Trade Show Video for Conferences and Events: Best Practices, Costs, Production Plan and More

Showcasing your product at the industry trade shows is a great way to attract users, make valuable connections with other businesses, promote your company on the market, boost engagement and attract more attention to your booth.

Using video marketing in a trade show might be a winning strategy that will perfectly complement your visual and printed ads, live presentations, and cold contacts.

In this article, I’m going to tell you how to use the full potential of your product demo video at trade shows and conventions. We will also discuss some of the best approaches to video trade show creation and promotion.

 

 

Best Trade Show Video Production Practices

 

I love video production for the diversified set of tools it offers for attaining various marketing goals. (But this is not the only reason). There are also a lot of creative approaches that you can implement and reuse to make your video fit your goal, distribution channel, and display time and place.

 

 

So, when it comes to demonstrating your product video during the event, fortunately, some of the trade show best practices overlap with the ones for creating product demos and explainer videos. Still, creating trade show videos has its specifics.

And here is how to create a product demo video that will be perfectly tailored to the vibe and the environment of the event, expectations of the prospective users, and your brand style.

 

• Showcase Essentials Only

  Any product trade show hosts a lot of companies, and each of them has its unique and most likely, competitive product. Standing out from the marketing noise can be quite difficult, and that’s why the main task is to firstly, grab the attention of the prospective users, and secondly, don’t let them get bored with your trade show product video.

  For this reason, it should showcase the essential details only. Shortlist them in advance and support each of the features with the benefit it delivers to the end-user.

 

• Create the Concisest Storyline Ever

  The next step is to create a very consistent storyline and scenario, keeping the most important product features in mind. The storyline of your future video should be logical, and in this case, you can reuse the best approaches to explainer video production.

  Start it with the problem your product intends to solve, proceed with its unique features and the corresponding benefits, and sum it up with a compelling call to action and contact details. Make sure not to lose focus on the product and avoid going too deep into technical details. Keep your scenario simple and understandable.

 

• Hit the Perfect Trade Show Video Length

  The funniest thing is that there is no perfect trade show or conference video length. The rule of thumb is to keep your video no longer than 5 minutes. But even if you do so, there is very little chance that anyone will watch it from the very beginning till the end.

  That is, your task is to showcase the product, highlight its main features and benefits, keep your content meaningful and make sure your users will get the right impression in the shortest time possible.

  Optimally, your video should last from 1 to 2 minutes – this time frame should be enough to show the most important things but still not enough to make the viewers lose the thread.

 

• Use Sound Effects Instead Voice Over

  Unlike product explainer videos, using a voiceover, this practice is a complete waste of time and budget with videos tailored to trade show conferences.

  The fact is that trade shows are very noisy, and there is no point in making even more noise with the sound. That’s why the best product demonstration examples are those that allow the viewer to get the main idea without using a single spoken word.

  Instead, consider making some noise and excitement around your product by using other tools. For instance, you can use the elements of kinetic typography to strengthen the visual impression.

  And don’t forget about music. During the show, it is likely to be muted but you still need it to set and convey the right mood when distributing your video at the pre-and post-show stages. (I will tell you more about it further).

 

• Leverage the Power of Animation

  Showcasing your product at a conference or event is the rightest place to leverage all the power of animation. Using different styles and approaches, you will be able to show your physical product as close to real life as possible, convey the smallest but still essential details, and add visual aesthetics.

  For example, 3D demo videos are good for showcasing the product in the three-dimensional space, while 2D allows for creating simpler but no less engaging stories.

  As for your animation visual style, there are two essential rules to follow when creating a conference product video:
  – It should be bright, well-noticeable, and attention-grabbing. People’s attention span is very short, up to 5 seconds on average, and even less in the environment of a noisy event. That’s why your animated video should stand out – use bright colors and well-noticeable elements to grab their attention.

  – It should match your brand identity. Participating in a trade show is another opportunity to improve your brand recognition and awareness. Additionally, you can build the right associations with your brand in your users’ minds. That is, make sure to use your branded colors as a part of the future animation color palette.You are also welcome to check the animation production plan to better catch the milestones you will have to go through. 

 

• Make Sure of the Perfect Visibility in Distance

  In addition to the fact that your trade show video should instantly grab attention, you should design it in such a way that all the elements are well-visible from a distance.

  Usually, visitors just walk around the stands and take a quick glance at screens and banners from time to time. At this point, your video must hook them. And to attract your audience’s attention, the content must be visible so that their brain can quickly process and assimilate a piece of understandable visual information.

 

How to Boost Trade Show Engagement with Videos

 

What do you think makes videos such an effective marketing tool? Yes, you are right – this is just their reusable nature. Trade show videos aren’t an exception, so here is how you can engage your audience at different stages of your project:

• Pre-Show Stage. At the pre-show stage, make sure your leads are well aware of the opportunity to meet you at the event. Come up with a newsletter and announce your participation. Invite them to join the event and share their plans with friends and contacts. As for the video, you may add a short teaser to intrigue the audience and promise that you will reveal all the details during the event itself.

 

 

• During the Show. Everything is quite clear at this stage – when the show goes on, stream your video live and invite everyone interested to watch it. If the event format requires a public speech, take your video with you and either broadcast it during the speech, or use it to better explain and showcase the product features.

 

 

• Post-Show Stage. When the show is over, share your impressions with those who missed the opportunity to visit it. Shooting a video during the event is also a good way to engage your leads and convey the atmosphere of the event.

 

 

How Much Does It Cost to Create a Trade Show Video?

 

Since most of the trade show video production practices overlap with the ones for creating a product demo or an explainer video, the cost of creating them can be approximately the same.

Still, we should consider multiple factors before making a quote. Your video style, length, the core idea, as well as the tools and technologies you will use to implement it also matter for the final estimate. You are welcome to find out more about our approach to a video production cost estimate in our dedicated article.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Using video production as a part of your trade show marketing is a top-notch opportunity to stand out from the crowd with your product and make an impression of an innovation-driven company. You are welcome to use the tips and tricks I’ve shared in this article. Hope they will help you create a mind-blowing video for your next trade show.
The Wow-How Studio will gladly assist you with this task. Let’s get in touch right now and make your business ultimately prepared for the upcoming event!