As we step into 2024, it’s time to reflect on the transformative power of events and the innovative ways we can enhance their impact. Our award-winning technology had its biggest year ever in 2023 and we’re looking to power more events than ever in 2024.
So, we’re excited to launch our 2024 Event Tech Checklist – your playbook to creating engaging and memorable events this year..
Staying ahead
Keeping up to date in the event management industry is crucial. That’s where our 2024 Event Tech Checklist comes into play – a carefully curated guide to ensure your events are not just up-to-date but also ahead of the curve.
This checklist is a strategic tool to enhance attendee engagement, streamline your event operations, and maximise the return on your investments. Whether you’re planning virtual, hybrid, or live events, these key points will help you create experiences that resonate with your audience and elevate your brand.
In the following sections, we’ll delve into each aspect of the checklist, giving you actionable insights and innovative solutions to transform your events in 2024.
2024 Event Tech Checklist
1. Enhance Interaction with Engagement Tools
In the fast-evolving landscape of event technology, engagement tools have emerged as pivotal elements in transforming attendee experience. The goal is not just to captivate your audience but to actively involve them in the event, creating a dynamic and interactive environment.
a. Interactive Q&A Sessions: Gone are the days of passive listening. Modern events thrive on interaction, and Q&A sessions are a brilliant way to foster this. By incorporating Q&A features in your event app, you provide attendees with a voice, allowing them to pose questions, share insights, and engage directly with speakers and panelists. This not only boosts engagement but also enhances the value of content, as discussions are steered by what genuinely interests your audience.
b. Live Polling for Instant Feedback: Live polls are a game-changer for real-time engagement. They not only gauge audience opinion but also keep attendees invested in the event’s content. By integrating live polls in your app, you can solicit instant feedback, conduct fun quizzes, or make decisions based on audience choice, adding an interactive layer to your event.
c. Surveys for In-Depth Insights: While live polls offer immediate engagement, surveys are your tool for deep insights. Post-session surveys in your event app can gather detailed feedback, helping you understand attendee satisfaction and preferences. This data is crucial for tailoring future events to better meet the needs and expectations of your audience.
d. Gamification for Enhanced Engagement: Introducing game elements like leaderboards, points, and rewards can significantly boost attendee participation. Gamification taps into the competitive spirit, encouraging attendees to engage more with the event content, network, and participate in various activities. This not only makes the event more enjoyable but also increases the retention of information presented.
e. Tailoring Tools to Your Audience: Every audience is unique, and so should be your engagement strategy. Analyse your target audience to determine which tools will resonate most. For a tech-savvy crowd, augmented reality features might be appealing, while a business-oriented audience might prefer more networking facilitation tools.
Enhancing interaction through these tools is more than just adding features to your event app; it’s about creating an immersive and participatory experience for your attendees. By doing so, you not only make your events more engaging but also leave a lasting impression that encourages repeat attendance.
2. Sponsor Monetisation through In-App Features
In today’s event landscape, proving the return on investment (ROI) to sponsors is as crucial as the event itself. Sponsors seek tangible results from their investments, and modern event technology plays a pivotal role in delivering these insights. Here’s how in-app features can drive sponsor monetisation and provide accurate metrics for a successful sponsorship experience.
a. In-App Lead Scanning: Sponsors are always on the lookout for potential leads. In-app lead scanning transforms the way sponsors connect with attendees. With this feature, sponsors can easily capture attendee information during interactions, whether at booths or during sessions. This process not only streamlines lead collection but also provides sponsors with a rich database for post-event follow-ups.
b. Tailored Notifications and Ad Spaces: Notifications and in-app advertising offer sponsors prime real estate to showcase their brand and messages. Customisable ad spaces within the event app allow for targeted marketing, ensuring that sponsor content reaches the relevant audience segments. Push notifications can be used to highlight sponsor sessions or exclusive offers, driving attendee traffic to sponsor-related activities.
c. Tracking Attendance at Seminars and Talks: One of the key metrics for sponsors is understanding how many attendees engaged with their sponsored sessions. Event technology enables precise tracking of session attendance, providing sponsors with clear data on how their sessions performed. This information is vital for assessing the effectiveness of their participation and strategising for future events.
d. Comprehensive Event Reporting: Post-event reports are a goldmine for sponsors. Detailed analytics on attendee engagement, session attendance, and interaction with sponsored content offer a complete overview of their event impact. These reports enable sponsors to quantify their ROI, assess the success of their sponsorship, and make informed decisions for future event involvement.
e. Ensuring Sponsor Satisfaction: The ultimate goal of these technologies is to ensure that sponsors see the value in their investment. By providing them with detailed insights and engagement metrics, event organisers can build stronger relationships with sponsors, ensuring their continued support and satisfaction.
