include:

• Will you host your benefits fair during open enrollment? 
• Will it be an all-day event? 
• How much time do you need to plan benefits fair?
• Are there any company deadlines or holidays you need to consider?

Part of the great thing about offering a virtual event is that it can cater to more people’s schedules, especially those working and living in different timezones. 

Make sure you schedule your benefits fair far enough in advance that you can market it internally and give your employees enough time to plan to attend.

4. Internally market your virtual benefits fair to employees

After you’ve picked a date and time, you will have to think about how you will market benefits to employees. You should provide them with initial information so they know what to expect and so they can start preparing questions for the event.

Use your internal marketing campaign to get employees excited about attending and getting the information they need. Create benefits fair flyers and other marketing material to distribute everywhere your employees eyes are, including:

• E-mail
• Internal networks
• Social media
• Around the office

5. Evaluate how the benefits fair went with data

Once you’ve held your event, it’s not entirely over. Use this time to take a look at the data you were provided from the platform you chose for your virtual benefits fair so you can answer important questions like:

• Which booths were visited the most?
• Were there tons of questions in the chats? 
• What presentations were well-attended? 
• What downloads were the most popular? 

All of this information can help you guide year-long communications within the company as well as help you plan next year’s virtual benefits fair.

Pro-Tip to Mastering a Benefits Fair

Once you host a virtual benefits fair during open enrollment, you can make it an annual tradition. This way, you can do two things at once: help and encourage your employees to participate in open enrollment, while helping them make decisions that will truly benefit them and their families.

The Easy and Effective Answer: Host a Virtual Benefits Fair

A virtual benefits fair is global, engaging, informative, cost-effective, and it boosts employee morale, among many other pros. They help employees feel connected and give them access to the information they need at any time.

At 6Connex, our platform allows companies to host virtual benefits fairs that look a lot like an in-person benefits fair, complete with booths, presentations, and even an auditorium.

Don’t worry, we’re not leaving it up to you to figure it all out – that’s what we’re here for. Continue browsing our site to learn more about going virtual with your benefits fair or reach out to our specialists to get started on a demo today.

The New Solution for Open Enrollment

Open enrollment can be a confusing time for employees and employers alike, especially with today’s remote working environments and complex health care programs. The open enrollment period usually begins around November 1 and lasts for several weeks. During this time, employers are allowed to change the health, vision, dental, and disability insurance plans they offer as well as other benefits like 401(k)s and flex spending accounts, and employees must elect insurance coverage through their employer or a government-funded program.

What Is a Virtual Benefits Fair?

Many organizations still fly their HR representatives to locations across the nation or the world to train employees on new benefits programs every year. Applicable information often varies from state to state and country to country, and reps must effectively (and repeatedly) communicate relevant options to each region they serve. Not only is this approach old fashioned and repetitive, but it can also be very costly and time consuming.

Using a virtual benefits fair to facilitate open enrollment can help you build employee loyalty, satisfaction, and appreciation as well as streamline the process to enhance productivity and reduce costs in your organization.

Want to keep reading? Download the full ebook.

Case Study: LAZ Parking

At LAZ Parking, the mantra is, “It’s not what we do, it’s the way we do it.” LAZ Parking is more than just the fastest growing and second largest parking company in the country, they believe the work they do and how they treat people can really make a difference. For more information, visit www.lazparking.com.

The Challenge

With healthcare programs becoming more complex and workplaces becoming more abstract, open enrollment can be a confusing time for some employees. How effectively employers communicate employee benefit plan intricacies can have a significant impact on overall employee loyalty, satisfaction, and production. Open enrollment events, where employees have the opportunity to ask questions, can be instrumental when it comes to clarifying confusing human resource lingo, introducing a new plan option, or making modifications to existing networks or benefits.

The Solution

LAZ Parking, one of the nation’s largest parking companies, decided to help their employees make informed benefits selection decisions by bringing their annual open enrollment process online. With most of the employees only having a mobile phone – because they are not at their desks due to the type of work they perform- the virtual environment provided an ideal platform to communicate the benefit options for the year. Hosted on the 100% HTML5 6Connex virtual event platform, LAZ Parking’s Open Enrollment conference was accessible to employees twice a day for three weeks. Presentations were recorded live for on-demand viewing. This made the annual open enrollment process very convenient, especially for those employees who were constantly on the go.

Because the 6Connex virtual online conference platform was easy to access and intuitive to navigate, all employees were able to fully participate and engage in discussions. In fact, the event allowed LAZ Parking to go virtually paperless, as their enrollment, medical, and claim forms were directly linked to their human resources portal from the online conference site.

The Results

The virtual environment housed a lobby area, where employees entered and were then steered towards the auditorium for live sessions. Employees were able to chat with human resources personnel during live sessions. Booths were also available to showcase different healthcare plans and options, such as medical, dental, and vision and help employees navigate through the decision-making process.

With the 6Connex virtual platform in place, LAZ Parking was able to send a consistent message to their employees regardless of location. This eliminated redundant inquiries when it came to weighing health benefit preferences.

So it might be too late for 2017 open enrollment, but that doesn’t mean your employees have all the information they need about their available benefits.  In most organizations, it’s all too rare that employees get opportunities to ask questions and engage with benefits representatives – often simply due to lack of time and resources.