The Beginners Guide to Touch Screens for Exhibitions

by | Apr 19, 2018 | Digital Technology

You find yourself waiting for your a conference call to start.

… You could just sit and look out the window.

But instead, you get your iPhone out to look up the ingredients for tonight’s chicken cacciatore.

You feel a sense of accomplishment as you quickly make a list of things you need to pick up on the way home.

We all want answers and we don’t want to wait.

How many times a day do you reach for your phone to check your calendar, emails, or hunt recipes?

According to Internet Live Stats there are around 5.5 billion searches done on Google every day.

Introducing touch screens at trade shows is a logical next step.

Accessibility is phenomenal, you can track data, display large items without physically bringing them to the show and collect details without bribing people to donate a business card to win something.

You don’t want to just HAVE a touch screen to be considered one of the cool kids.

You want it to add positively to your overall exhibition experience that you’re creating for your visitor.

If you’re thinking about using a touch screen at your next trade show there are a few things you should know first.

Challenge # 1 – Getting People to WANT to Use Them

The first challenge is getting people to feel comfortable enough to want to use your touch screen.

It’s important to type of hardware for the job .

I love an iPad or Surface Pro but in my opinion they are best used by staff. Think apple store.

Small Device Pros:

  • A hand held option can give your team access to important information at their fingertips
  • This option is convenient, most businesses have these in circulation so you only need to worry about content
  • Conversations aren’t interrupted because a staff member has to walk off to get something

Small Device Cons:

  • Everyone has an iPads – The shine as worn off and it doesn’t even reach most people’s radar now
  • The first think most people think when they see one on a stand is that you want them to enter their details for a competition
  • Won’t get as many people approaching it to self-navigate/explore on their own

Large Format Pros:

  • We are all children at heart and want to play so a larger interface is more appealing if you want someone to walk up and self-direct (think directories at shopping centres)
  • Great for informal discussions with a staff member
  • Can be built into your structure for an integrated, polished look
  • Can be another branding opportunity

Large Format Cons:

  • You are probably going to have to build it into something
  • Can be costly to hire/purchase
  • Some come with pretty ugly stands

 

Challenge # 2 – Creating an Experience that Adds Value

In terms of WHAT CONTENT you put on your touch screen you absolutely have to make sure it’s easy to navigate around.

Unlike the home screen on your mobile, people won’t know what icon they are looking for.

People need to be able to walk up to it and instantly know what to do.

The user experience needs to be polished and have a clear path for them to take.

WARNING: Do not use a touch screen to share your website. A website is designed for a completely different viewing experience.

Keep it really simple.

Whatever you share must be clear and concise.

The ultimate starting point is getting crystal clear on the purpose of your presentation.

Are you producing something this is purely fun and indulgent like a game?

Informative? Like product brochures or branching surveys that filter through a range of appropriate products?

Collects data? Or an experience designed to qualify leads?

When discussing touch screens with our clients we’ve found that the mystique surrounding content creation is the true barrier preventing people from jumping head first into using this technology.

They think creating a presentation for an event will be too difficult to pull off.

(or they just don’t know where to start)

A client of ours (Harvey Norman Business & Education) was using hand scanners on their exhibition stand to capture leads. Of the 1000-ish leads they zapped on their scanners, they found only 10% of them were quality leads. For the next show we designed a large format touch screen presentation and while the number of people who entered their details into the touch screen dropped to 235, almost ALL of them were QUALITY LEADS. This meant their sales team were able to have conversations with the RIGHT people after the show without having to filter through the masses.

Regardless of whether you’re on Team Android or iPhone it’s safe to say the majority of the population are now officially dependent on their own baby touch screens.

It won’t be long before they are all over the trade show floor as the preferred method of sharing information.

  • It’s often impossible to display everything on the stand. This technology allows you to have your complete product range at your fingertips.
  • Encourages customer/visitor interaction
  • People let their guard down
  • Allows sales people to tailor their conversations
  • Great education platform – Visitors interacting with branded technology increases brand awareness by as much as 63%*

If you’re still printing brochures for your trade show events you might like to read this.

It’s true, touch screens are still relatively new to the everyday person.

There’s still an opportunity to be an early adopter (#coolkid)

Want to raise the bar at YOUR next exhibition? Click here to book a free consultation call to see how we can help.

Yours in Exhibiting,

Jessica Turnbull
Tradeshow Strategist

P  02 8093 3806  |  M  0417 468 487
E  jess@theexhibitcompany.com.au

* Source: IntellitTouch