Posted on 24, March, 2020
Last Modified on 24, March, 2020
There’s an app for almost anything, including ones that can enhance your trade show exhibiting experience, travel, planning and can help you follow up on leads. Here are some helpful apps to make your next trade show a more successful one.
CamCard (Free version or $11.99/month version)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: Free version – 4 stars; $11.99 version - 4 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: Free version – 4+ stars; $11.99 version – 4+ stars
This app intuitively scans business cards that stores and sorts the contact info into a searchable database in a cloud based system. (You can only scan 200 business cards with the free version) You can sync the info across different devices, create an e-card profile with a photo, and contact info to swap with other CamCard users. It also reads up to 17 different languages. You can subscribe to other company’s news, add meeting notes or set reminders as well as receive notifications when other contacts join new companies or get promoted.
Expensify (Free to download. $5 or $9/month or special pricing for customization)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 4.1 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4.5 stars
Expensify will help you track all your expenses throughout the various stages of your trade show. It will create editable spreadsheet expense reports. It can take pictures of receipts, features different currency options and other additional information. This can also be linked to a credit card or credit card receipts with an automatic receipt scanner feature. This can include mileage, time and other reimbursable/billable expenses. It’s perfect for exhibitors and companies worried about tracking tons of paper receipts on a trip to bring back and expense.
BlueStone Nexus (Free to download. Pricing not available)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 5 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
This is a convenient app that serves as a hub to store company and brand literature and translates information into different languages. The app markets itself directly to trade show exhibitors by offering easy lead collection and management at any event type. It also has a business card snapshot feature, lets you set up follow up dates with leads and will help distribute marketing collateral. It will also allow you to export the stored data to your CRM system. It will also create reports based on metrics on how long your literature was viewed by any event attendees and leads.
WhatsApp Messenger (Free)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 4.4 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
A group messaging app developed by former Yahoo! employees that allows you to send messages, photos, videos and audio to your team at shows. You can create your own group and invite anyone in your contact list to join. You can also share locations with other uses and exchange contacts. It will use WiFi when available so as to not drain your data plan when sharing videos and other content. It also saves chat history. As a bonus, WhatsApp also doesn’t have any ads.
TripIt (Free or $0.99 one-time cost for ad-free version)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: Free version – 4.3 stars; $0.99 version – 4.3 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: Free version – 4+ stars; $0.99 version – 4+ stars
Conveniently combines users travel info into one itinerary for your trade show trip. The app will also store rental car and hotel booking information along with your restaurant reservations. You will get confirmation emails sent to this app on any information along with maps and contact info for those places. It can be synced with your Apple or Google Calendars.
Note: There is a $49/year TripIt Pro version that will update you on flight alerts (weather, delays, other alternate flights, seat upgrades, rate refunds). It also helps track reward program points, shares your travel plans and gives you access to VIP travel benefits.
Zkipster (Free to download. 3 pricing tiers, pay per individual event use)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 3.6 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
The app allows you to check in at trade shows, import contact lists or enter attendees info manually. You can check visitors in, print nametags and get real-time attendance numbers. Add photos to contact names and sync different lists across your devices. If you have VIP guests coming, the app will alert you when they are checked in. You can create seating maps with company’s logos for easy tracking. It will also give you a post-event attendance report.
Evernote (Free, Plus ($2.99 monthly or $24.99/annually) and Premium ($5.99/monthly or $49.99/annually versions)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 4.6 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
Take and share notes, photos and to-do photos with this app. Any stored information can be synced across all devices. It also features a work-chat function which allows for real-time comments on projects. You can create agendas, action items for meetings as well as track expenses and save travel reservations. Documents, PDFs and photos are all shareable.
Note: Evernote Plus gives you 1 GB of uploads, saves emails, gives you offline access to notes and gives you a passcode. Evernote Premium gives you 10 GB of uploads each month as well as allowing all the benefits of Plus with annotating edits to your PDFs and turn notes into Presentation Mode.
Periscope (Free)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 3.9 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4 stars
The main feature of this app is its sharable livestreaming video capability on social media. You can show viewers live feeds of your exhibit at shows, feature product demonstrations, interviews or special presentations. The app will store your videos for instant replay for up to 24 hours on playback. You can choose whether videos can be shared publicly or privately. Viewers can comment and chat back or give you “likes” on your video. It can be directly connected to your twitter account for easy sharing and there’s no time limit on live streaming or replayed videos.
iCapture (App is free to download but plans to use it are $10/month, $15/month and $49/month all paid annually)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 3.9 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
As an exhibitor, this app will allow you to conduct surveys and capture leads. You’ll be able to customize the design of the app to match your brand and customize the surveys. The app stores show attendees contact info and is available offline. The app also gives exhibitors the option to forward collected leads to certain email services and sent automatic emails to participants to thank them or send a special promotion.
Note: Basic ($10/month annually) offers unlimited captures with logo, export to excel and random drawings. Pro ($15/month annually) offers email marketing, scoring, signature capture, kiosk mode, ready to go survey questions, multiple choice questions and proven “hot lead” questions as well as auto-reply emails. Power ($49/month annually) includes the full gamut of QR code scans, trade show badge scanning, business card scanning and CRM systems.
Quick Tap Survey (Free to download, plans are $19/month, $49/month, $99/month for one device/license)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 4.0 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
This app collects contact information, fathers feedback and qualifies leads from surveys at trade shows. It’s usable completely offline, which is good for trade show venues that don’t provide WiFi (or free WiFi) or ones with bad connectivity. It’s quick with large buttons and text and easy to swipe. The different tiers of plans ranges in how much customization you’re able to do with surveys and contact info captured from them.
Double-Dutch (Free to download, prices for usage not listed)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 2.1 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+
You can curate your own agendas, access session information about locations, speaker bios and related documents. The streaming feed of this app will show which sessions are trending, what photos are popular and what the hot discussion topics are. Leave comments for sessions you attended and see which attendees are sitting in on which exhibits or seminars. Your attendees can access all the key information, encourage them to get involved into seminars and sessions and will track your leads. There are event and session check-ins and you can earn points, badges and prizes for being active on the app at the event.
FatStax (Free to download, $5-$30/month)
Note: Only available for iPad
iTunes App Store (Apple): 4+ stars
Sales, presentation and catalog app for sales people and helps potential leads search your product catalog. You can share product info with attendees in various formats (PDF’s, PowerPoints, and HTML). There’s CRM integration for leads captured and the app even helps you determine your ROI on trade shows you attend.
iLeads (Free to download. License fee for unique access code, prices vary)
Google Play Store (Android) rating: 3.9 stars
iTunes App Store (Apple) rating: 4+ stars
The app claims to be the trade show industry’s first and most widely used mobile retrieval system and badge scanning app. QR codes must be on event badges or it will not work. There’s a voice to text note entry feature as well as a real-time lead reporting feature. Leads are backed up on a secure exhibitor website and internet access isn’t necessary when collecting leads.