10 Questions to Ask Before Buying Event Management Software: Question #6

We work with a variety of customers from small to mid-sized businesses to global organizations with thousands and hundreds of thousands of employees. But each customer – no matter how large or small – has very similar questions when it comes to buying event technology. We brainstormed the top 10 questions that we believe smart companies should ask before buying event management software. In this blog, I’ll spotlight the importance of each of the questions – and their answers – in a series of 10 posts.

Thanks for following this blog series. In our last post, we discussed how event management technology can make attendees happy.  Here’s another question you should ask before buying event management software: “How can event technology deepen my relationship with attendees?”

In an ACTIVE Network/Event Marketing Institute survey of 2012 event tech trends, 94% of meeting owners said their top event need was to improve the attendee experience. Meanwhile, 85% said expanding customer engagement was their top concern.

When considering event management software, ask yourself if it helps you increase your ties to attendees via:

• Social media that creates blogs and other communities and lets attendees view YouTube videos
• Mobile event app so attendees can view and schedule sessions, download agendas, view daily news updates, participate in goal-oriented business games
• Data and insights allowing you to personalize the event experience for your attendees

Read all 10 Questions Smart Companies Need to Ask before buying event management technology!

Next blog:  Question #7– How will event tech improve my relationship with exhibitors?

Other Resources:

- The Connected Event – an analysis of technology use, best practices and benchmarks.

Written By: Don Munro

10 Questions to Ask Before Buying Event Management Software: Question #5

We work with a variety of customers from small to mid-sized businesses to global organizations with thousands and hundreds of thousands of employees. But each customer – no matter how large or small – has very similar questions when it comes to buying event technology. We brainstormed the top 10 questions that we believe smart companies should ask before buying event management software.  In this blog, I’ll spotlight the importance of each of the questions – and their answers – in a series of 10 posts.

How to improve the event experience for attendees? Make their lives simpler! In an ACTIVE Network/Event Marketing Institute survey of 2012 event tech trends, 94% of meeting owners said that “improving the attendee experience” was their top event need.

It’s a snap to simplify the attendee experience. Just make sure the event tech you’re considering buying can make it easy for them to:

• Register and engage with your event via:
  • Pre-populated forms for easy registration
  • Automated communication tools, such as surveys and messaging
  • To network with attendees via such tools as:
    • A portal that participants can use to search for and connect with others
    • To recommend, share content using a mobile app

Read all 10 Questions Smart Companies Need to Ask before buying event management technology!

Look for our next post:  Question #6 – How will event tech improve my relationship with attendees?

Other Resources:

- The Connected Event – an analysis of technology use, best practices and benchmarks.

Written By: Don Munro

Infographic: Social media trends in tradeshow and event marketing

• 47.8% of tradeshow and event marketers spend 1-5 hours on social media marketing per week.
• 102% is the average increase of Twitter followers from businesses that start a blog
• Mobile smartphone usage is set to increase from 83.5 million users in 2010 to 142.1 million users in 2014
• 66% of users access social networking via a smartphone.
• Smartphones like the iphone and Android are increasing the opportunities to connect attendees and other tradeshow participants.

This week’s stats and infographic are brought to us from Echelon Design and Exhibitor Media Group. It provides an interesting look at some of the most widely used social media tools and their application and effectiveness in today’s event world. Please enjoy and let us know what your experience of social networking and events has been?

Please  share your comments below

Written By: Irene Coghlan

Mobile Signals Positive Change in the Meeting & Events Industry

As more and more event technology providers make the move into the mobile realm, it is a good step forward for event technology, and a positive sign that the event industry is moving forward.

During Active Network’s mobile release in May, we talked about the gap that exists between mobile adoption worldwide and mobile usage at events. In 2013, more web views will take place on a mobile device than a PC, yet only a small percentage of events deploy mobile applications as part of the experience.

That needs to change. Here are three positive take-aways from the movement of the event industry into the world of mobile:

• Mobile is not a cool toy. It’s a critical extension of the event experience: Until now, mobile has been something that progressive event organizers do to impress their attendees. But, as attendees rely more on mobile devices to manage their lives, those same people are demanding access to every stage of the event experience through their mobile devices – from deciding which events to attend, to registration, to finding and connecting with people and content. Mobile is proving to be more than a technology; it is now a natural extension of all aspects of your live experiences and a required technology for nearly every event, conference or meeting.

• Events can be measured like the web: For years, planners have struggled to measure activity at their events. On the web, marketers have been empowered to track every movement, every action and every interaction, but events remained a black hole. Now, as mobile becomes a persistent platform for engagement throughout the event lifecycle, planners can measure and evaluate the actions of those attendees to finally measure engagement and demonstrate value to their organizations.

• Integration is the new black: There are two reasons planners cite when justifying their decision not to adopt mobile – Price and lack of value for both users and planners. Until now, most mobile apps were custom-built, and developed by organizations that relied on revenue from those applications to drive success. Not anymore. With the integration of applications into core event management processes and technologies, planners will now have better access to mobile event data that is tied to every major element of their event. In turn, planners will be rewarded with a better user experience while attendees will no longer have to re-enter information or re-learn technologies when jumping from the web to their mobile devices.

