Although the capability has been around for several years, the concept of a virtual tradeshow conducted solely in cyberspace is just beginning to take off. In the past year, a handful of virtual tradeshows have taken place on topics ranging from nanotechnology to plumbing and heating supplies. These events function just like conventional tradeshows, with booths, plenary sessions and keynote speakers-but without the travel and expense that go along with terrestrial shows. To attend virtual tradeshow workshops and sessions, attendees need only a computer and a fast Internet connection. The system is set up so attendees can chat with and ask questions of speakers and other attendees in real time. And like a standard tradeshow, the virtual tradeshow comes complete with booths sponsored by various vendors. Exhibitors use specially designed software to build their virtual booths to showcase products and services, present live presentations and product demos, and distribute literature. By browsing the booths, attendees can view demos, pick up literature to deposit in their virtual briefcases and chat with sales reps in real time. A virtual tradeshow also benefit the tradeshow organizers, who can spend more time recruiting quality speakers and exhibitors and less on logistics. There are only a few companies providing virtual tradeshow software and services, including iCongo Corporation of Brighton Mass, whose ICE3 Online Tradeshow and Exhibition Platform allow exhibitors to build tradeshow booths and interact with attendees. A Virtual Trade Show takes the most successful elements of an annual live trade show and translates them into the virtual world of the Internet. Think of a Virtual Tradeshow as an interactive electronic sales tool. A virtual tradeshow is designed specifically to generate interest, exposure and traffic, as well as provide customer interaction with exhibitors and advertisers throughout the year - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The latest Internet technologies have been brought together to build business for exhibitors. Your association or industry can utilize a virtual tradeshow tool to produce additional revenue for your organization and for your members. What you won't find at a virtual trade show is travel, hotel and entertainment costs or valuable time spent away from the office. Benefits to the Exhibitor are that a virtual tradeshow is designed to enhance the elements of a real trade show. A virtual tradeshow delivers valuable benefits by helping the trade show and exhibitors gather and qualify leads, register attendees and exhibitors, take orders for information and show literature, give attendees and exhibitors information on daily events, show schedules, programs and workshops, gather feedback on the trade show or exhibitor booth and build a database of all this information for future shows. The virtual tradeshow booth is the heart of any association or company virtual tradeshow. It enables the member company to exhibit their products and services to visitors and to interact with them by fulfilling their requests for more information. A virtual tradeshow booth can also double as a Website for the association's member, providing interesting product and service information and availability to those within the industry as well as to the general public.