Today we live in a fast-paced, technology-driven world. Trade shows are busier than ever, and maximizing ROI is a critical concern. Exhibitors want to see high-quality leads to offset their costs, but don’t know the best place to start.
Enter your new best friend: digital trade show tools. If you’re a marketing manager, CEO, or event planner, you need to know how to leverage this technology. The right tools make all the difference between successful trade shows and missed opportunities. Many businesses now work with experienced exhibition stand builders to ensure these digital tools are fully integrated into their booth design.
Helpful digital tools like Cvent LeadCapture are changing how businesses interact with clients. Essential tools like these gather trade show metrics, streamlining the lead capture process for maximum ROI.
In this article, we will explore what some cutting-edge trade digital show tools can do for you!
1. Cvent LeadCapture
What it is: An all-in-one lead management tool.
We recently had the opportunity to use Cvent LeadCapture. Overall, it is a fantastic lead capture tool for trade shows. It’s invaluable for streamlining lead management efforts, thereby maximizing your trade show ROI.
Positives
We found Cvent LeadCapture to be a helpful companion on the trade show floor. It is:
- Easy to get going: Setting up the tool was a breeze.
- Customizable: We could customize the lead capture forms to align with our specific requirements.
- Flexible: The option to scan attendee badges or use QR codes was a game-changer. It eliminated the need for manual lead capture and reduced errors. This left more time for engaging trade show visitors.
- Well-maintained: The Cvent support team was prompt, knowledgeable, and available to help us with our queries.
- Efficient: The seamless integration with many CRM systems means leads are automatically synced. You’ll save valuable time and increase data accuracy. A big result!
- Well-organized: You can add custom qualifiers and tags to categorize and prioritize leads on the spot. This allows you to identify high-value prospects and ensure a prompt follow-up.
- Powerful: The tool provides detailed insights into the number of trade show metrics. This information makes it easier to assess the success of your lead capture process, and measure your event ROI.
Verdict
Cvent LeadCapture proved a powerful tool for trade show lead-capture efforts. It enhanced lead qualification and provided valuable insights to measure trade show success. It works really well as a universal lead capture companion.
Cvent LeadCapture is a worthy investment for businesses looking to maximize their ROI from trade shows.
2. Cvent Event Diagramming (formerly Social Tables)
What it is: A dedicated event management platform.
Cvent Event Diagramming is another useful piece of software. It offers a range of tools and features designed to simplify the planning, organization, and execution of events. From conferences and meetings to trade shows, this one works for them all!
It’s an effective platform for managing events of various scales and complexities.
Positives
We found Cvent Event Diagramming:
- Intuitive: The floor plan management tool is easy to use. The drag-and-drop functionality allowed us to easily manipulate event layouts and seating arrangements.
- Adaptable: The floor plan tool provided a wide range of templates and options. It was easy to adapt to different event spaces and configurations.
- User-friendly: The interface is straightforward and easy to learn. The platform allows you to invite team members and stakeholders to collaborate on event planning.
- Powerful: We were able to create guest lists, send invitations, manage RSVPs, and capture other attendee details. This software can also create complex event diagrams.
Negatives
While Event Diagramming offers a robust set of features, there were still a few areas where we felt there could be room for improvement:
- Performance: The platform had occasional performance issues, such as slow loading times. These were mostly minor and affected larger event plans.
- Customization: Some advanced customization options would have been beneficial.
Verdict
Overall, Event Diagramming is a helpful tool for event managers and exhibition planners. Its user-friendly interface and collaborative features help streamline event planning. The floor plan management, guest management, and reporting features make it reliable.
Try using it for your next exhibit set up. You never know, the layout feature might help you with your exhibit design!
3. Cvent iCapture
What it is: A lead capture app and management solution, designed mainly for sales teams.
iCapture exists to help businesses capture and qualify potential leads at their events. The platform offers various tools and features to streamline lead retrieval. The idea is to get the most out of your marketing efforts.
This app also boasts some impressive accolades! iCapture was awarded two leader badges at The Winter 2024 G2 awards. It placed top of the lead capture and lead retrieval categories.
Positives
iCapture is:
- Easy to use: Businesses can create bespoke lead capture forms using a drag-and-drop interface.
- Flexible: The platform supports data capture through various methods, including digital badge scanning. It was also easy to design and tailor forms to our specific requirements.
- Portable: iCapture’s offline lead capture ability sets it apart from some competitors. Capturing leads offline and synchronizing them later meant no leads were lost. Data integrity and continuity were preserved.
- Efficient: The lead scoring and qualification features allowed us to prioritize leads with the most value. The overall follow-up procedure was, therefore, much simpler.
- Highly compatible: iCapture was easy to integrate with popular CRM systems for easy lead transfer into our database. It proved to be a quick and smooth process, empowering our sales team at the same time.
- Powerful: iCapture demonstrated robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Plenty of key metrics were provided to help us make better marketing decisions!
Negatives
While iCapture offers a range of powerful features, there were a couple of areas where we felt there could be room for improvement:
- Customization: The form customization options, while adequate, could benefit from an upgrade.
- Design: While generally user-friendly, the user interface could be enhanced with a more intuitive design.
Verdict
Generally, iCapture is a valuable lead capture and management solution. This app excels in simplifying the lead capture process and optimizing lead generation efforts. The lead qualification features and CRM integration both make iCapture an enticing offer.
At the very least, it’ll help you make more informed decisions about company marketing activities.
4. Zuant
Zuant is a British mobile lead capture app designed to streamline data collection at events. It offers a variety of features and has been praised by reviewers for its design. It competes with Cvent’s suite and other tools.
Positives
Although slightly older than Cvent, Zuant still has some impressive functionality. It is:
- Easy to use: Zuant’s interface is really easy to use.
- Flexible: The app has a variety of input methods for different kinds of events. This includes badge-scanning, QR code recognition, and NFC support.
- Portable: Zuant operates perfectly even without Wi-Fi connection. The mobile device app is great for working on the go.
- Compliant: Built-in tools like consent widgets make Zuant ideal for keeping ahead of GDPR compliance.
Negatives
Zuant has many things going for it, but we found some areas for improvement:
- Compatibility: Zuant was originally exclusive to Apple’s iOS. An Android version now exists, but the experience isn’t quite the same across platforms.
- Platform maturity: The app is very powerful for basic tasks, but some advanced features are lacking. For example, there still isn’t any cloud-based form editor.
- Automation: Compared to its competitors, Zuant lacks an automated follow-up feature. There’s no real-time engagement tracking either.
Verdict
It may be the older kid on the block, but Zuant is still a solid choice as user-friendly lead capture solution. Its offline functionality is still a major draw, but other organizations might prefer a more advanced tool.
Summary: Working With Digital Trade Show Tools
With digital technology advancing at a faster rate than ever before, there’s no reason to be left out in the dark. By making good use of digital programs like Cvent LeadCapture or Zuant, your business can collect more leads more efficiently. Now imagine using these to upgrade your engagement with your target audience!
If you’d like to learn more about capturing leads or exhibitions in general, why not send us a message? We can help you with your booth design, elevating your brand presence for a lasting impression at trade shows.
What is needed for a trade show booth?
You’ll need your team of exhibition staff, all your marketing materials, some sample products for demonstration, and any giveaways for guests.
What are trade show materials?
Trade show materials are all the marketing materials you can use at your booth, including marketing pamphlets and advertising displays.
What is the best thing to give away at a trade show?
Try to give away freebies that are useful, like power banks, water bottles, lanyards, or USB drives.