The future for meetings and events is looking bright – and it’s now being served up on iPhones, iPads, Androids and Blackberry devices. 

For more on mobile event technology check out the following links:

Active Network Mobile Suite

The Future of Events is Mobile White Paper

Infographic – Mobile is on the Rise: Meeting and Event Professionals Take Notice

Written By: Eric Olson

Infographic: How Mobile is Changing World Travel?

Meetings and events go hand-in-hand with business travel. The following infographic from ‘My Destination’ reveals some interesting trends and stats on how mobile is changing world travel, and in turn changing travel for the busy meeting and event professional.

Key stats from the infographic reveal:

• 3 in 4 active travelers use a mobile device while on the move
  
• 74% of first class travelers, business class travelers, and frequent flyers own smartphones
  
• 2 thirds of travelers say they are likely to explore, shop and book travel activities via their mobile devices

If your delegates are using mobile devices en route to your meeting or event it makes perfect sense that you would engage them through that platform. By offering a mobile event application (app) your attendees can access the event information they need when they need it, improving the overall event experience.

Mobile event apps offer a host of useful tools and features for the travelling delegate including mobile event registration, interactive destination and venue maps, hotel bookings, and advanced networking facilitation. Delegates can now plan their own personalized schedule, set up meetings and networking opportunities, and access all of the event content they need, on – the - go, from their smartphone or tablet.

How do you use your mobile device while travelling to meetings and events?

For more on mobile for meetings, events and conferences, don’t forget to check out Active Network’s suite of mobile event technology and download your free whitepaper: ‘The Future of Events is mobile‘

Written By: Irene Coghlan

Top Five Tips for Choosing a Mobile App for Your Event

Choosing the right event app can be a daunting process. As with any new technology it can be difficult to know which option is the best for your needs. Before choosing a mobile event application (app), it’s important to consider a few things before taking the plunge into the mobile event app world. My advice when choosing any new type of software or technology is to always go back to basics and think about your fundamental event needs and requirements first.

Here are a few questions to consider when choosing a mobile event app:

1. Audience – what are the demographics and technographics?

As with any marketing activity, it’s important to begin with your audience and consider their needs, demographics and technographics. This will tell you how they are likely to interact with your event. A younger audience or those who work within the technology industry may expect more from a mobile app, such as the ability to share via social media or mobile gaming elements. Those less accustomed to using mobile technology may not get as much value from it and would require something more utilitarian (e.g. session schedules) and easy-to-use.

2. Strategy – how will this enhance the overall event experience?

Mobile offers a host of benefits for event attendees but consider what elements of mobile technology will really contribute to your overall event strategy. If your audience is an environmentally conscious bunch and you’re aiming for a greener event, a mobile app can significantly cut down on printed material and a large amount of waste. If your event is innovative and fun, you could even incorporate a branded interactive game into your app.

3. Objective -what are you seeking to accomplish?

Achieving targets related to event ROI (return on investment), ROE (return on engagement) and brand building are all part and parcel of any successful meeting or event. Mobile can help deliver on all of these but different levels of mobile apps will allow you to achieve more with the technology. Perhaps your key objective for this year’s event is increased return on engagement and extending the event lifecycle? Then you may want to focus more of your budget on a robust mobile app to engage with your audience, offering special features such as games, videos or a series of surveys.

4. Metrics – how will you measure the success?

Like everything in life these days, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, and ultimately you can’t justify it in the business world. Mobile event apps offer important reporting capabilities that put the power of metrics in your hand. Encouraging your event attendees to use and take full advantage of your mobile app will, in turn deliver more of the metrics you need to measure success.

5. Budget – how much will it cost?

Your event budget will often be dictated by the size, type, and complexity of event you’re organizing. Many of the larger tradeshows and conferences now include a budget for their mobile event app as standard whereas smaller meetings and events may just be entertaining the idea. Either way there is a mobile solution available for all budgets from a simple out-of-the-box solution with limited customization/configuration and basic features to native apps, developed especially for an event or brand with advanced features and interactive elements. If you’re already working with an event management software company many of them now offer mobile as standard, so it is worth exploring what your current provider can offer.

Are there other considerations or tips you would recommend when selecting a mobile app for your event?

For more on mobile event technology check out the following links:

Active Network Mobile Suite

The Future of Events is Mobile White Paper

Infographic – Mobile is on the Rise: Meeting and Event Professionals Take Notice

Written By: Cece Salomon-Lee

Mobile Suite Launch: Adding Mobile Event Apps to Your Meetings and Events

According to the International Telecommunication Union (2011), 87% of the world now has mobile technology. What does this mean for marketers, event professionals and sales organizations? That mobile is an essential component of our business and a necessity for creating engagement with our key audiences – customers, partners and employees.

Today, I’m pleased to announce the introduction of our mobile suite that provides a portfolio of mobile event apps to address the marketing needs of an organization and for any type, size or complexity meeting and event.

