Solid Solutions accounts for almost 80% of all SOLIDWORKS CAD software sales in the UK and Ireland. They provide engineering software solutions to more than 15,000 customers. Their services range from engineering software sales and consultancy to training services, and 3D printers. They also have a highly certified SOLIDWORKS support team which provides best-in-class technical support.
The Challenge
Prior to 2020, Solid Solutions was used to hosting about 16 events a year across the United Kingdom. When COVID-19 struck and strict restrictions were imposed on social gatherings, they were forced to reconsider their plans.
In such unprecedented circumstances in their 20 years of experience, hosting roadshows was no longer possible. Looking for alternatives, they decided to move forward with a virtual launch event.
The key objectives of the Solid Solution virtual launch event were:
- Attract existing customers
- Educate customers on the latest version of the software
- Conduct skills development sessions to benefit customers
- Create product and brand awareness.
The organizers also wanted to offer a way for sponsors like Dell and NVIDIA and other exhibitors to pitch software and services to a really targeted audience.
Why vFairs?
The team at Solid Solutions heard of vFairs from another company within the engineering software space. They had a look and were instantly impressed with the virtual event platform vFairs offered. For Solid Solutions, what worked best was the ease with which vFairs was able to replicate the actual event environment through immersive 3D designs, lifelike lobbies, and custom avatars.
The platform was also easy to use from an attendee’s perspective. The interface was user-friendly and promised an effortless experience. Bidding adieu to a face-to-face environment, Solid Solutions was convinced that vFairs was the way to go to host the first Solid Solutions virtual launch event.
The vFairs team was great right from the onset. Nick said;
“vFairs was highly responsive and did a great job with the clock ticking and deadlines approaching. When they started looking for digital solutions they were apprehensive. However, the responsiveness of the vFairs team and flexibility of the platform made them reasonably confident with how the event would turn out.”
The Solution
Undeterred and well prepared, the Solid Solutions Virtual Launch Event took place on November 5th, 2020. Solid Solutions designed its virtual event platform with acute attention to detail. They incorporated features that helped them set the right impression with their customers.
Replicating the In-Person Feel with 3D Animated Lobby
Right from the very first step, Solid Solutions wanted to captivate its incoming audience. Therefore, designing an attractive lobby was important for them. With customized avatars roaming around the lobby, it replicated a real-life event lobby.
These 3D animated avatars added ‘depth’ and ‘interest’ to the lobby according to Nick Sibly, Group Operations Director at Solid Solutions.
They even placed a welcome video, which guided the audience through the entire event. This helps the participants get comfortable with the virtual environment, knowing what to expect from the rest of the event.
Hosting Unique Speaker Sessions In The Auditoriums
Solid Solutions’ virtual launch event had two auditoriums. A main auditorium and a 3DEXPERIENCE auditorium. Sessions in both were semi-live, meaning they used pre-recorded videos and hosted live Q&A sessions through the chat feature. Along with a keynote speaker, the sessions were mostly educational, serving to explain new additions to the software.
Additionally, in the partner sessions, Dell and NVIDIA among other exhibitors explained their services and product benefits to the audience. These sessions were a primary part of the in-person events. Presentations took place in auditoriums followed by product displays in an expo hall, which also facilitated interaction between attendees.
Creating Maximum Awareness With Exhibit Halls
The team at Solid Solutions designed the exhibit halls themselves and them divided according to:
- Subject: included booths on manufacturing, 3DExperience, and SolidWorks Composer among others.
- Sponsors and exhibitors: included booths of Dell and NVIDIA, DriveWorks, SolidCAM, and many more.
- Solid Solutions: booths were specific to training, customer service, and a proprietary solution, SolidQueue.
These booths had information specific to each of these subjects, sponsors, and exhibitors. There was a clear distinction between all three.
Informational Magazines & Resources
Solid Solutions virtual launch event included a rather unique feature: a magazine. It was a digital replication of the physical ‘swag bag’ they have at their in-person events, which includes a few giveaways plus a magazine that included detailed information on subjects such as Product Data Management, SolidWorks Electrical & PCB, manufacturing, technical communication, and even sponsors and exhibitors. Customers had the option to download or print the magazine.
The virtual platform also hosted resources such as videos and documents. These resources provided additional information and overviews of the sponsors and exhibitors offering greater insights for the customers. The resources could be added to the virtual ‘swag bag’ and downloaded later.
Opportunities To Network
Solid Solutions virtual launch event platform featured chat rooms for each sponsor and exhibitor. This facilitated customers to engage with the exhibitors and sponsors they wanted additional information from. Live audio, video, and text chat options allowed customers to easily engage with them.
The Result
Nick Sibly, Group Operations Director was happy with the outcome of Solid Solutions’ first venture into the virtual world. He says
“[A virtual event] was a very good replacement to in-person events. I was pleasantly surprised by the overall outcome”.
He felt it was a good platform to share content and build awareness. Moving forward there is a place for digital events. Solid Solutions really enjoyed the easy user interface. Attendees could effortlessly navigate on their own.
Given the circumstances, virtual events increased the efficiency of events for Solid Solutions. They didn’t have to send people across the country in a van with banners and equipment. Moreover, even the sponsors had an improved experience. They were able to extract greater information about the participants and their digital footprints.
Over 2000 people attended the Solid Solutions virtual launch event. This is a 20-30% increase in attendees as compared to a physical event. Apart from this, Solid Solutions called their virtual launch event a success because:
- They were able to demonstrate the new version of the software to customers
- Customers developed skill sets and knowledge
- They created networking opportunities for customers
- As a business, they were able to share the wider portfolio to generate sales leads.
