For as long as the machine manufacturing industry has been around, trade fairs have been one of the most crucial platforms for marketing and sales. However, as the world has become more digitized and much of the marketing space has been replaced by websites, videos, and the like, companies are relying less and less on trade shows because they are simply less efficient.
You don’t have to choose — you can get the best of both worlds. By using the ground-breaking technology of Virtual Machine Platforms, an industrial version of VR, you can digitize your trade fairs to have all the benefits of a digital platform while still offering your customers with an up close and personal look at your products. You can create your own virtual trade fair, just like the virtual market in “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” movie. Get ready — the future is here!
Importance of Trade Shows
Complex machinery requires special attention from the buyer. They need to make sure that everything works properly and that it’s the perfect equipment for their specific needs. This is why physical trade shows have dominated the industry for so long; a merchant can explain their product while the buyer inspects it. This is why 55% of all exhibitors in Germany come from the manufacturing industry.
Disadvantages of Trade Shows
These trade showers, however, aren’t a perfect business, mainly because they require high costs and they often don’t lead to a high enough conversion rate. A merchant must rent the space, transport the machines, and pay the employees to man the booth.
Meanwhile, attendance is down because so much of it is moving online, which is reflected in the fact that a mere 21% of decision makers go to trade shows on a regular basis while 45% prefer to use digital platforms.
Opting for Virtual Trade Shows
That’s why right now is the perfect time to start using VR in your marketing strategy. Instead of bringing all of your machines to the trade fair, bring one or two along with a VR stand. That way your customers can observe the craftsmanship of your engineering while simultaneously having access to your entire portfolio.
Compared to a physical trade show, a VR showroom is a fraction of the cost because it cuts back on all that moving and maintenance. Plus, you can then re-use those same Virtual Reality headsets for training, sales, and online lead-generation.
When it comes to the machine manufacturing industry, the trade show isn’t going to disappear. But it is going somewhere: the digital world. VISARD technology gives you the tools to build your own virtual trade fair so that your customers can observe, learn about, and even experiment with your equipment.