It's officially 2018! Now that the holiday festivities have died down, it's time to get back to work. If the idea of diving back into your 2018 events gives you anxiety, then you probably aren't using the right event tools. Not to worry! That's something that's under your control. With the start of the New Year, many people focus their time and efforts on becoming better versions of themselves. This year, we think all event planners should have the same mindset going into 2018: Out with the old, in with the new! Too often, event planners add unnecessary and easily-avoidable stress into their lives by using outdated event planning tools. Although these tools may have once been state-of-the-art, event technology is rapidly evolving and making old tools obsolete. If you want to be able to keep up with the events you're organizing and impress your attendees, update your toolkit for the new year.
What to Get Rid Of
Binders
Not only are binders heavy and awkward to lug around, they're not environmentally friendly. Go green by ditching the binders and opt for a mobile event app, such as CrowdCompass by Cvent. Your entire event schedule can live within the app alongside speaker information, attendee networking resources, social integrations, additional content information pages, and so much more. You can also monetize your app with in-app sponsorship opportunities. Retire the cumbersome binder and adopt a fresh and easy-to-use mobile event app. Your attendees will thank you.
Lines
No one likes standing in line. Streamline the event check-in process by using a platform such as Cvent’s OnArrival Self Service Kiosk. OnArrival enables guests to register, check-in, pay, and modify their information in a matter of seconds. This process allows attendees to quickly fix a typo before printing out their badges and lets walk-ins register on the spot. The best part of this system is that it eliminates lines. For example, when used at Cvent’s CONNECT Europe event, it took an average of 15 seconds for an attendee to check-in.
The Mic-Handoff Shuffle
You know the scene. It’s the end of a speaker session and the speaker asks if anyone has any questions. The first person to ask a question is at the back of the room and the next person is way over on the left front corner, etc. Then, the mic is carried back and forth by a staff member and valuable time is wasted. During that time, the audience sits uncomfortably, waiting for the next question to be asked. This wasted time can be completely eliminated with a mobile event app. With built-in Q&A, audience members can submit questions straight from their phones. Not only does this eliminate the awkward mic-handoff shuffle, it enables shyer attendees to have their voices heard.
Extra Staff Members
Extra staff members are so 2017. If you want to save yourself the hassle of hiring temp workers to answer simple attendee questions such as ‘where’s the bathroom’ and ‘what session is next’, implement a chatbot at your event. Chatbots can be pre-programmed to answer your attendee's questions. They can even be set up to go beyond the event and suggest local restaurants or activities. Additionally, using a mobile event app helps alleviate the need for extra staff by providing your attendees with floor maps, Q&A, FAQs, push notifications, and more so your attendees can always know exactly what’s going on.
Physical Money
Digital payment forms and currencies are trending and they’re only going to become more popular. If you or your exhibitors have anything for sale at your event, encourage the use of a cash-free system. Using a tool like Cvent’s OnArrival payment system is easy to implement and allows attendees to pay with a credit card. You can also use digital payment systems such as Venmo, Cash (the app owned by Square), or ApplePay. Really want to seem tech-savvy? Allow your attendees to purchase their tickets with Bitcoin. The start of the new year is the perfect time to motivate yourself to make changes. Why not update your event planning toolkit? Implement just a few of these changes for a refreshed event experience.
