The ever evolving world of technology continually aides us in just about all that we do. The world of trade shows and events is no different. Many of the areas that used to be burdensome have been alleviated by an electronic partner. Here are 5 modern products to help enhance your trade show or event experience:
Touchscreens
I have written several times about the benefits of incorporating touchscreens into your face-to-face marketing efforts, including last month’s blog “Utilizing Touchscreen Technology.”
As the cost of hardware and software development continue to drop, correlated with the increased use of touch tablets and phones, we have seen amazing ways to increase engagement and productivity with touch technology. One frequent way they are used, is as a self-guided tour of a company with options such as videos, catalogs, websites and emailable literature without the pressure of a sales pitch.
Advanced Lead Retrieval
We are often asked if it is possible to use a smartphone or tablet to capture leads. Yes it is. But even better is the additional software which can be used to create back-end analytics, send e-literature, qualify leads, sync live with CRM and even send out e-giftcards.
Now instead of arriving back with a fishbowl of business cards, you have the opportunity to analyze the number of leads gathered by individual sales reps, and track those leads all the way to the sale.
Charging Stations
We are all glued to our phones these days, even more so when we are traveling. If your 
attendee is worried that they’re missing important calls and emails because of a dying phone, keep them in your booth instead of running out of the show hall by offering a charge.
Charging stations provide a number of connection ports to supply power to portable devices. They give you the triple-bonus of drawing attendees, offering a great relevant giveaway and holding them in your booth to hear your full pitch.
Sound Shower
New audio technology available is a speaker seemingly designed for shows and events. It 
creates a way to amplify sound only in the area that you designate. For instance, if you want to have two monitors streaming different videos side-by-side you can do so without the audio getting crossed or confused. You can also have demonstrations going on with the sound only being projected to those watching; not in other areas of your booth space or in the aisles. These speakers can offer a very unique experience to your attendee without inconveniencing anyone else around them.
Advanced WiFi
The high costs data and show internet can pose a challenge for those that need the benefits 
of WiFi.
Making a trade show booth space wireless can be beneficial to the display hardware, booth staff and attendees. Easily accomplish this by adding a WiFi hotspot.
For those with large events, there is a relatively small router available that can provide wireless internet to entire event halls, banquet rooms and even large outdoor stadiums.
I am often amazed by the new technology being used in our industry and want to make sure I am keeping my clients informed as well. Utilizing this technology can increase booth productivity, save money, generate leads and increase engagement. I am excited for those who use the tech mentioned above, as well as those already looking for the next leading-edge technology to advance trade show and event marketing campaigns.