Nearly a week after the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear a mask or socially distance in most indoor settings, people still aren’t sure what the next few months will bring, including the state of in-person events. The vaccine has been rolling out well, but with the threat of variants and lingering uncertainty about transmission, combined with changing health guidelines and long-term trauma of the past 14 months, many organizers continue to plan on virtual or at least hybrid events through the end of the year to meet consumer preferences.

ASI Show is a case in point; ASI Chicago in July, as well as a series of fASI hosted buyer events, will be in-person this summer and fall, while the Digital Expo in August will be completely virtual.

In a recent survey, Northstar Meetings Group found that demand for hybrid events (those that combine in-person and virtual components) is staying fairly steady; 51% of organizers said they’re still planning them this year, up from 48% the month before.

Even though distributors and suppliers can now be considered veterans of the virtual circuit after a year of digital events, there are still common mistakes being made that prevent both sides from leveraging their virtual show experience to the fullest. Here’s how to make the most of every show with a virtual component.

1. Pretend it’s in-person.

Trade show attendees typically check out the floor plan ahead of time. They note which booths are of primary importance to their business and create a game plan to make the best use of their time. “You wouldn’t go to ASI Chicago and just wander around,” says Joél Bastien, senior vice president of owner success at Top 40 distributor AIA (asi/109480). “That applies for virtual too. The night before an in-person event, you’re circling booths on the map. Virtual requires the same discipline. It’s a mindset shift. Treat it no differently from a live event, and note who’s going to be there and who you want to visit.”

The booth setup matters too; a virtual iteration ideally has the same branding as an in-person one, and needs to be attention-grabbing, interactive and provide calls to action, says Tehsin Bhayani, CEO and founder of AirMason, a software platform for digital employee handbooks. “It should be an online interpretation of your brand,” he says.

Make the most of your trade show experience by blocking off the time in your calendar, even though you’re not leaving your home office. Don’t treat it like just another video call. “It’s easy to get distracted by work and stuff at home, and you get drawn away,” says Bastien. “Consider yourself out of the office. Set up your automatic replies and shut down your day-to-day work.”

2. Promote your booth pre-show.

Without in-person means to grab attention, it’s even more important that suppliers promote their virtual booths as must-visits ahead of the show. Publicize a schedule beforehand, says Abby Herman, director of strategy at Snap Agency, a digital marketing firm. It could include workshops, demonstrations, panel discussions, even a happy hour. “Have blocks of time to discuss different topics or demonstrate products,” she says. “Set up a registration page for attendees, and capture email addresses for follow-up.”

Tony DeRoia, content marketing manager for marketing agency Witmer Group, recommends sending out printed materials to attendees beforehand, with sell sheets, catalogs, booth schedules and instructions on how to visit them at the show. “If you send out a swag package to attendees,” he notes, “they may even wear your branded item while on camera.”

Pique distributors’ interest in attending by sending them kitted boxes of self-promo before the show, says Bastien. “Suppliers need to have a hook,” she says. “Otherwise, distributors feel like they’re just shopping around on websites, and they do that every day.”

As a distributor, allow time to attend booth events for added education and more opportunities to get to know new products. Recipients of sample boxes before the show opens would do well to take a look and visit the suppliers’ booth to ask further questions.

3. Understand the platform.

Virtual event platforms can vary widely, so it’s important to take the time to go through the tutorials that organizers offer ahead of the floor opening. Suppliers need to familiarize themselves with the features of their booth that can give attendees the most interactive experience possible, and distributors should be able to navigate the floor quickly and communicate with suppliers. Otherwise, both exhibitors and attendees waste valuable show time trying to troubleshoot and going back and forth with organizers.

“People think they know Zoom, so they’ll be fine,” says Bastien. “Go through the 10-minute tutorial. Get acclimated with it. It’s not always the host’s or platform’s fault.”

Knowing the features well and giving it a dry run allows both suppliers and distributors to jump right in and start making connections and doing business once the floor opens, without having to take the time to learn how to navigate while your competition is making connections. You don’t want to finally get in a groove on the last day of the show.

4. Foster interaction.

Without a live person manning the booth, exhibitors need to be more proactive than normal to greet visitors. Don’t let potential clients drop in and leave quickly because they think they’re alone when no one answers their query over chat. Conversely, distributors shouldn’t expect suppliers to do all the heavy lifting. Come prepared to ask questions (and suppliers, offer answers) about the product line. If there’s video chat, make sure the camera is on while you’re speaking.

Avoid canned answers to questions or “let me know if you need anything” messages over chat (they’re a turn-off for prospects), while distributors shouldn’t make appearances just to rack up booth points. Distributors need objectives at each both, and suppliers should ask open-ended questions of visitors.

“Don’t say ‘I’m here if you need me.’ That’s not what you would say during an in-person event,” says Bastien. “Ask, ‘Have you heard of…’ or ‘Are you familiar with…’ Make it almost rude not to answer.”

And don’t just come armed with a boilerplate rundown of products and specials. “Don’t talk at the attendees,” says Syed Ali, owner of Marketing Tome, a digital marketing firm. “Be responsive to visitors. And listen to their questions and needs; don’t be pushy and sales-y. You’re not in the same room as them, but you can still develop a relationship.”

5. Continue the conversation.

Preparing for and attending the show, whether as an exhibitor or attendee, is critical, but the third important piece of the puzzle is the follow-up, and it’s often neglected. “A lot of focus is put on pre-event marketing and driving booth traffic, whether in-person or virtual,” says Sarah Goetter, marketing manager for ASI Show. “It’s just as important to protect the investment in the event with post-event marketing.”

Have a way to capture visitors’ email addresses during the show and make notes about attendees’ specific needs that they can address in follow-up. Also consider creating a shareable video of featured products to send to distributors afterwards. Meanwhile, distributors can spend time wisely by doing post-show organizing of contacts made and products they want to know more about, and developing a plan for getting back in touch with the reps they spoke with. Both parties need to respond to queries they receive after the fact – a lack of reply can kill any chance of future opportunities.

If you’re looking to branch out beyond email and DMs, consider handwritten notes. Rick Elmore is founder and CEO of Simply Noted, an automated handwritten letter company. “They show the recipient that you took the time to carefully craft a meaningful and personalized message,” he says. “The personalization and gratitude can help you stand out and solidify relationships. They also have huge open rates and stand out from the hundreds of emails we get every day.”