Are You Leaving Out Your Sponsors And Vendors?

Do you know your event app adoption rate? In a recent conference where we provided on-site app management services, our overall app adoption rate was 83%. While high, we dug a little further into the stats (which you should be doing after your event to determine your actual event technology ROI), we noticed that the app adoption rate among attendees was actually 93%! The adoption rate among sponsors and vendors was 50%, which pulled the overall rate down. If not reported accurately, this has a negative impact on the ROI of the event technology being used.

Unfortunately, this is a common scenario as sponsors and vendors are being left out. There are many reasons for this, but the biggest reason is lack of communication combined with the perception that the app is only needed for attendees to see the conference sessions and schedules. If your sponsors and vendors only appear for the trade show and break times, they generally assume they don’t need the app. What they don't know is that they are missing out on all of the added social interaction throughout the conference that your event technology now provides. 

Looking at the big picture, this can also lead to larger impacts on the overall event experience, as sponsors and vendors may feel disconnected and not actively involved in your event. Flip this situation by leveraging your event technology!

Sponsors and vendors are often left to fend for themselves during an event, focusing on their own marketing and goals. If they do not understand how to interact with your audience, the vendor-attendee experience may default to the typical forced sales pitch, which can negatively affect the overall feel of your conference. While you can’t change the business practices of your vendors and sponsors, you can help them interact with attendees more fluidly by involving them more, and actually treating them as attendees themselves.

While the main focus of the planner is generally the attendees, it is important to not forget the sponsors and vendors! Remember - without them, the meeting or conference may not even happen! As important as they are, once the event begins and sponsors and vendors are on-site and set up, they are usually put on the back burner, as attendees and conference details take precedent. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, your vendors and sponsors need some love, too! If you want them to keep coming back, it is your responsibility to include them in the conference, and make them feel welcome and part of the group.  You can put steps in place for the conference to be successful for them, not just the attendees.

Event technology today brings so much more to an event than just an online schedule. It brings numerous ways for attendees and sponsors to communicate, connect, and form relationships with each other that go far beyond a sales pitch behind a table with giveaways! Here are a few ways you can use your event technology to help ensure the sponsors and vendors feel included and truly part of the conference:

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Identify.

Ensure that each sponsor attendee also has an attendee profile in your event app. This will allow the vendor to participate in the Activity Feed and interact with other attendees on a personal level by posting and/or commenting during the conference.

NOTE: Make sure you have clear Terms of Service regarding app usage. These should include banning any selling or non-approved advertising or promotion of a product in the Activity Feed, and keep sponsors posting on a personal level only. You should have a designated moderator to ensure the rules and Terms of Service are followed, with the ability to remove any unwanted posts that may appear.

Market.

Create a marketing plan that allows sponsors and vendors to purchase a specific amount of ad space throughout your conference app and emails. These can be sold à la carte or integrated into modern, up-to date sponsorship packages that include benefits in your event technology. Depending on the technology you use, there are also ways to provide statistics on ads that were run through the event app, giving sponsors with more ROI evidence to defend their purchase (and future purchases!).

NOTE: You should have a designated person managing, maintaining, and monitoring these ads, especially if they appear during the conference for a set amount of time.

Include.

Consider ways that your group can integrate the sponsors and vendors into your gamification plan. Whether it’s scanning codes, lead retrieval, or providing prizes for interaction, they should be involved. Providing customized discussion rooms, online activities, or even specific session tracks for sponsors and vendors will help them become more involved and connected to your event. Customized messages, sent directly to sponsors and vendors, can also be managed through your event app during the event, inviting them to specific events, providing information, or to simply check in on them.

Educate.

Just as you should provide instructions to your attendees about the event app, you also need to provide instructions to your sponsors and vendors. Don't assume they know how to use the app to benefit themselves to the fullest. Providing sponsors and vendors tips on how they can leverage the app will help them become more involved and ingrained with your event. Stats show that sponsors and vendors are not taking advantage of everything you have to offer to them. Help them with ideas of how to properly use your technology to engage and interact with your group.

