Research shows the power of events is stronger than ever. In some shape or other, conferences, exhibitions, brand activations, experiential and other type of events account for 25 per cent of the average B2B marketing budget. And that spend isn’t about the number of events, it’s about their quality, their interactivity and their legacy.
A 21st century event has to be big on the three Es: effective, enjoyable and, above all else, engaging, which is where technology can help. Young people are admonished for looking at their phones all the time, but old(er) people do it too! There are a lot of event apps in the market that promise to enhance your events and attendee experience.
But in reality, what do these apps bring to events?
Chronologically, event apps should foster a community. Before the event even begins, event apps allows event planners and event managers to send their guests content information, details of speakers, partners and exhibitors. Each element is loaded with the potential for word of mouth marketing to interest other potential attendees.
Key benefits of the Eventogy app:
- Schedule: Let attendees know what is happening and where. The event agenda is updated in real time and uses push notifications to indicate updates. The app also allows you to generate personalised schedules based on the session and meetings they’re individually allocated into. That, in turn, can boost attendee engagement and their inclination to participate and engage.
- One on One Meetings Manager: Arrange personalised meetings manually or automatically, saving attendees’ time and ramping up their engagement.
- Push Notifications: Effective, particularly when used sparingly. Let people know any additions to a session they’re registered to attend, for instance, or a change of location, but don’t spam your attendees with notification. Test the process beforehand, gauge its impact, and tailor your approach. Less is more.
- Layout: The app supports multiple floor plans, which can be identified and named separately. Keeping your attendees informed about the event map and help them get to where they need to be. Particularly useful with multiple breakout session options and meetings away from the main space.
- Speaker profiles: Upload photos, biographies and contact details, as required, for all of your event speakers. Help attendees identify the best talks for their checklists.
- Document library: Upload PDF documents and give attendees access to information on any aspect of the event, eliminating the need to print paper handouts.
- Messaging: With the app installed, attendees can message each other directly, before, during or after your event in a single platform. Building connections and community during and after your event.
- Visitor profiles: Allow opt-in attendees to access each other’s details and make event networking seamless.
- Live Polls: Give your visitors true interaction, in sessions and on the show floor. Let them participate in live polls and questionnaires. Speakers will thank you for it too.
- Live Wall: An opportunity for attendees, and speakers, to post pictures and text into a stream, Twitter-style, from the eye of the event, and become a demonstrable part of the event.
- Q&As: Interactive question and answer sessions can be presented in real time to give the audience a chance to directly engage with both the speaker and the wider audience.
In terms of design and agenda, event apps can catalyse interaction and conversation, give them a vested interest in the event and stimulate conversation and opinion. This can done easily by sharing a survey or a live poll within the app via the activity feed and using the push notification feature to alert attendees.
Data collected from apps can also serve to shape future events, highlighting the elements, the sessions/topics, your attendees were most interested in. The Eventogy app allows you to send post-event surveys too, to find out the thoughts and feelings behind the numbers, what people might be interested in subsequently.
The Eventogy app is an ally for organisers and attendees. From pre-event to post-event it amplifies the interaction and engagement that ultimately determine the return on investment and put the outline together for the follow-up.
The expectation in events is at such a point that they have to deliver. That’s much easier with attendees informed and organised throughout the process. They will concentrate on a greater set of motives for attending, meeting the right people, benefitting from the most helpful content and, ultimately, believing in the brand. They will help with the marketing, the delivery and the feedback.
