At events, connections translate to opportunities. CDS is constantly looking for innovative ways to use event technology to foster more valuable connections between exhibitors and attendees.
The Problem
We gathered feedback, meeting with exhibitors on the show floor and listening to what they needed help with. What we learned was that it was tough to have a conversation with attendees while handing someone pamphlets, one-pagers, and other materials while speaking, as it immediately made the interaction feel like a sales pitch. It was also difficult to know who picked up printed materials if attendees came to the booth without talking to exhibitor staff.
Our Solution
To help exhibitors engage in more valuable connections, generate more qualified leads, and track who collected their content without interrupting the flow of conversation, CDS developed the Digital Backpack content-sharing platform.
So how does it work? As part of their pre-event planning, exhibitors upload their website links and digital versions of printed literature in the Digital Backpack platform, which converts the content to QR codes that they download and display as part of their exhibit booth design, such as on signage next to their products. When attendees are in the booth, they scan those QR codes with their smart phones to collect the content. This scanned interaction then sends to the exhibitor details about the attendee who scanned and what content they collected, helping the exhibitor segment their leads by content interest.
This streamlines content collection for attendees as well, who may be tasked with bringing back information to their teams but don’t want to carry cumbersome printed materials that will eventually end up in a landfill.
New Digital Backpack Exhibitor & Attendee Education Videos
To help exhibitors understand what Digital Backpack is, how to order it, and how to set up their content and QR codes, we’ve created a comprehensive video tutorial to walk them through the process, step-by-step.
Additionally, we’ve created a quick video tutorial for attendees to understand Digital Backpack and how easy it is to scan content and add it to their event Digital Backpack.
The following are new enhancements and features we’ve added to the Digital Backpack user experience, helping to simplify and streamline both exhibitor and attendee experiences and also giving exhibitors even more options when planning how to share their content.
Login Page Enhancements
Use Camera to Scan Badge and Sign in
Previously, when attendees used the Digital Backpack for the first time at an event, they were required to manually enter their last name and badge number to verify their identity and begin collecting content. This method ensured secure access but required manual input from the attendee, a slower process that could create friction, especially during high-traffic periods at events.
Now, attendees have a new, faster option to initially access their Digital Backpack: scanning their badge QR code using their smartphone cameras. This quick, automated method reduces entry time and improves the overall user experience at busy events.
Event Banner & Updated UX
We’ve also improved the login page by adding an event banner. Additionally, we made minor UX enhancements to balance the page, ensuring a consistent experience for both mobile and desktop users with a new stacked layout for desktop. The Digital Backpack branding has also been relocated to a top bar.
Integrated Terms and Conditions
Before, terms and conditions were presented separately or required additional steps, potentially leading to attendee oversight. Now, terms and conditions are seamlessly integrated into the login page, ensuring attendees are immediately informed about sharing badge information with exhibitors, helping to foster more transparency.
Dynamic Welcome Email Elements
When attendees scan a Digital Backpack QR code to collect content and sign in for the first time, they receive a welcome email introducing Digital Backpack with important links they can use to access their portal and see their collected content. Recently, we enhanced the branding of this Digital Backpack Welcome Email to dynamically include the event name in the subject line and the event banner in the email body. Additionally, we’ve updated the body text with clear, simplified language.
Note: While the email text itself is not customizable for each event, all highlighted elements below are dynamically generated based on your event and the attendee who scanned a QR Code.
Revamped Navigation
The previous design involved a multi-step process, requiring exhibitors and attendees to navigate through various sections to access materials. We’ve streamlined the design to reduce clicks and create a more intuitive interface. The materials section now offers a clean and organized layout, allowing attendees to find each exhibitor’s content more clearly.
Optimized QR Code Export Options
Digital Backpack has always offered PNG, EPS, and SVG file format options for exporting QR codes, depending on exhibitors’ needs to display them in print or on a screen. Now there are two new exported QR code variations to meet diverse needs: the Master QR code and the Branded QR code.
Master QR Code
Generating a QR code for each material and placing them next to each product in a booth display can help exhibitors better understand which products each attendee is interested in. However, if an exhibitor has several materials that would be cumbersome to display in their booth, they can instead export a single Master QR Code for all the materials they’ve uploaded to the Digital Backpack platform. When attendees scan the Master QR code, they instantly add to their Digital Backpack all the exhibitors’ uploaded content, which significantly reduces scanning time and provides a more streamlined experience.
Branded QR Code
The Branded QR Code feature allows exhibitors to create QR codes that provide additional identifying visuals and a call to action. A branded QR code includes the exhibiting company’s name, the title of the material, a call to action that tells the attendee to scan the QR code image to add the content to their Digital Backpack, and additional XPress Leads and Digital Backpack branding. This additional branding makes it easy for attendees to know that this QR code is tied to content that can be added to their Digital Backpack.
Help Us Continuously Improve
At CDS, we remain dedicated to providing solutions that benefit you and elevate the overall experience of your event-goers. We would love to hear your feedback on these new features and how we can continue to enhance our tools to not only meet but exceed your expectations. To learn more about Digital Backpack, please reach out to your Client Success Executive.