Podcasts and content related to Expo! Expo! is an exclusive IAEE member benefit. For more in-depth tips and tactics, listen to the official Expo! Expo! 2017 podcasts here. Special thank you to GES for being the 2017 Expo! Expo! Education Title Sponsor.
Small is the new big. Everywhere we look, we see that the new “it” thing is going small. Tiny house. Micro foods. Mini animals. No surprise that our attention span has shrunk to a mere 7 seconds, so how we learn has changed.
The way B2B professionals buy in the 21st century has evolved. Buyers conduct a significant amount of research online before speaking to a salesperson. More stakeholders are involved in the buying process. Decisions favor companies who add value and insight before the sale. Progressive tradeshow organizers can align with this shift by infusing their exhibit floors with solution-based, learning experiences. Designing bite-sized learning feature areas will help keep attendees on the show floor–and in the booths–longer.
Speakers for the session included:
- Dave Lutz, CMP – Managing Director, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting
- Betsy Bair, VP Strategic Narratives, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting
What is Micro-Learning?
According to ELearningIndustry.com, micro-learning is a way of teaching and delivering content to learners in small, very specific bursts.
The idea of micro-learning is a fairly new phenomenon, especially in the exhibition industry. Trade show organizers are testing to see if this new learning method will be successful on their trade show.
We asked Expo! Expo! attendees, made up of show organizers and exhibitors, how they would define micro-learning and their answers were:
- Learning at my convenience
- Learning serendipitously
- Informal and quick
- Fast and accurate
- Small and intimate audience
The 5 Realities of the Modern B2B Buyer
In our industry of exhibitions and events, most of our relationships and connections are with other organizations. In order to cater to their wants and needs, we have to understand their buying journey and what motivates them to buy a product or service. Keep the following five realities of B2B buyers in mind when incorporating learning on the show floor.
- Research is mostly done online
- More people are involved in the buying decision
- Rely on recommendations and referrals from colleagues (social proof) to narrow vendors
- Cold outreach despised
- Value helping over selling
The Do’s and Don’ts of Micro-Learning
If you are considering or have implemented micro-learning to your show or exhibit booth, you want to be aware of the successes and the fails of micro-learning.
Do:
- Keep the learning short – at most 15 minutes
- Have the content focused around helping
- Have the seating close and intimate
- Provide content that is new and forward thinking
Don’t:
- Turn the learning into an hour-long session
- Have content focused on promoting product/service
- Dedicate a large space on the show floor
- Have Best of X or Year in Review content
To make sure your speakers are aligned with your vision of micro-learning, share with them these ten commandments that TED gives to their speakers. You can also incorporate these commandments to your speaker contracts.
How Did Expo! Expo! Incorporate Micro-Learning?
We understand that attendees want a lot of experiences in many locations. In addition to our mega room education sessions, Expo! Expo! also had education on the show floor.
For years, we offered 15-minute learning sessions called Campfire sessions on topics that ranged from exhibition and events trends to navigating sticky business situations. In 2017, Visit Charlotte sponsored these sessions and we rebranded the name to Pit Stop sessions because of Charlotte’s significant ties with NASCAR.
These micro-learning sessions are a great way to earn revenue for your show with a sponsor. Elevate the sponsorship by incorporating the sponsor’s brand and values in to your micro-learning space.
Final Thoughts
Traditionally, trade show learning has been long and broad. Micro-learning changes that mindset with short bursts of relevant content to learners. More and more show organizers and exhibitors are incorporating learning sessions on the trade show floor to engage the attendees. Make a big difference in your attendee engagement with adding micro-learning opportunities on the show floor.
Podcasts and content related to Expo! Expo! is an exclusive IAEE member benefit. For more in-depth tips and tactics, listen to the official Expo! Expo! 2017 podcasts here. Special thank you to GES for being the 2017 Expo! Expo! Education Title Sponsor.
