Modern technology has transformed the way we approach event planning. Whether it's a music festival or corporate conference, digitally driven solutions reign supreme across a range of executions. To make sure your event keeps up with the play, here are five ideas to take your contemporary event to the next level.
1. Keep it cashless
Ditch the cards – go cashless. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a great way to manage and drive payments for your event, either in wristband or card form. There are many benefits to using this technology, including:
- Streamlining transactions:
Wristbands connected to credit cards or preloaded with cash help in speeding up transactions and reducing wait times. When the payment process is as simple as scan and go, your attendees can spend less time waiting, and more exploring what your event has to offer. - Safety regulation:
RFID technology has benefits in safety regulation, including checking the validity of ticket holders, and monitoring the consumption of attendees. For example, if a patron has been excessively purchasing alcoholic drinks in a short space of time, an alert may be issued on the band to let vendors know to cut them off. - Increased spending:
While implementing RFID technology is an extra cost to account for, it gives the opportunity to turn bigger profits. Allowing for cashless payments can lead to a 20 per cent increase in spending, according to TOURtech research. - Accurate insights:
Monitoring payments through technology allows you to gather accurate insights about your attendees and their consumption. This is beneficial in regulating inventory, as well as determining the popularity of certain vendors. Furthermore, this information can be used for future event preparation in terms of how much product to make provisions for, or what to leave out.
RFID wristbands can also give your attendees access to special content or areas of your event depending on their purchased ticket. Those who bought VIP passes, for example, can use their wristbands to get into exclusive lounges or presentations without the need for extra documentation, saving both the time of security and attendees.
2. Go live
To get the best out of your modern event, take it out of the venue and into the cybersphere. Live-streaming your event allows you to bring those not in attendance of your event into the fold. Whether you're running a conference packed with speakers from around the globe, or a wine and food festival, offering those at home a peek into the festivities taps into an audience base you may not have considered previously.
For those streaming their event over social media in particular, your audience can double as your own mass marketing team. People who interact and share your livestream direct attention from their network into yours, thus furthering your message and brand visibility. This can make all the difference when it comes to generating hype. If your event is in its inaugural year, showcasing the best parts can kick off the conversation for potential attendees the following year.
3. Focus on the floor
For accurate insights, set your sights on the floor. Smart mat solutions allow for in-depth analysis of attendee engagement, useful in future event planning. Using intuitive sensor technology, these mats can derive:
- Area occupancy, including how many people enter a space and how long they stay there.
- Space insights, such as bottleneck areas.
- Attendee interactions, including wait times, abandonment rates and engagements.
This information is key in thorough event planning for future events and arranging safe floor plan management. Furthermore, this data is excellent to present for potential sponsors and vendors. Rather than offering space or areas based on generalised insights, the numbers spell out the success.
4. Embrace artificial intelligence
Ten years ago, the thought of placing a machine in charge of precious customer interactions was incredibly risky business. Today, it's an event administrator's dream tool, and takes some of the load off already busy shoulders. Artificially intelligent chat bots have the capacity to replace customer service representatives for your event, and offer instant information and assistance to prospective attendees. Facebook Messenger has allowed the use of business chat bots to tap into a new audience base – and with over 1 billion users, there's plenty to take advantage of.
Your event chat bot may message those who have expressed an interest in your event in the days leading up to ticket release to remind them to secure their seats. Alternatively, your chat bot may answer common questions that your attendees have about the event.
5. Get dynamic
When planning your event, think beyond your subject matter, speakers or performers. To truly capture audience attention, create an immersive experience across all aspects of your event. This involves stepping up your production value to create a digitally dynamic venue. Take advantage of the star power of graphic features such as projection mapping and LED wall design.
Sometimes, the best way to send a message is to show, not tell – by presenting your company as a technologically savvy powerhouse, your audience will associate you with modern solutions and forward thinking.
Digitally driven with a wealth of experience, CMS Australasia have the expertise to bring your event into the future. To create an event that is sure to make an impact on your audience, get in touch with the team.