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While attendees are usually the main focus, it is important to attract and retain sponsors and vendors each year. By maximizing your event technology already in place, you can help them have the best experience possible, feel welcome and included, and help ensure they will be back again next year!

What Actually Is Gamification?

We recently had the opportunity to be a guest blogger for Prevue, a company providing experiential, high-impact experiences for meeting and incentive planners. In addition to guest blogging, we also have the privilege of presenting at upcoming event in Palm Beach - Transforming Meetings Summit. Since we will be pulling back the curtain and showing the attendees the inner workings and behind the scenes details of the gamification and technology being used at the event, we thought it might be good to first discuss what gamification actually is.

Gamification is one of the hottest phrases in the event industry today. We’ve all heard it, but what does it actually mean? Gamification is a concept of applying game mechanics, such as points, badges, and challenges to non-game activities. The success of your game depends on how well the combination of these game mechanics work together and create an overall engaged attendee experience. It is a process to entice your attendees, keep them engaged with your event from before it starts until after it ends, and to help build and strengthen your brand.

While it sometimes does include an actual game to play, gamification is a broad term used to describe methods being employed to attract and engage your audience. It may be simply earning points when attendees engage with the app by posting updates, checking in with sponsors or sessions, or providing feedback. The main reason behind gamification is not just for attendees to have fun, it can be a way for you to achieve your event goals!

There are many types of gamification options available for planners that can be integrated into an event. Some examples include:

• Earning points
• Earning badges
• Winning prizes
• Answering trivia questions
• Completing challenges
• Going on a scavenger hunt
• Checking in to sessions or sponsors
• Completing surveys

Adding an individual game into your event does not mean you are covered because you now have “gamification” at your event. If this is just a random game, it will not automatically be successful. You need an implementation plan - a customized gamification plan. All of the pieces of your gamification plan need to become a seamless part of your event, and something that your unique audience will enjoy and embrace as part of the event, not just a gimmicky add-on.

When implemented properly, the concept of gamification is an effective strategy to connect and engage with your attendees, achieve your event goals, and create an overall deeper event experience.

What To Expect When Integrating New Technology Into Your Event

Are you integrating new technology into your event this year? Congratulations! Isn’t it exciting? Whether you are adding a new event app or implementing online registration, one of the most important aspects to consider is your audience. We love to geek out about a new product, but we always have to remember not everyone is as excited about it as we are! Your audience is the key to your success. It is up to you to prepare them for anything you throw at them, especially if it something new and may seem scary!

Adoption Rate

How quickly are you looking for your attendees to adopt this new technology? What level of adoption rate are you looking to get? If you don't know these answers, take some time to determine them. It is important to be realistic with these answers.

Depending on the technology being implemented, these numbers can vary drastically - it depends on your goals and your plan. For example, if you are “going green” with a mobile app and immediately abolishing a printed program the first year of the app, you may get some pushback and low adoption rate in the beginning. The same goes for online registration. If your attendees are used to registering for your conference by calling, emailing, or mailing back a postcard (yes, it still happens!), it may take a few years to fully implement that online registration system and get to a high adoption rate. It will be worth it in the long run, though!

Communication, Instructions, and Support - Oh My!

While it may take some time for these examples to achieve your desired adoption rate, don’t fear (they can smell it!). With time, clear communication, and instructions, it can happen! During this time, you will need to be patient with those that do pushback, understanding that they may be scared or uncertain to jump into something new. Give them options, and be prepared for additional communication and long phone calls to help ease them into these new processes.

Finding ways to effectively distribute instructions will be vital as well. While some people actually do read every word in their emails, regardless of the length, there are plenty of people who only skim them, and rarely get through a complete email before moving on. You will need to adapt your marketing plan to fully include this exciting new feature. Let the attendees know the benefits of using the great, new technology! Hopefully, the product you choose is smooth, user-friendly, and intuitive. Even if it is, though, there always needs to be some instructions and tips. Embrace the early adopters and enable them as representatives, spreading the enjoyment to others, while helping them at the same time.

During this transition time, you may need to offer options to your attendees in order to keep everyone happy and give them the time to test the waters on their own before you force them into it! For a mobile app, you may need to offer a printed program while overtly pushing and advertising the mobile app for a year or two, as you gradually reduce the visibility and number of printed programs available. For a new online registration system, you may need to offer multiple ways to register while everyone gets used to and comfortable with the system. While this will end up taking more work on your part, it will help in the end once everyone is using the online system!

Don’t Give Up!

Ultimately, your attendees should determine your process. Make sure your adoption rate goals are realistic to the event. Some events may have very high adoption rates the first year, while it may take other events a few years to reach a high adoption rate. You, as the planner, have a unique understanding of what your event needs and in what direction it needs to move to stay successful. As you transition in this new technology, be open minded and request feedback from your staff and attendees. Be flexible if needed, but don’t necessarily give in to the pushback. People don’t like change, but once it is no longer new, they don’t know how they lived without it!

As a planner and a leader - embrace the change, and the challenges that come with it! Be confident in your path. Ask for help if you need it. We are here if you need anything!

Event Technology - Do You Know Where To Start?

Technology.  (cue menacing music…)  Joking aside, event technology does not have to be scary. You just need to know where to start and what technology is the best fit for your event. 

The growing buzzword throughout the industry over the past few years has been “technology.” This push for more and more technology in our events stems directly from the fast pace technology is expanding on our everyday lives. Like it or not, technology is here to stay, and it is no longer a luxury to have for your event. It is required and attendees expect it.

To be, or not to be...overwhelming!

Adding technology into your events should not be scary or intimidating. There are a tremendous amount of ways to integrate technology into an event successfully, regardless of you or your attendee’s level of experience with it. To begin with, focus on the basics. For now, forget about the cutting edge immersive technology demonstrated at SXSW each year or when the UFC completely takes over all of Las Vegas. While fun and amazing, the technology demonstrated at these events can be overwhelming, and may not even fit into your budget! Adding event technology into your event should not be intimidating. It should be a fun, painless, and successful new venture. To begin with, forget about everything you see the technology companies advertising. Forget about the bells and whistles for now. One of your first goals should be to determine what technology works best for your audience that can create a memorable experience, while still fitting into your current budget. Look at your individual event and determine what your goals are for that event. Can technology play a role anywhere? (HINT: This answer is yes!)

Start small.

There are many options available to you, as technology can play a role in many different ways in the meeting and event industry. From easy and intuitive online registration systems, database management, reporting tools, and email communication software to on-site solutions such as mobile apps, streamlined check ins, attendee engagement tools, and immediate customer support options, there is technology available to help you in any aspect of your event. From basic to expansive and cutting-edge, there is something out there for you can help make your event smoother and more memorable.

A key aspect to remember when integrating technology is finding what is right for you and your audience, and being able to manage it properly. Whatever you choose, be sure to give your attendees a chance to learn and embrace whatever technology you implement. Here are a few questions to consider when looking to implement technology:

1. What type of experience do you want your attendees to have?
2. Do attendees have concerns with any particular part of the event process?
3. Are there any tasks that are time consuming and tedious? Can some type of technology assist with this to simplify or speed up a process?
4. Do your current technologies work well with each other?
5. Are your attendees ready for new technology? Do you have a technology implementation plan in place?
6. Where can technology help? Is there anywhere it should be avoided?
7. Do you have the staff and/or time to add any additional technology and implement it effectively?
8. Do you know enough to answer these questions or should you seek advice?

If you are just starting out with technology, don’t get distracted by all of the shiny add-ons. Look at the basic product and begin by implementing it smoothly and seamlessly. Don’t forget about the additional time and learning curve that always comes when adding something new. When done correctly, the right technology can be a wonderful addition to any event, and will have your attendees talking and ready to come back with friends!

Tune in next time - same Tech time, same Tech channel….