When it comes to the role of technology in event management, as the saying goes, “The sky’s the limit.”
At Expo Logic, our team prefers Marilyn Monroe’s take, “The sky is not the limit. Your mind is.”
Based on our experience and expertise, we can confidently say your event management isn’t actually limited by your mind but quite possibly by your solutions.
If you’re not integrating technology into your event management strategy, you’re… well, limiting yourself, as well as the experience you could create for your attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors.
Not to mention robbing your event (and its sponsors) of the opportunity to realize an increased return on investment…
The Real Role of Technology = Increased ROI
Even more critical, a growing number of event planners are discovering how technology-based event management solutions increase ROI on their event.
Of course, not all event technology is created equal.
Ideally, the best event management solution will feature a platform complete with exhibit selection, communications, floor plans, digital advertising opportunities for sponsors, and lead retrieval.
In fact, selling lead retrieval to your event exhibitors so they can collect more leads is a key strategy to increase your event’s ROI, and one that your exhibitors will appreciate (read: won’t mind paying for).
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how the right technologies, specifically the right event management platform, can elevate and expedite your efforts to create an unforgettable attendee experience.
Technology’s promise for event planners
The role of technologies in event management offers specific benefits to all involved — event managers, exhibitors, and attendees.
With respect to event management, technologies can be thought of as savers and streamliners.
Get time back on your side
When it comes to planning, event managers are easily bogged down in every detail that comes before, during, and after an event.
Event technology manages the minutiae for you, giving you back the precious time needed to focus on the big picture, specifically any unexpected changes or issues that might impact the final experience.
Just how much time can you possibly get back, thanks to event technology?
A recent study reports that 89% of businesses leveraging event tech saved 200 hours, which translates as five work weeks, annually. Another 20% managed to bank an excess of 360 hours annually.
Reclaim some coins
In addition to saving time by making event management more efficient, technology also helps event planners cut costs and better track their budgets.
Connect and collaborate
Event technology also supports better communication between all involved parties.
Better communication certainly makes an event planner’s job easier; however, another perk is allocated to the event attendees, specifically with respect to stronger networking.
What does event technology offer event attendees?
In addition to supporting stronger networking, event technologies provide a platform for audience engagement all year long.
Even after the event has ended, attendees can keep in touch, review the content they found most helpful or never had a chance to digest, as well as sign up for additional content offerings by speakers and sponsors.
These event tech features enhance the entire attendee experience by nurturing and supporting lasting connections with event stakeholders.
Bottomline: Event technologies in event management accelerate ROI
Obviously, saving time and money is an undeniable benefit delivered by technologies in event management.
Yes, a stronger and sustained network for attendees is also a big perk.
At the end of the day, event managers are determined to create an incredible attendee experience, so any shortcut or streamline that event technology offers is much appreciated.
The value of technologies in event management is, in our opinion, evident.
However, there is another reality concerning the role of technology relative to event management that cannot be overstated, both for event planners and also exhibitors.
Learn how to level up (your ROI) with lead retrieval
In case you missed it, lead retrieval is not what it once was. In other words, the old business card shuffle has practically gone the way of the dinosaurs, having been replaced by tech-driven lead retrieval solutions.
For an event manager, your tech-based lead retrieval solution should:
- Offer multiple lead retrieval options
- Gather real-time registration data
- Add notes to scanned leads
- Access leads online
- Create custom surveys
- Follow-up with leads immediately
Sounds impressive, but what’s the real takeaway?
What makes these lead retrieval features so important to event planners?
The key is not what these features offer event planners, per se, but rather their potential to boost ROI for exhibitors.
For instance, Expo Logic’s lead retrieval solutions, LeadPod Pro and LeadKey provide your exhibitors with invaluable insights to lead metrics, along with the ability to connect onsite instantly.
As an event manager, you can sell this lead retrieval technology to your exhibitors, which benefits your bottom line and overall event budget, while also providing them with a tool that will help them collect more relevant and real leads.
By offering lead retrieval technology at your next event, you have the opportunity to maximize exhibitor ROI, increasing their opportunities to connect with more attendees in a meaningful way for both parties.
Technologies like this prove invaluable to your event sponsors, as well.
Support your event sponsors who are eager to invest in meaningful and relevant conversations by saving them the hassle of keeping track of contact information.
Lead retrieval makes it possible to scan a badge and follow up later.
With digitized lead retrieval and collection, you’re sending a message to your sponsors that you’re committed to helping them get the most out of your event so that they’ll remember the experience and feel inspired to support the next one.
Another feature supporting digitized lead retrieval for your sponsors comes from expediting the lead follow-up process via mobile app technology.
The ability to take notes and collect insights about every attendee will help your event sponsors capitalize on the new connections they’ve made that much faster.
Your sponsors can even build custom surveys to qualify leads when they are collected, presenting each with multiple surveys featuring specific criteria.
Ultimately, technologies like lead retrieval maximize value with minimal effort.
The Expo Logic all-in-one, end-to-end event management platform features:
- Mobile app and hand-held device options
- Real-time registration data
- Online leads portal
- The ability to add notes to scanned leads
- The opportunity to create custom surveys
- Targeted and immediate lead follow-up
Though he wasn’t referring to technologies in event management, Ben Franklin summed up its potential when he said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”Now that you have a greater appreciation of the role of technology in event management, isn’t it time to double down on what you can do to exceed expectations at your next event?
