Virtual tradeshow

Key takeaways

Virtual tradeshow belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Virtual tradeshow to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Virtual tradeshow from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A virtual tradeshow (or a virtual trade fair) is a virtual event run in an online environment hosted online for a limited period. It can be considered the online equivalent of a traditional tradeshow or exhibition, but exhibitors and visitors connect on the web rather than in person. Virtual tradeshows can be accessed anywhere, as their geographic location does not limit them, so all that's needed to attend is a device with a good connection to the internet. Virtual tradeshows facilitate direct interactions between exhibitors and attendees with interactive features, such as live chat, chat rooms, 1 to 1 or group video calls, Q&A, Live webinars or on-demand webinars, webcasts, lucky draws and more.

Overview A typical virtual tradeshow structure often includes a virtual exhibition hall which users enter with specific permissions and capabilities. Exhibitors can build virtual booths to exhibit information related to their products or services, just as they would at a trade fair in a convention center; visitors view these virtual trade show displays in the exhibition hall. Users - both exhibitors and visitors - within the environment often create avatars as a visual representation of themselves. Like their physical counterparts, virtual tradeshows may have other components such as a web conference, webcast, web seminar ('webinar'), or other educational presentations. The virtual trade fair thus provides live interaction between users on several levels (one-to-one, one-to-few, one-to-many and many-to-many) and simultaneously. Detailed tracking mechanisms allow organisers to determine traffic flow in the virtual tradeshow. Although virtual tradeshows are usually conducted in specialised web environments, some have been organised and conducted in tightly controlled text-based environments. Virtual tradeshows can be used for international tradeshows, business match-makers, procurement fairs, or product launches. The experience also translates well for other applications such as virtual job fairs, virtual benefits fairs, online employee networks, distributor fairs, and venture capital fairs. Providers of virtual event platforms have seen immense growth in the demand for their products, partly attributable to the 2009-2010 recession driving cost-cutting approaches to business. According to a Champion Exposition Services study, one in four people planned to use a digital event platform in the association market. The study also found that 70% of "respondents are actively producing, considering or interested in pursuing virtual events." However, many were not looking to replace physical events but to enhance them with interactive virtual features.

Visitor facilities Visitors to a virtual tradeshow usually fill out an online registration form to create an online badge, then enter a virtual exhibit hall to visit virtual booths. The virtual booths often reflect the imagery of a real-world tradeshow booth with desks and displays (this similarity helps users relate to them more easily). A virtual booth typically has several icons which can trigger different responses upon the click of a mouse. For example, visitors might initiate instant communication with the exhibitor via an instant message, email or a voice call. Icons might also deliver multimedia such as videos, audio messages, or other slide-show presentations.

Exhibitor facilities Virtual exhibitors use online tools to upload relevant and tailored content to appeal to the audiences. Virtual exhibits may be made to look like an exhibitors' real-world booth in any in-person trade fair where they may be exhibiting. While some events are hosted only online, virtual tradeshows could also be run in conjunction with real-world or in-person tradeshows, creating 'hybrid events'. Virtual tradeshows typically cost much less than traditional trade shows. Since virtual trade shows can be conducted from a person's desk, the cost of travel, lodging and physical construction of a trade show display is eliminated (exhibitors will usually, of course, be charged for the privilege of having an online stand at the virtual tradeshow).

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Virtual tradeshow

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Virtual tradeshow claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Virtual tradeshow before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Virtual tradeshow ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Virtual tradeshow

In research: Virtual tradeshow appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Virtual tradeshow in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Virtual tradeshow is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Trade fairs, Virtual events, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Virtual tradeshow outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Virtual tradeshow in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Virtual tradeshow means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Virtual tradeshow out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Virtual tradeshow in simple terms?

A virtual tradeshow (or a virtual trade fair) is a virtual event run in an online environment hosted online for a limited period. It can be considered the online equivalent of a traditional tradeshow or exhibition, but exhibitors and visitors connect on the web rather than in person.

Why does Virtual tradeshow matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Virtual tradeshow?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Virtual tradeshow.