Incorporating these in-app features benefits the sponsors and enhances the overall event experience for attendees. By leveraging technology to bridge the gap between sponsors and attendees, event organisers can create a more dynamic and engaging environment, ensuring a successful event for all stakeholders involved.
3. Seamless Integration with Off-the-Shelf API
In today’s interconnected digital world, the ability to integrate various event management tools and platforms is not just a convenience but a necessity for successful event planning. VenuIQ’s off-the-shelf API acts as a bridge, connecting various event technology components, from registration systems to networking tools and social media platforms.
a. Integration with Event Registration Systems: The first touchpoint for any attendee is the registration process. Integrating your event app with advanced registration systems streamlines the attendee journey, right from sign-up to event participation. This seamless connection ensures data consistency, reduces manual entry errors, and enhances the overall user experience.
b. Networking and Social Media Connections: In an era where networking is key, VenuIQ’s ability to connect with platforms like Grip for networking and walls.io for social media aggregation is invaluable. These integrations facilitate enhanced attendee interaction, allowing for a more dynamic and connected event environment. Attendees can network more effectively, engage with social media content related to the event, and experience a more cohesive and interactive event journey.
c. Partnering with Industry Leaders: VenuIQ’s established connections with industry leaders like Reftec, walls.io, and Grip demonstrate its commitment to providing comprehensive and robust event solutions. These partnerships are a testament to VenuIQ’s capability to integrate with specialised tools, ensuring that your event benefits from the best in the industry.
d. Flexibility with Modern API: One of VenuIQ’s strengths lies in its modern API, offering flexibility to connect with any third-party system. This adaptability means that you’re not limited to pre-existing partnerships; you can integrate your event app with the tools and platforms you already use and trust. Whether it’s a unique attendee management system, a specialised marketing tool, or a custom analytics platform, VenuIQ’s API ensures that your event app can work in harmony with your preferred systems.
e. Leveraging Data Across Platforms: By integrating different systems, VenuIQ enables you to leverage your data across various platforms. This interconnectedness ensures that valuable insights gained in one area can be utilised in another, creating a data-rich environment for better decision-making and personalised attendee experiences.
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4. Making Informed Event Decisions with Real-Time Data
In the realm of event management, data is king. The ability to collect, analyse, and act on real-time data can significantly elevate the quality and impact of your events. The following data collection methods will enhance your decision making, both during the event, and enable you to make better decisions for future events.
a. Event App Check-Ins: The journey of data collection often begins with event app check-ins. This simple yet effective method not only streamlines the entry process but also provides valuable data on attendee arrival patterns. Understanding these patterns can help in optimising event schedules and resource allocation.
b. In-App Scanning for Seminar Entry: Utilising in-app scanning for seminar access offers a dual advantage. It ensures a smooth entry process for attendees while providing organisers with precise data on seminar popularity and attendance. This information is crucial in assessing the relevance of content and speakers, and for planning future event agendas.
c. Lead Collection with In-App Scanning: For exhibitors and sponsors, lead collection is a primary objective. In-app scanning allows for efficient and unobtrusive lead collection, enabling exhibitors to gather attendee information effortlessly. This method enhances the lead generation process, making it more effective and less intrusive.
d. Bluetooth Tracking for Real-Time Location: Advanced technologies like Bluetooth tracking offer insights into attendee movement and engagement within the event space. This real-time location tracking can inform everything from crowd management to the placement of exhibits and booths. Understanding attendee flow can also help in designing more engaging and efficient event layouts in the future.
e. Comprehensive Feedback for All Stakeholders: The data collected through these methods isn’t just beneficial for organisers. It provides comprehensive feedback for all stakeholders, including guests, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and staff. Insights into attendee behaviors, preferences, and engagement levels can help each of these groups to tailor their strategies and offerings for future events.
Leveraging these various data collection methods equips event organisers with a toolset for making informed, on-the-spot decisions. It also lays the groundwork for continuous improvement in event planning and execution. By embracing a data-driven approach, events can become more adaptive, responsive, and ultimately, more successful.
5. Use Event Networking Tools to Encourage Attendee Connections
Networking is a cornerstone of any successful event, offering attendees the chance to connect, collaborate, and create meaningful business relationships. VenuIQ’s approach to networking integrates both in-house capabilities and partnerships with leading third-party software, ensuring a comprehensive networking experience.
a. VenuIQ’s Built-In Networking Module: Our event app and portal come equipped with a sophisticated networking module. Leveraging AI-matching technology, it intelligently connects attendees with others in their target demographic or interest group. This feature not only enhances the attendee experience but also maximises the value they derive from the event by facilitating relevant and fruitful connections.
b. Integration with Third-Party Networking Platforms: Understanding that some event organisers may have existing systems they prefer, VenuIQ offers seamless integration with third-party networking software like Grip. This flexibility ensures that event organisers can utilise the tools they are comfortable with, without compromising on the networking opportunities offered to attendees.
c. Pre-Event Networking Opportunities: To truly capitalise on networking potential, it’s crucial to initiate these interactions before the event starts. Opening networking channels early allows attendees to plan their event schedules more effectively, ensuring they don’t miss out on meeting key contacts. For suppliers and exhibitors, this early engagement is an opportunity to lock in meetings and prepare for meaningful interactions.
d. AI-Matching for Targeted Connections: The AI-matching feature in VenuIQ’s networking module goes beyond basic introductions. It analyses attendee profiles, interests, and networking goals to suggest the most relevant connections. This targeted approach ensures that attendees meet people who can significantly contribute to their business objectives or knowledge base.
e. Facilitating Continuous Networking: Our platform ensures that networking doesn’t just start and end with the event. The continuity of connections is maintained through the app, allowing for post-event follow-ups and ongoing conversations. This sustained interaction helps in building lasting business relationships and communities.
VenuIQ’s comprehensive networking tools, both in-house and through third-party integrations, are designed to transform the way attendees connect at events. By providing sophisticated, AI-driven networking solutions, we ensure that every attendee has the opportunity to make meaningful, relevant connections, maximising their event experience.
6. Leverage Post-Event Reports and Feedback for Future Success
The conclusion of an event marks the beginning of a critical phase in the event management cycle: analysis and learning. Post-event reports and feedback surveys are invaluable tools for gathering insights that can shape the success of future events.
a. Comprehensive Post-Event Reports: VenuIQ’s platform provides detailed post-event reports, offering a wealth of data on various aspects of the event. These reports can include attendee engagement levels, session popularity, networking outcomes, and exhibitor and sponsor ROI. By analysing this data, event organisers can identify what worked well and areas that need improvement.
b. Feedback Surveys: Direct feedback from participants is a goldmine of insights. Surveys can be tailored to gather specific information from attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, and even staff. This feedback is crucial for understanding the participant experience from multiple perspectives, providing a holistic view of the event’s impact.
c. Actionable Insights for Planning: The combination of quantitative data from reports and qualitative insights from surveys provides a solid foundation for future event planning. These insights can inform decisions on everything from content and format to technology and engagement strategies, ensuring that each event is better than the last.
d. Stakeholder Satisfaction: Beyond planning improvements, post-event feedback is essential for measuring stakeholder satisfaction. Understanding the experiences of sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees helps in maintaining and nurturing these key relationships, ensuring their continued support and participation in future events.
e. Continuous Improvement: The event industry is constantly evolving, and what may have been a successful strategy one year might not work the next. Regularly collecting and analysing post-event data ensures that your events continue to meet and exceed the changing expectations of participants.
In essence, the insights gained from post-event reports and feedback are not just about evaluating past performance but are a roadmap for future success. They enable a cycle of continuous improvement, ensuring that each event is an opportunity to learn, grow, and deliver exceptional experiences.
The 2024 Event Tech Checklist in Six Points
- Add Engagement Tools to your event app
- Give Sponsors Return on their Investment
- Connect with your third-party software and data with an API
- Use Real-Time Data to make better decisions
- Use Networking tools to create value for guests, sponsors, and exhibitors
- Use Reports for current and future analysis of your event