achieve event success by harnessing new technology best practices

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Achieve event success by harnessing new event management technology best practices

Insights from Leanne Constantino, Director – Event Services

http://www.leadharvest.com.au/events

http://www.leadharvest.com.au/


Event practices of the past are no longer relevant. New tools and tactics need to be considered to ensure you:

1. maximise attendance2. Increase engagement3. Optimise attendee

satisfaction

Today’s reality forEvent Managers




THEN:We decided to attend a event based on impulse.

Remember the 10 page A4 registration brochure with all your speakers listed and the agenda outline?




FACT:Professionals trust online information almost as much as information obtained in person.

http://www.signup4.com/resource-center/how-technology-is-changing-events/




FACT:39% of professionals research business decisions (getting opinions, reading reviews, obtaining general data) on social networks




An online customer checks an average of 10.4 sources

before making a purchase




NOW:We decide to attend an event if our peers do.

We look at our professional network at large, our social media networks and see what our peers are saying about the event and we make VERY EDUCATED event purchasing decisions.




TIP: Encourage online communicationYour event marketing campaign must be conducive to open communication, real time updates and feedback.

Encouraging and allowing open communication and engagement in the event promotion stage enables the prospects to do the publicity for you and increases your event registration conversions. Be sure to integrate live social media feeds into your event website.




THEN:Email Marketing and Databases was the norm.




36% of Advertising Agencies are planning to buy ads on YouTube




36% of Advertising Agencies are planning to buy ads on Twitter

89% of Advertising Agencies are planning to buy ads on

Facebook




NOW:Social Advertising is the norm




Engage your audience with social mediaAdvertising agencies are spending their money on social media outlets because it gets more cut through, it is low cost and IT WORKS! BEWARE: You are guaranteed to get extra likes and exposure BUT the communication doesn’t stop there. You need to employ a rich long term engagement strategy .

TIP: Before you create the advertisement, make sure you develop a plan with content ready to share. If your strategy is daily communication and the event is 3 months away, you need 90 posts ready as a minimum.




THEN:Planners selected keynote speakers.




FACT:There is greater satisfaction and commitment resulting from participation or cooperation of the attendees with the organiser if the participant is involved in making the decision, they feel engaged and will likely talk more positively about the event.




NOW:Attendees choose the content and the speakers.

TIP: Try Crowdsourcing speakersGive the power back to the attendees to decide who will speak and present at the event. Involving the attendees into the actual planning of the event is very powerful. Take a look at how the SXSW PanelPicker community does it http://bit.ly/1gYaMwt


http://bit.ly/1gYaMwt



THEN:We had to travel long

distances to attend an event.




82% of the online audience

found the virtual environment helpful in making the decision to attend in-person next time.




On average companies save $1000 in travel costs by engaging in virtual environments.




NOW:Hybrid Events - we watch it wherever we want and whenever we want




Hybrid events do not replace your live event…they only serve to expand your reach and get more people to attend in person next time.

TIP: Extend the life of your event and start by investing with a post event hybrid portal. Maximise the content created from the live event to engage those that could not attend and increase your opportunities to maximise leads.




THEN:We used printed program guides




21% of event planners see Mobile Apps as a top priority investment for 2013.




Uptake is correlated to Event App promotion but generally between 10% and 45%

depending on the tech friendliness of the audience.




NOW:Mobile Apps ARE replacing the event guide.




CHALLENGE:Organisations are adapting the app but it becomes an app for the sake of having an app at the event and not really being used.

To overcome this, you need tactics to increase adoption and engagement rate.

• Encourage communication with the speakers and receive real time immediate responses

• Posting regular updates and exciting images• Encourage feedback with a prize incentive

Give the audience plenty of reasons to check in with their event app




THEN: Badges were plain & simple.




NOW: Badges are smart.RFID technology in badges enables us to understand the attendee better and respond to their needs more rapidly. As soon as you scan their RFID badge, you gain access to all their registration data including demographics, interests and profile




Case study:The Manhattan Cocktail Classic

Not only does the RFID badge help you understand your attendees, but it also enhances their event experience via voting, real time feedback, sharing of ideas

Here is an example where attendees voted for their favourite cocktail and the winner was decided on the night by people’s choice. http://bit.ly/1amNUVu


http://bit.ly/1amNUVu



THEN:Feedback forms were cumbersome.




54.7% of companies pay $100/month or less for Social Media Monitoring tools




NOW: Social media is your real time feedbackTIP: Use HootSuite to manage all your social media outlets in the one place and monitor your event feedback and obtain statistical data easily on the one dashboard




THEN: We asked for the speaker’slides….but never got them!




NOW: We find them on slideshare




CASE STUDY: Ariba generated more than 400 leads and 40,000 views with their custom slideshare channel for their Ariba Live event

TIP:Turn your event content whitepapers and blogs into visually friendly slideshare decks and extend the life of your event. Share with your prospects and increase your lead opportunity.

Download these free templates from Lead Harvest

SOURCE: http://www.signup4.com/resource-center/how-technology-is-changing-events/


http://leadharvest.com.au/learning-centre/free-customisable-slideshare-templates/




Request a free Event Marketing Health Check Are you maximizing your event registration attendance? Are you promoting your event to the largest possible audience? Are you maximizing your event investment by following up attendees after the event? Do you have a tactical plan on registrants who did not attend your event but could be a potential lead for your business?

Contact us to learn more and get your complimentary Event Marketing Health Check. There’s no risk, no obligation. Sign up to the right and we’ll have one of our experts get in touch and give you the feedback you need to be a event marketing marvel.

Click here to register your interest or call (02) 9212 6125


http://leadharvest.com.au/learning-centre/harnessing-new-event-management-technology-best-practices/

http://leadharvest.com.au/learning-centre/harnessing-new-event-management-technology-best-practices/
