Joe F.: What kind of pre-show communications do you use to promote Canon's virtual exhibit at each event?
Debbi Kemp: We used social media platforms, internal flyers sent out into the field, and pre-show interviews and virtual booth tours with customers. We also utilized the show's pre-registration list and had our reps reach out to their existing customers who were planning to attend the show.

Therese C.: How long did it take you to go from selecting a partner to going live with your virtual booth?
DK: We had limited time to plan. It took us roughly nine weeks from the show announcing it was going virtual to having our platform up and ready.

Jennifer H.: Can you reuse these assets in other channels? If so, how have you employed them outside of virtual events?
DK: Yes, we have utilized this tool outside of our virtual events. It has been used for everything from our speakers' platform to our live demos. These tools are all easily accessed through our website and are still maintained through the virtual site.

Eva C.: Did you see good attendance for your in-booth presentations? And how did they compare to attendance at live in-booth presentations?
DK: While live attendance will always be better, we had quite a few attendees participate in in our live demonstrations. Every scheduled demo had several participants, so we feel the strategy was definitely worthwhile.

Erin C.: Were the metrics and analytics you received provided by your virtual-platform vendor, or did your team need to collect and analyze that data directly?
DK: Our analytics are prepared by an internal team. I set out the metrics that I think we will need to succeed and push beyond expectations. Then they prepare the report based on those metrics that I've identified.

Jerilyn B.: Did you have a backup plan in case you experienced technical difficulties with your virtual exhibit? If so, what was it?
DK: Yikes! We had a microsite as backup. That site had all of our content, so if the virtual exhibit had collapsed, it would have directed attendees to the microsite instead.

Jason F.: Is there a maintenance fee to keep this virtual booth up and running? And are there costs associated with customizing it for future events?
DK: The maintenance fees are very minimal. It basically amounts to a small yearly cost to host the site. If we want to make changes, those charges depend on the amount of content we're changing. Swapping out products and links can be expensive, depending on the quantity. But since we have the foundation built, subsequent costs are not as large as they would be if we were starting from the initial project.

Jennifer S.: Did you receive any feedback from attendees regarding what they thought of the virtual exhibit and what they liked or disliked about it?
DK: Seeing and hearing all of the positive feedback from our vendors was the best part of the entire experience. Several said they really enjoyed it because it provided them a different way to explore our offerings.