Virtual trade shows continue to be a safe and effective way to connect with customers, employees, and other event attendees. Whether you’re hosting a virtual trade show or sponsoring a booth at an online event, we’re here to help you create strong engagement and boost your brand. 
#1: Use promo products as a registration incentive for your virtual show.
Trade show attendees usually receive some event swag on the day of the event, and you can still make that happen by mailing out a promo box ahead of the event. Limiting the giveaway to a certain number of registrants can entice people to sign up as early as possible, and also help you stay within your budget. Pro Tip: T-shirts make a great registration gift, and you can easily collect t-shirts sizes as part of your registration form. Some of our best-sellers include “virtual meeting kits” and notebooks/pens. 
#2: Take advantage of co-branding to pay for your promo boxes.
Consider asking vendors who will be coming to your event to co-sponsor your promo boxes to keep costs down. This creates an opportunity for them to showcase new products or services and build some anticipation in advance. You can invite them to provide promo products to include in the box or refer them to a promotional partner like JDA to order items, especially for the event. If you’re doing an event t-shirt, we recommend printing the event logo on the front and featuring sponsor logos on the back. Pro Tip: Look for items with large imprint areas that allow you to feature more than one logo. Here are some great options that give you plenty of space for co-branding! 
#3: Anyone who visits your virtual booth and provides their information gets entered into a prize drawing.
If you’re hosting a virtual booth, you can still do booth giveaways to boost engagement. One of the most effective ways to do that is with a premium prize drawing/giveaway. This tends to attract greater levels of interaction during the actual event as people get excited about the drawing. We’ve gotten great feedback on “bundle” giveaways that include multiple items, as well as big-ticket items like retail-branded coolers. Take a look at some of our most popular prizes. 
#4: Be sure to follow up with the people who connect with you at the event.
JDA’s Co-Owner, Gena Mueller, says “Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note.” Drop a handwritten note in the mail, along with a small promo item, as a thank you for visiting your booth. Pro Tip: Create a custom “Thank you for attending our show” graphic, and showcase it on your thank you cards and promo items. Here are a few items that are easy to include with your note. 
Ready to discuss your virtual trade show options? Contact us today.
For more trade show ideas, check out our posts on stocking a promo closet and direct mail.