The year 2023 is set to witness a phenomenal surge in trade shows as businesses and professionals eagerly reconnect and explore new opportunities. Trade shows are an excellent opportunity for companies to network, promote their products, and generate valuable leads. As an event planner, you know how important it is to stay ahead of the game when planning and executing successful trade shows. One of the most essential tools in your arsenal is the trade show app software. It can bring more efficiency to your work and get you organized.
However, many people think managing and attending trade shows can be time-consuming and costly. That's where trade show apps come in. They help businesses save time and money, streamline their event planning process, and maximize their trade show experience.
Trade shows become more competitive, and technology advances; keeping up with the latest trends is crucial to stay ahead. That's where trade show app software comes in, revolutionizing the tradeshow industry and providing numerous benefits for businesses of all sizes. In this article, we will discuss the top trade show apps of 2023, their features, and how they can benefit your business. With the right trade show app, you can make the most of your experience, generate valuable leads, and maximize your ROI at these events.
What Are Trade Show Applications? And Why Are They On Rise?
Trade shows are essential platforms for businesses to showcase their products and services, network with potential clients, and gain valuable market insights. With technological advancements, using trade show apps has become indispensable to the overall trade show experience.
These apps are designed to streamline various aspects of attending or organizing a trade show, making the process more efficient and enjoyable. Trade show app software has gained significant popularity recently as a tool to enhance and streamline the tradeshow experience.
It is a mobile application designed to help exhibitors and attendees navigate tradeshows more efficiently. The app provides a wealth of information, from the event schedule to exhibitor information, maps, and networking features. Using a trade show app for iphone, participants can plan their itinerary, find interested exhibitors, and receive notifications about events and seminars.
According to a recent report by CEIR, 91% of attendees use a mobile device during tradeshows, with 84% of those using a mobile app. Additionally, 62% of exhibitors use trade show lead retrieval apps to capture leads, with 46% using a mobile app to connect with attendees.
Similarly, converting from the traditional trade show method to the application is very drastic. According to a Statista survey, 53 percent of respondents' top concern was reaching their target audience. For 38% of survey respondents, converting web traffic to pre-registration was a barrier. Once they had overcome it, their global event marketing hit the charts.
In a 2019 survey conducted among global event marketing industry professionals, E-mail marketing was recognized by 71% of respondents as the most effective strategy for promoting trade exhibitions, followed by a website and social media by 67% and 46%, respectively. And all of these can be handled under one umbrella of Trade Show Application. Indeed, it makes things easier for everyone.
How to Choose the Best Trade Show App Software for Your Business
Choosing the right trade show app software for your business can be overwhelming, with numerous options available. Some factors to consider when selecting the best trade show app software include:
Features
Consider the features that are important for your business type. Some specific apps for trade shows have features like lead capture, scheduling, and networking. And then we have some essential features. To address them all, here are some of the most crucial characteristics that you must consider as well:
- Interactive Maps: This feature allows the attendee to easily navigate the event address, venue, and space to find the exhibitor they are interested in.
- Event Schedule: The Attendees and your Peers can have an event and seminar calendar over the app. Not just that, the app can send over notifications about the upcoming event. Attendees can also set up a reminder of the exciting events too.
- Exhibitors' Information: The Attendees can access multiple exhibitors, including their descriptions, product or service details, and contact details.
- Networking Options: the networking option will allow the attendees to connect with the attendees with similar interest and the exhibitors. This networking can also be done with the help of an in-app messaging feature.
- Trade Show Lead Capture App: We already know how trade show apps can be an excellent tool for lead generation. This feature lets the exhibitors capture the lead by using the data in the app. Just make customer tracking easy, let them interact with them, and understand their demands for future efforts.
User-friendly
The app should be user-friendly for the users. It also includes easy-to-navigate features for not just attendees but also business owners and employees.
Easy Integration and Compatibility
Trade show applications must be easy to integrate with existing tools like marketing or CRM software. This will make tracking easy for all the employees and help you bring an element of efficiency to the business.
Moreover, you must see if the app works on your current system. It will include your PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones with you or at the offices.
Cost
Finally, all the essential features of the trade show app come down to the cost. Always look for an application that will fit your budget. Moreover, we believe you should not sacrifice the quality for a few more dollars. Look at the long-term prosperity.
