15 Event Technology Tactics To Guarantee A Successful Event
Understanding event technology is one thing but what you really need are tactics that can be employed to the benefit of your overall event objectives. Unless you’ve been there and done it, it’s difficult to know the possibilities and limitations of event tech. It’s a brave – and big – new world.
Fortunately, event technology has now reached a stage of maturity where there are already several tried and tested tactics that can help you get the most out of your event.
Listed below are some of the best tried and tested event tech tactics for driving benefits to all aspects of event management, from event promotion to attendee management and everything in between:
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Save Time with Online Venue Comparisons
When reviewing potential venues, work with a tool that enables you to compare them side by side to easily see the differences between options. This can save a great deal of time reading multiple websites and paper literature.
Take Action:
> Compare venue features with side-by-side comparison tools.
> Use comparison to generate a shortlist for further investigation.
> Utilize 360-degree video tours to get a feel for a venue without stepping foot in the building.
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Make Attendees Feel Welcome with SMS Messaging
Improve attendee experience by making them feel more welcome. Customize text messages for your event attendees so they receive a welcome message as soon as they land at the airport, or arrive at the hotel.
Things to Consider:
> Consider SMS messaging as part of your event tech solution.
> Think one step ahead of the attendee – they’ve arrived at the airport, how can you help them?
> Make sure text messages are addressed to the attendee personally.
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Improve Attendee Experience with Facial Recognition
Wait times continue to be one of the biggest bugbears for event attendees. Facial recognition technology solves the issue by speeding up check-ins. Other common uses for face recognition include personalization and security.
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Consider Benefits of Facial Recognition Technology:
> Reduce queue-lines by implementing face recognition check-ins.
> Use face recognition to personalize experiences at tech touchpoints (kiosks, booths etc.) by recognizing attendees as they approach.
> Use face recognition to create frictionless access control for attendees.
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Always Keep Your Data and Attendees Safe
The security of your attendees, stakeholders, and their data is paramount, however, threats evolve. Worrying about security upfront can save you an enormous amount of money and can even save lives.
Cover Yourself:
> Ensure that all passwords are encrypted and that data is handled in line with the law, GDPR and other legislation and best practice.
> Observe a strict backup procedure in line with best practice
> Consider face recognition and multi-camera threat identification systems where large crowds are present
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Increase Efficiency and Revenue with NFC and Virtual Check-ins
Lengthy check-ins and queue-lines for bars and merchandise cost you both in time and interest for attendees. Very few lines are pleasurable and it can limit your sales as well.
Increase Event Revenue:
> Consider virtual check-ins which allow the attendee to check in using an app or website.
> Speed up check-ins at the venue with NFC (near field communication) passes, badges or tickets.
> Increase bar and merchandise sales by using NFC cashless payments.
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Personalize Registration Forms with Conditional Logic
Knowing your attendees is key to delivering a good event experience. Make sure you’re asking the right questions to the right people on your registration forms.
Personalize Online Registration:
> Use conditional logic to tailor the form based on the answers given, avoiding irrelevant questioning.
> Use answers to create audience segments for future targeted messaging.
> Create a process to test forms before going live.
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Utilize Mobile Apps for Maximum Team Efficiency
Event professionals rarely get the opportunity to sit at a desk when an event is in full flow so it’s important to be able to get information to them when they are on the move.
Streamline Team Communications:
> Make sure any event tech software you use has a mobile app available for maximum efficiency.
> Consider event apps with private backchannels and direct messaging
> Make sure your reminders get seen by your event team by using text messages – SMS text messaging is much more likely to get noticed than an email when at a busy event.
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Use Voice Recognition for Attendee Convenience
Simply asking a question is much easier than navigating through pages of information. Give your attendees a quick and easy way to get the information they need by using voice recognition. Asking for directions to the nearest toilets or to a specific session is the quickest and easiest way to get the information.
