Technology is Fast Transforming the Events Landscape!

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Technology has transformed perhaps every aspect of our life. Be it your personal space, or any industry you work in, technology is constantly chasing you down. So is the case with the event industry. Once touted as an isolated business gathering, events are considered as a tech-oriented business engagement. It’s an overwhelming feel to witness the transformation in event management over the last few years.  Let’s explore and find out how technology has penetrated the very fabric of the event management using an event app:

Audience Engagement:

Events aren’t happening the ‘one to many’ ways. Now, it’s about attracting and engaging the bigger world out there. You will find many social media tools and other apps to hook the attention of the virtual audience. Live streaming is one such tool that can broadcast your live event to far off places at any time. You can run online contests, polls, and Q&A sessions etc. to arrest the online attention.

Personalized data:

Industry is flooded with data but not every single byte is commercially beneficial. You got to have the best analytical models to identify and implement the information to drive successful events. You can use Google Analytics to find the trending online events. Get used to the advanced technology such as iBeacon to expedite tracking down the movement of your event attendees. Go a notch up higher with the real time data functionalities to find what event sponsors and attendees are scrambling for. Event planning app can help you tarck and visualise this data.

Wearable Technology:

It may be a bit early to say but mainstream wearable technology is likely to rule the roost in the next few months. It’s an overwhelming feel to capture and store quantum of information from events. And all that without letting your hands do the job. Google Glass is one such revolutionary tool offering hands-free technology experience at events.

Future Technologies:

Recent advances in robotics have sparked hopes around unparalleled virtual event experience. For example, Suitable Technology Beam has become a popular robotic choice for CEOs of large corporations to participate in corporate events they can’t attend in person. If this core beam technology can be pulled to consumer level, you can very well imagine the dynamics. So instead of flying down to the event location or making hotel booking, you can log into a computer and take full control of a telepresence robot. They can easily navigate the event space to interact with guest speakers, vendors, suppliers and other esteemed participants. You can boost your virtual technology experience using conference app integration with solutions such as Oculus Rift and the Virtuix Omni.

You may find some of them costly but they are worth it against their insurmountable benefits. While you are chalking down the blue print of the next event, check out some of these technology-inspired solutions from Grupio to stimulate business growth and success.

How to Promote Your Event App Offline

Offline promotion for Event appsIn this age of information and web-focused promotion, most event apps are promoted strictly online through social media sites like, Twitter and Facebook, or through web blogs, and corporate websites. Online event app promotion has a very large reach and should not be ignored or dismissed but often the conversion rates are quite low since it requires a lot of time and a consistent effort to produce results.

Good old-fashioned offline promotional techniques that have been selling things since the birth of advertising, if properly used, can still create results in the current tech age. While these techniques may cost a little more than web based efforts they give hard results and provide a base on which to build an app community. These methods are particularly useful for apps that are targeting a specific areas or niches industries.

Local Promotion

Find out where the local community meets the most and host a low-key promotional event there. Perhaps it’s a park, local bar, restaurant or coffee shop; wherever it may be make sure to add a little something extra for anyone who downloads the app while at the event – like a free drink or t-shirt. This could be a hook for new users to talk about and share the app with their friends.

Get the Press Involved

Create a press release about the conference app and send it out to local newspapers and industry publications. Write a sponsored article about your industry and event and incorporate your app into the message. Remember to promote the idea the event is part of, not the app itself. The big story is not going to be the app – but the app can get media coverage if it is connected to a larger idea or story that is interesting from a news perspective.

QR Codes

Not only do millions of U.S. consumers scan QR codes every day; that number also continues to skyrocket. Recent research from Pitney Bowes suggests that there are already millions of QR code users in the US, and over 50% of smartphone users have scanned a QR code. Creating a custom QR code is fairly easy and free, but make sure to create a simple web landing page so people can easily learn about and download the event app without a hitch. Remember, QR codes are a hugely powerful tool to link online and offline efforts, but only when used correctly. You can do the QR code scanning using the best event app.

Custom Stickers

Creating eye-catching stickers will draw the attention of potential users; use them in places that target audience members frequent the most. Don’t forget to incorporate the QR Codes when designing the sticker – make it as easy as possible for people to download the event app no matter where they are. You can further enhance the sticker option by using event app gamification feature.

T-shirts and Flyers

One page flyers can get lots of downloads but be careful not to turn them into sales promos – write some tips about the app and present them in a useful way. Flyers are easy to print and they’re relatively inexpensive. They are a great way of promoting an event app when targeting areas like shopping complexes, office complexes, niche shops, and other promotional events. Is there a clearer way to make a statement without “selling” than a with T-shirt? Use the event app logo combined with a catchy call to action that people will notice and remember. Don’t forget to hand out a couple of T-shirts with those flyers. Who doesn’t love a free tee!

Launch Party

Nothing shouts “our app just launched” more than a good old party. Invite key industry influencers as well as, current contacts, top customers, media, and brand ambassadors. Do some additional research and invite industry or topic related bloggers and local tech celebrities that have shown an interest in the industry. Encourage attendees to share photos of the launch party across social media during the event and make sure to get testimonials from users on video at the event that can be used for further promotion of your event planning app.