App Reputation and Reviews
Finally, choose an app from a reputed company with the latest functionalities. It is crucial because you need a trusted company for your data with a confidentiality clause and data high-security measures.
Moreover, you can read the reviews for the specific apps to understand what apps offer based on features, functionality, and customer support.
Top Trade Show Apps of 2023
Here are some of the best trade show apps for 2023 that can help you maximize your trade show experience and help your business to grow to its full potential:
1. Eventify
Eventify is a comprehensive trade show app that offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration with features like live polling, attendee networking, and personalized schedules. You can quickly generate self-check-in registration with the facility of custom badges and QR codes within just a click. Your attendees can promptly check themselves for the event without hustling and waiting in long queues. Thus, it is ideal for on-site, hybrid, and virtual events.
Eventify has a user-friendly dashboard that can be integrated with any existing CRM software and marketing tool. The app's compatibility is an exception; you can use it anytime, anywhere on your PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones without any hindrance to the operating system. This high compatibility is outstanding and helps you update with live analytics that includes live polling, surveys, and keeping the data secure.
Eventify helps businesses make the most of their trade show experience. This all-in-one mobile event app will help you with not just event planning but also help with the best lead generation too.
Key Features of Eventify
- Event planning tools
- Agenda and speaker management
- Exhibitor and attendee directories
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Live polling and attendee networking
- Personalized schedules
- Custom Registration badges and check-in system
- 24/7 Customer Support
2. Whova
Whova is a popular trade show app focusing on networking and attendee engagement. It offers event planning tools, lead management, and social media integration features. Whova also provides a unique networking platform, allowing attendees to connect before, during, and after the event.
Key Features of Whova
- Event planning tools
- Lead management
- Social media integration
- Networking platform
- Agenda and speaker management
- Sponsor and exhibitor promotion
3. Attendify
Attendify is a user-friendly trade show app with event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. The app also provides a unique event community feature, allowing attendees to connect and engage with each other throughout the event.
Key Features of Attendify
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Event community feature
- Personalized schedules and agendas
- Sponsor and exhibitor promotion
4. Boomset
The boomset trade show app focuses on event registration and lead management. It offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. Boomset also provides on-site event services like badge printing and event check-in.
Key Features of Boomset
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Event registration and check-in
- Trade show badge scanner app
- On-site event services
5. Expo Pass
Expo Pass is a trade show app that offers event registration, lead management, and social media integration. With features like event planning tools, lead tracking, and personalized schedules, Expo Pass helps businesses streamline their trade show experience.
Key Features of Expo Pass
- Event registration and management
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Event planning tools
- Personalized schedules and agendas
- Sponsor and exhibitor promotion
6. DoubleDutch
DoubleDutch focuses on attendee engagement and networking. It offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. DoubleDutch also provides a unique gamification feature, allowing businesses to create engaging and interactive experiences for attendees.
Key Features of DoubleDutch
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Networking platform
- Gamification features
- Personalized schedules and agendas
7. Zuant
Zuant is a trade show app that focuses on lead capture and management. It offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. Zuant also provides a unique mobile lead capture feature, allowing businesses to capture leads quickly and efficiently.
Key Features of Zuant
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Mobile lead capture
- Business card scanning
- Lead qualification and scoring
8. Gather
Gather offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. With features like event registration, personalized schedules, and attendee networking, Gather helps businesses make the most of their trade show experience.
Key Features of Gather
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Event registration and management
- Personalized schedules and agendas
- Attendee networking
9. PheedLoop
PheedLoop is a trade show ipad app that focuses on attendee engagement and networking. It offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. PheedLoop also provides a unique virtual event platform, allowing businesses to host hybrid events with both in-person and virtual components.
Key Features of PheedLoop
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Networking platform
- Virtual event platform
- Personalized schedules and agendas
10. SpotMe
SpotMe is a trade show app that offers event planning tools, lead tracking, and social media integration. With features like event registration, personalized schedules, and attendee networking, SpotMe helps businesses maximize their trade show experience.