The Future is Voice Controlled:
> Consider event apps with voice control and concierge functionality
> Use kiosks with voice recognition to direct attendees around the event
> Replace fiddly FAQs with voice-controlled chatbots
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Make the Most of Useful Event Content
Event experiences can be improved greatly by convenience and why reinvent the wheel when conference vendors may already have created great resources that could be shared publicly.
Create a Library within your Event App:
> Include a resource center in your event app, where attendees can search for, save, write notes, favourite and share documents relating to your event.
> Ask session leaders to share an article in your online public space or create a deep dive file library.
> Offer access to content as a special perk for early-bird registrants.
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Leverage Community to Learn, Connect and Promote
Online communities allow event organizers to get closer to their audiences. They are more than just a platform for promotion. Engaging with your audience can also help you better learn what makes a great experience for them.
Stay Connected:
> Consider developing your own online community. Social Networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn provide free community platforms or choose an event app with a private chat room or social function.
> Engage with audiences across social networks. Build a rapport.
> Be active in groups on LinkedIn. Show your expertise, share content and contribute to discussions on interesting topics.
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Use Data to Find the Value in Connections
New event technology allows eventprofs to get a much better understanding of attendee ROI through analytics. Analyzing data from matchmaking tools can help measure ROI in terms of user usage, satisfaction and connections made and give much more detailed analysis.
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Analyze the Findings:
> Use data from matchmaking apps to gain insight into attendee ROI
> Compare matchmaking data with overall event satisfaction data to establish impact and mark areas for improvement
> Measure usage statistics. Are your attendees using it? If not, why not? Were there connections at the event they wanted but couldn’t find?
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Use AI to Offer a Better Experience
Many matchmaking apps now use AI to better match attendees to each other. The technology learns from each connection or rejection to ensure that future matches are better suited to the individual.
Embrace AI:
> Increase overall attendee satisfaction by using AI, which learns from connections and rejections.
> Choose an AI matchmaking solution that integrates well with social networks. Networks such as LinkedIn often have the answer to many of the questions asked by matchmaking software.
> Use AI matchmaking to continually learn about attendees.
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Improve Efficiency with Software Integration
By using software platforms that talk to each other without the need for human input, you remove the opportunity for human error and remove friction from the process of information transfer.
Get Smart with Integration:
> Integrate your event software and tech with one database so that data will never get changed in one spot and not updated in another.
> Try event registration software that talks to your marketing automation software and you’ll never have to run those annoying import, exports again.
> Badges no longer service attendees. Technology is now available that lets you passively exchange information. No more badge scanners required. No more printing badges. Ditch business cards because this tech cannot only capture info for you but keeps a record of where your attendees have been and who they have been with.
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Use Live Streaming to Increase Reach and Save Travel Costs
Live streamed video is one of the key technologies underpinning many of the technologies we use for communication and entertainment every day. Its usage is also becoming more prevalent in many areas of the event industry, saving costs on travel and helping to promote events with live content.
Go Live:
> Use video conferencing can help bring teams and geographically-scattered decision makers together without the need to travel.
> Reach more attendees and non-attendees to give them behind the scenes access using free live streaming technology such as Facebook Live.
> Interpreters can now use video live streaming technology to translate your event remotely and slash the costs of simultaneous translation. Current events technology allows translators to work remotely from laptops or desktops virtually anywhere in the world.
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Work with Sponsors to Increase Revenue
Getting the right sponsors for your event can be a struggle but event tech has the answer by way of matchmaking services to take the hassle out of the research phase. Beyond that, technology also allows you to develop that sponsor relationship further and generate even more income.
Take Action:
> Use technology as a matchmaking service to find event sponsors that fit your event and demographics. You select the type of the event and provide the details and market served and the software will do the rest.
> Use software to match sponsors to audiences based on effectiveness at past events and competitor events.
> Use technology to run digital campaigns on behalf of sponsors to create a new source of revenue for your event.
In Conclusion
Event Technology is quickly changing the way we plan events. By using event technology you can save money, make events more engaging, provide better ROI to sponsors. These are just some of the benefits to start using event technology for your event today.