It’s quite likely that you are one of the 91% of mobile users who keep their device within arm’s reach for 100% of the time. So you will know how important mobile phones have become in nearly every aspect of life.
Mobile for event planning is no different. It is amazing how much easier event planning is now organisers are getting fully mobile.
1) Mobile apps for before an event takes place
Using mobile apps helps organisers to improve the pre-event process. Registration is made simple as attendees use the app to register interest and also to book onto the event.
Users can search and bookmark the areas they intend to visit at the event, look at interactive floorplans, view updated contact information and read the speaker bios.
2) Attendees are kept up to date with the latest information as it happens
Rather than turning up to find that time slots/ locations and even speakers have be changed, attendees are kept in the loop in real-time. This information can even include the slides that are going to be looked at during the event.
This access to speaker presentations could save time for the attendees who begin to download the the information they want as it happens, and they could download the most relevant to them. There could be interaction in the form of requests for content from the attendees who, after all, are the most important part of the event.
3) Feedback in real-time
For the presenters at an event this means that they are kept up to date themselves with what the people want. They can see where people are bookmarking and are likely to visit, and work out what might be needed to encourage more interaction in the quieter areas. By using mobile apps to share presentation slides, there is no need to print out handouts and no concern if more attendees than expected turn up.
For event planners this means that before the event has even begun there is the best chance of success. Your speakers are already happy, guests will enjoy the event and you won’t be thrown by unexpected attendees.
4) Mobile on arrival improves the onsite process
Payment tools onsite – unexpected attendees could pay, extras for the event could be paid for. This reduces the need for collecting business cards on the day to invoice later.
Check-in registration onsite by a reader reduces the number of staff needed to register and take attendee details at the door.
Connect with other attendees and work out where they are at the venue. You can use the location tools to simply see where you are in the venue with a ‘you are here’ marker on a mobile app.
5) Data collection during the event is seamless
During interactive sessions, votes could be collected as they happen – so there is no more counting the number of hands or taking in a multitude of voting papers to collate.
Event questionnaires can be accessed as the event is happening, this means planners get valuable feedback from the people that matter – the attendees. Using an app to collect the information means that the speaker gets it straight away. A savvy speaker could even use the feedback to change their presentation on that very day if it suggests a different angle would be useful to attendees. It enables organisers to gauge an attendee’s immediate reaction before it has been affected by other views or by the time lapse between speaker and feedback questionnaire.
Feedback is easily analysed when collected in this way. It will be ready for a presenter or event planner to work out patterns of response and how to best respond to feedback – quickly.
6) Track movement of attendees
Using location tracking technology organisers can track the movements of attendees and which areas are popular. All this goes on while the event is happening, to help attendees effectively identify where the buzz is at each moment to see what’s happening there.
7) Planning of subsequent events
Planning via mobile enables the whole event to become more efficient. Seamless collection and distribution of relevant information makes planning for the next event even easier.
Related links
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