The world is now becoming smaller as the connections between offline and online become larger and more common. A combined offline and online effort can get more downloads than either of them alone. Just like with any other promotion technique, make sure to test out different combinations of methods to see which are most effective.

Looking for specific ways to use an event app during your next event? Check out our previous post on using event apps for more details.

Ready to find out how Grupio’s mobile solutions will help your next event succeed. Contact us to schedule a demo.

7 Reasons You Should Invest in Mobile Apps for Events

Photo Credit: Coolcaesar at en.wikipedia

The venue is booked. The invite list is prepped. But wait a second. Are you forgetting about a mobile app for your event? There are more and more reasons why mobile apps for events should be on the must-have side of your to-do list – and as consumers become more and more tech-savvy, those reasons are more important than ever. Here’s why you should consider investing:

Engage Your Attendees

When you invest in a mobile event app, you’re investing in technology your invitees already use. After all, a whopping 90 percent of Americans have a cell phone, and smartphone usage is expected to rise heavily from its current 58 percent penetration rate. Simply put, event attendees are primed to use their smartphones at an event, and when you present them with one of the best mobile event applications, you get a chance to engage their attention, their time, and their dollars. Does it get much better than that?

Promotion In Your Pocket

A great mobile conference app is an opportunity to promote your event multiple times to your attendees – and to include sponsors in the messaging mix. When a potential attendee downloads your event planning app, they open up an entirely new promo channel … one that reaches them in their pocket whether they’re around email/snail mail or not.

Tease and Please

What’s an event without a bit of mystery? a mobile event app can provide a great chance to tease upcoming event highlights. You can even use them to reward those who download with exclusive perks, peeks, and program information. The result? Attendees who are engaged, excited, and primed for the event.

Demystify Your Event

Mystery may have its place in dinner theater, but not in other events. The best event app features act as shrewd guide to users. They can be especially useful for large conferences, narrowing down choices and providing an easy-to-use guide for attendees.

Attract New Attendees

With paperless conferences and mobile event apps on the rise, it’s more important than ever to be on the forefront of event technology. In fact, many attendees are attracted to events by the technology options on hand. Don’t risk losing their business to another more tech-savvy event.

Mobilize and Monetize Your Sponsors

What better way to supplement your event coffers than with even more opportunities for sponsorship dollars? Simply put – mobile event and conference apps are a golden opportunity for event organizers. That’s because they allow sponsors to pay for even more in-depth promotion and engagement opportunities. It’s a win-win for both parties.

Bottom Line: Apps Just Plain Make Sense

Still don’t think it makes sense to invest in a custom event app? Truth be told, you can’t afford not to invest in one. That’s because consumers are becoming tech-savvier every year. Are you going to risk falling off the train of progress just because you fear investing in an event app that makes your life (and the lives of your attendees) easier? We didn’t think so.

Don’t take it from us – take it from the thousands of event planners and attendees who have experienced more streamline event planning and enjoyment with the help of mobile event app. If your budget doesn’t include expenditure on an app, it’s time to re-prioritize. Your next event will thank you.

Benefits of Using a Mobile Event App

Photo Credit: Robert Scoble via Wikimedia Commons

Meeting apps are rapidly taking over the event industry – they are ubiquitous productivity tools that help to drive connectivity and engagement with your attendees. If you are a Meeting Planner or Conference Organizer here are some tips and insight for using Meeting Apps.

Generate Residual Income

Enhance the event for your sponsors and give yourself more “digital real estate” by offering sponsorships and other discount offers via the meeting app.

Get Instant Feedback through Surveys

Most mobile event apps have built in survey functionality enabling you to poll attendees easily and quickly both during and after the event.

Communicate Information Dynamically to Attendees

Meeting Apps let you update your attendees just about in real time during your event – instantly connect and communicate and no worries about email connectivity issues for/with your attendees.

Extend Your Brand

Meeting Apps provide a great way to brand your event by customizing your meeting app with corporate colors, logo, email contacts, social connections and links to forms.

Go Green

conference App affords more productivity for your business, it’s all digital, saving time and money on “old school” registration forms requiring data entry and helping to make your organizations event more green by reducing your carbon footprint.

Stay Connected with Attendees

Mobile event Apps are design to incorporate Twitter streams, especially if you are using hashtags for your event – and you can monitor what’s being said in real time other social networks as well.

Guide Attendees in the Right Direction

Most meeting apps have built in maps, the ability to customize your information; i.e. places of interest, things to do during the event, local landmarks and places of interest.

Build Stronger Relationships with Attendees

Your attendees are mobile ready in today’s always on digital economy. Meeting Apps ensure they are in tune with your event and connected on a 24/7 basis.

Meeting Apps Drive Competitive Advantage

Are your direct competitors using mobile apps? If the answer is no, then mobile app integration with your business model will definitely drive competitive advantage and help to distinguish your brand with your attendees.

Using a white label event app can help you monetize all your event and conference needs. With Grupio you can get an affordable event app and maximize your efficiency from planning to promotion.