Key Features of SpotMe
- Event planning tools
- Lead tracking and management
- Social media integration
- Event registration and management
- Personalized schedules and agendas
- Attendee networking
Key Reasons And Benefits of Using Trade Show Applications
There are several reasons why businesses of all sizes should consider using trade show apps. Here are a few significant benefits that many of us are really not well aware of. These include:
1. Lead Generation
Trade show apps enable businesses to keep track of all the people they meet at the show, as well as the leads and contacts they generate. They make it easy to track who you talked to, what they said, and when you need to follow up.
Since it also has the data from the marketing strategies and interacts with many sponsors and audiences for your business records, these apps can help in forecasting, not just leading. Still, the risks also make your lead generation more efficient.
2. Improved ROI
Using trade show applications has proven improved ROI, especially for hybrid and virtual events. The only cost you bear is for the app; the rest is about your marketing tools. The exhibitors will quickly set up booths for virtual and hybrid events, many accessible to global audiences. Hence the Return on Investment is about 70 to 80 percent per event.
3.Easy Data collection
Trade show apps provide a convenient way for businesses to collect contact information from potential customers. You can either give access to the information you already have or use the app for event pre-registration and marketing purposes. They can store the information in a database for future reference.
Not just that, these apps can help you maintain the data through the event with live analytics for you to keep a closer eye on. Such data can be used to store the information in a database for future reference and can be shared among peers too.
4. Stay up-to-date
Trade show apps made the announcements and task of keeping everyone updated easier. It allows businesses to send messages quickly and easily, maintaining attendees and business peers informed about what's happening at the show or the latest update on your product or services.
5. Stay Organized
A trade show app helps businesses stay organized and on track while at the show. They provide a list of exhibitors, their booth numbers, and the products they will showcase. They can also provide a map of the venue with directions to each booth.
You can also check how many people have checked in and if the exhibitors have checked in and settled into their booth.
6. Make Networking Easier
A trade show app can make networking easier for everyone involved. They provide a central place for attendees to find exhibitors and schedule meetings, and they can also help organizers keep track of everything that's going on.
Trade Show App Software vs. Traditional Methods
Trade show app software is a game-changer for the industry, but how does it compare to traditional methods? Traditionally, attendees would receive a printed guidebook with information about the event, exhibitors, and schedule. Exhibitors would use physical lead retrieval systems to capture leads, and networking was done in person. While these methods are still used, they have several drawbacks.
Firstly, printed guidebooks are expensive to produce, easy to lose, and quickly become outdated. In contrast, trade show app software is more cost-effective, easy to update, and can be accessed from anywhere.
Secondly, traditional lead retrieval systems are time-consuming and prone to errors. With trade show app software, exhibitors can capture leads quickly and accurately using their mobile devices, saving time and improving the quality of data collected.
Lastly, in-person networking can be hit-or-miss, with attendees missing valuable connections due to time constraints or lack of information. The trade show app software enhances networking opportunities by providing attendees a user-friendly platform to connect with other attendees and exhibitors.
Future of Trade Show App Software
As the trade show industry evolves, the app software will become even more critical. We can expect to see more advanced features, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, being incorporated into trade show app software. Here are the details of how they can help:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Integrating AI and machine learning algorithms to provide personalized recommendations, automate workflows, and enhance user experience.
- Virtual and augmented reality: Incorporation of virtual and augmented reality features to create immersive and interactive experiences for attendees.
- IoT and smart devices: Adopting IoT technology and intelligent devices to streamline event management and enhance attendee engagement.
- Voice technology: Integration of voice assistants and voice-activated features to facilitate hands-free navigation and interaction.
In addition, trade show app software is likely to become more integrated with other marketing tools, such as CRM software and e-mail marketing platforms. This integration will help streamline the marketing process and provide a more holistic view of attendee behavior and preferences.
Conclusion
In conclusion, trade show apps can help make your experience more productive and efficient. Get started today and maximize your trade show experience with the best trade show apps available.
The best tradeshow apps of 2023 are designed to enhance your trade show experience, streamline processes, and help you achieve better results. By understanding your specific requirements and carefully considering the available options, you can select the most suitable app to maximize your ROI at these events.
And with the help of using one or a few of the top trade show apps of 2023 listed above, you can be sure to have everything you need at your fingertips. So, what are you waiting for? Stay ahead of the game by embracing the latest technological advancements and making the most of your trade show experience.
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