Read the rest of this entry »

Written By: Cece Salomon-Lee

Active Network is off to IMEX, May 22-24

IMEX, the worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events takes place in Frankfurt, May 22 – 24. If you’re attending IMEX 2012, look out for the Active Network team at the show, they’ll be donning their Active tees and manning the Active Network booth 685. We also have a host of speaking sessions, press announcements and a competition with some fantastic prizes lined up for the show so be sure to stop by booth 685 and say hello.

As event organizers, meeting planners, and marketers look for better ways to increase ROI and ROE while cutting costs, they are increasingly turning to technology for these key deliverables.

Over the course of IMEX 2012, Peter Donnelly, Event Technology Strategist for Active Network, will deliver several engaging sessions on meeting and event technology, from using it to understand attendee behaviour to the growth, and benefits of mobile event technology and most recently HTML5.

Join Peter for his first session, ‘Plugging the Event Intelligence ‘Black Hole’ at the IMEX iPad Bar on Tuesday May 22^nd, 15:00-15:30, where he will also be showcasing some mobile ipad applications.  

Peter’s next session ‘Discover the Attendee Journey: How Event Technology Helps You Understand Your Attendees’ Behaviour’ takes place at the IMEX Campfire Tech Tap Area on Wednesday May 23rd, 10:30 – 11:00 & Thursday May 24, 11:30 – 12:00.

Peter’s final session ‘Events in the Palm of your Hand Using Hybrid Technology (HTML5)’ will be held at the IMEX iPad Bar on  Thursday May 24^th, 13:00-13:30

Active Network will launch its first podcast on mobile event technology at the Active booth #685 on Wednesday May 23rd at 11.30am. This will be the first in a series of event technology podcasts from the Active Network, and several thought-leaders and key contributors will be on-site to answer questions and provide information on mobile event technology.

To celebrate the Podcast launch, The Active Network team will be giving away a host of great prizes including an iPad, iPod touches, iPod nanos and Active tee-shirts.

We look forward to seeing many of you in Frankfurt!

Written By: Irene Coghlan

10 Apps The Busy Meeting Professional Can’t Live Without

By: Eric Olson, General Manager
Active Network, Business Solutions

About a year ago I stopped carrying a laptop on short trips. It was a big — and slightly stressful moment — when I boarded a plane for a conference in San Jose with only an iPad and a presentation on iWork Keynote. But, something quickly dawned on me. Apps were made for the conference goer.

Event professionals need information on the go. And with the app market now worth over $10 billion with a staggering year-on-year growth rate of 100%, there is an app for just about every element of the business meeting experience — from the airport to the convention center and everything in between.

So, after a couple of years of experimenting with the latest apps on my smartphone and tablet, I’ve compiled a list of 10 of my favorite business travel and event apps. Check out my list below and please comment with your thoughts and any other recommendations you have.

1.       Evernote – Winner of the best mobile app award by TechCrunch and  Mashable, Evernote enables you to capture your ideas and notes on- the- go, documenting them as text, photos or audio recordings and auto-synchronizing all content to your devices (desktop computer, phone, iPad). This app now features geo-location tagging, advanced search capabilities and multiple language support. This is one app every mobile user should have.

2.       Bump - is a virtual business card that allows you to swap contact info, calendar, pictures and social media profiles with others, simply by bumping your phone with theirs. The information is transferred wirelessly and automatically added to your contact list. Genius!

3.       Trip-it – Log your travel plans and find out who’s near-by for business and networking opportunities. The TripIt mobile planner keeps all of your travel plans in one spot from flight information to hotel bookings and car rental confirmations. Forward your booking confirmation details to plans@tripit.com  and the TripIt app organizes and shares your itinerary with family, colleagues and social networking contacts, making it easier to coordinate schedules. Itineraries can even be customized to include weather, maps and directions.

4.      Quickvoice  – This is the most popular voice recorder available. Record ideas, voice memos, voice email, dictation, lists, meetings, classes, and entire lectures or presentations on your mobile phone or tablet!  With this nifty app, you can even email using your voice. Read the rest of this entry »

Written By: Eric Olson

12 Emerging Technologies for Events in 2012

There are several technologies shaping the meetings industry for 2012.

Industry thought leader and seasoned events expert, Corbin Ball, recently released an article on the “12 Meetings Technology Trends to Watch for 2012” on his website.  Below are just three of the 12 technologies Mr. Ball highlights:

Mobile Technology and the Growth of HTML5

Ball says, “there will be a very significant adoption of mobile apps for events in 2012 and 2013”. Smartphone based applications are now being provided by event organizers as a tool for attendees to navigate through events. Furthermore, HTML5 mobile apps are less expensive than native applications, yet still provide the customization and flexibility for a quality app.

Hybrid Events

Growing in popularity, hybrid events are connecting remote and live participants through multiple forms of technology.  The very concept is starting to revolutionize the meeting landscape, as bridging the gap between virtual attendees and live events.

Social Gaming

Incorporating gaming into events, (commonly known as gamification), helps engage attendees and helps them to get the most from their events.

Check out Corbin’s complete article for the complete list of trends.

We want to hear from you…What trends have you seen in events you’ve attended this past year? What are you looking to incorporate for 2012?

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky