The events industry, like almost all others, is undergoing a technological transformation. From bookings and registration systems, to delegate acquisition, networking and conference engagement – increasingly in the form of interactive games and apps – planners now have at their fingertips an array of tools that can enhance the experience of events for attendees and organisers alike.
The industry has also recognised that the many different parts of the ‘journey’, from the initial hunt for an attendee, to the stage where they book, and actually go to the event, involves many processes that have previously not been that well joined together, if at all.
Rene Looper, founder of Inverness-based TuMinds Social Media and organiser of the city’s first ‘Tweetup’, says: “I think it’s about finding little wow moments throughout the process, from the start to the finish of the event. It’s the sum of those little wows that make an event special; the obvious ones are feedback and voting through an app, but overall I think it’s mapping the customer journey to find out how can we make this process stand out. Before IT and social media, it was more focused on a great lunch with great food – and that’s still important – but there’s a lot more you can do to make your event stand out, especially engaging through technology.” Looper encourages sponsors to see technology as an opportunity to engage more with delegates – something they may sometimes shy away from – through apps and by joining in with the social media conversation.
Networking is also key. Many delegates attend conferences for the opportunity to meet the right people, as much as for the content. Some may even be (secretly) hoping for a new relationship. And the good news is, ‘there’s an app for that’. Software can now enable delegates to create networks before they even attend, which is helpful to both delegate and organiser as it offers ‘proof of concept’ for the event, especially if lots of connections are being made. “It’s so easy now to make sure you’re going to an event that it’s going to be worthwhile because you’ve already made the connection,” says Looper.
“Also the introduction is a lot easier because a lot of people have difficulty making the first step, the first move. It’s always the fear of a lot of people when they go to an event that they will end up standing alone in the corner with a coffee, not talking to anyone. Now, with Twitter or an app you can find people nearby who maybe have the same interests; it makes finding people so much easier.”
