Trade Show VR Best Practices

So it looks like you’ve made the right decision to use a Virtual Reality Experience to enhance your upcoming trade show event. Prepare to be the talk of the town! By taking on this new storytelling format, you’ve effectively swallowed the red pill, and through this rabbit hole, you will discover several amazing opportunities not available through other means. But be wary, you may want some help navigating this new virtual world. This post shall be your guiding light.

Equipment checklist:

2 phones per Gear VR headset
Swivel chair(s)
Fast chargers for phones
Alcohol Wipes
Lens cloths
Headphones
Stickers with your brand to put on headset

Step 1: Do a Dry Run Before the Show

This will work out any unexpected issues, both with the equipment and process. Be sure to tell guests to turn their heads to look all around!

Step 2: Prepare to Teach VR Newbies

Considering the cutting edge nature of the technology you are using, you are almost guaranteed to expose someone to their first VR experience. Hardwire a short instructional bit into your presentation, and be eager to answer any questions you encounter!

Booth Visitor: So I’m gonna be able to see really far away when I look into it, right?

Step 3: During the Show

Nothing will damper your amazing virtual reality experience like a dead phone battery or constant extraneous notifications. Take several measures beforehand to ensure your visitors maximize their immersion.

Fully charge all phone batteries prior to the event
Put all phones in airplane mode and deactivate Wifi
Every time you start app and put in GearVR, turn the volume back up (buttons on side). The volume resets every time the phone is removed.
Swap out phones in the headsets to cool down and recharge every hour
Remove phones from headset to charge and do not charge via the port on the newer GearVR units (this will allow them to cool off)
Make sure the app is at the start screen for new guests. If the previous person did not finish, just point the headset straight up for 5s to reset.

Step 4: Create a safe Virtual Reality zone

Just like The Matrix, when people are “jacked in” to a virtual world, their actual body can still be subject to harm.

Swivel chairs are your friend and your most trusted companion in order to avoid hilarious incidents like that one. You need to have a swivel chair for every VR headset you are running. Also to increase immersion, be generous in granting your visitors enough space for them to turn around freely. Consider roping off the area near each chair.

Step 5: Concentration on Sanitation

If your event goes according to plan, your VR headset will come into contact with hundreds of people’s faces. Taking proper measures to guarantee that your equipment is functionally clean between every use is imperative in order to garner a positive response.

We recommend wiping down the face pads with alcohol wipes and the lens with lint-free cloths in between guests.

Step 6: Help out your Marketing Team

Taking pictures and recording videos of people enjoying a VR experience will undoubtedly help your publicity efforts. Showing people that your event was a success rather than telling them will help with online posts and articles concerning your trade show experience. Record quotes from people who really engaged with your VR content, and try to obtain an honest opinion of their experience. Keeping record of these positive interactions increases the likelihood that your company will invest in future virtual reality endeavors.

Step 7: Cardboard Headsets!

Branded cardboard is a great giveaway that will keep your brand top of mind, and also provide access to hundreds of other Cardboard enabled apps in the app stores. If you’ve developed a custom cardboard app, we recommend helping people find and download the app from the store. This can require WiFi depending on your app.

See how happy they make people!

Now that you have been fully trained in the art of hosting a Virtual Reality trade show booth, you are ready to reap the rewards of all your hard work and preparation. Following these steps are all you need to do to guarantee that your event will run smoothly. People will receive a solid impression of your product and mission statement through your effective use of a Virtual Reality Experience. By learning all these helpful tips, tricks, and preparatory steps before your trade show event, one could say you have dodged a bullet.

If you’re interested in utilizing VR at your next trade show event, be sure to contact Foundry 45 for VR premiere content!

ABOUT FOUNDRY 45

Foundry 45 is The Business VR Leader. We create immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experiences for mobile platforms including HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, iOS Cardboard Headsets, Android Cardboard Headsets. Foundry 45 helps businesses step into their brand story by using dynamic 360-degree video and VR app creation. Our marketing and recruiting approach captures customer experience desires and emphasize product value. We also partner with existing video production studios, advertising agencies, and other content creators to serve as their VR technical consultants and developer shop.

To learn more about Foundry 45, visit us at www.foundry45.com.

For Immersive VR inquiries, contact Managing Partner:

Dave Beck, dave@foundry45.com