Go High Tech and Green for Your Next Tradeshow

May 3, 2014

Shane Shirley

Shane Shirley is CMO for SBS Brands, a 90-year-old global brand leader focused on creating digital and print business solutions that offers traditional and eco-friendly customized promotional products to accelerate trade show marketing.

Integrating technology into your tradeshow experience will get people engaged and excited about what you’re offering and when you can introduce technology while also going green you can help the planet and stay true to your environmental initiatives.

Here are some ideas to bring green technology into your tradeshow booth.

Go Green with Eco Apps

Look for an app that will streamline your ordering process and eliminate paper forms and receipts. Handshake is a great option that digitally streamlines the ordering process. Oftentimes, putting together an order through an app is quicker and easier for everyone from customers to staff in the booth and back at the office.

Uploading images and product specs will take some additional time before the show, so plan accordingly and make sure your staff has plenty of time to practice. Be aware that many apps need to be purchased and they require Internet connection, so you’ll have to budget for these expenses; however, the time and paper saving qualities of taking your ordering process digital will make the added costs worthwhile.

Audience Response Polling Will Keep Your Guests Engaged

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get feedback from the people who visit your booth in real time? Consider audience polling; you can pose a question, people can text their answer and you’ll have valuable metrics that will help you make informed decisions on the fly and get people interested and engaged.

Since all of this will go down digitally, there is no paper trail. Poll Everywhere makes it easy to ask your audience questions they can answer from a web browser or their mobile phone and you can display the answers on a laptop or screen for an interactive experience. Again, factor in the cost of introducing this technology and make sure to write out some questions ahead of time.

Give Your Press Kits a Digital Edge

You certainly want to attract customers, reps and vendors to your booth, but don’t overlook the press. If just one journalist or blogger writes about your booth or the products or services your company provides, that can potentially reach more people than if you were to tally up everyone who visited your booth during the show.

A good press kit will include info and quotes and photos, but also mind the fact that members of the media are going to be picking up tons of press kits, so the last thing you want to do is to create something bulky that they’ll need to lug around all day, so go paperless as much as possible.

Burn your info onto a disc, setup a page on your company’s website and distribute the web address and login info, or upload info to a reusable flash drive.

Technology can help give your company a sense of excitement and make your booth memorable while also minimizing your environmental impact. Look for engaging ways to work green high tech elements into your booth.

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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.    Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.    Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.   The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.    MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.     MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.