Over the past two years, I’ve become obsessed with event technology. Mobile apps, online communities, social media tools, and a plethora of other options provide numerous ways for us to enhance our events. The more I learn, the more obsessed I become. The possibilities with event technology are limitless. My company, Liz King Events, now creates Technology Integration Plans (TIPs) for our clients. We are gearing up to host our fourth PlannerTech event—introducing event planners to up-and-coming event technology companies. While not every event planner has the time or interest to learn about these things, there are a few things I think all event planners should know about event technology. Here they are, in no particular order.
If something can be done more efficiently, it can.
We all encounter moments while planning where we think, “There must be an easier way to do this!” In my experience, there often is. From searching for venues to finding speakers, products are popping up to help you through these processes. Use a simple Google search or ask an event planning colleague and there is typically a solution for your challenge.
If your attendees are connecting in the best ways possible, they probably aren’t.
The modes of communication between people are constantly changing. Social networks are pervasive, and people are more comfortable being closer to others. Networking events are an excellent opportunity for your attendees to meet each other and make connections. Still, there are countless tools to help people sort through a group of people and find the ones most targeted towards what they are looking for. It’s important to consider how changing your meeting formats or increasing the time spent on coffee breaks can be used to connect better with your attendees—and how technology can help facilitate this process.
You’re probably mistaken if you think your clients are not “into” technology.
Some clients say they don’t need technology at their events or aren’t tech-savvy. However, most of the time, it is because they don’t see the benefits or have yet to look at the areas of their events that are not quite working. You don’t have to be a tech genius to integrate event technology into your events. Companies that have done the hard part in creating software are more than willing to help you implement it. All you need to do is identify weak areas in your event and look for products to help address that areas. By taking the focus off the technology and putting it back on the event, you will usually find a product that can help address the issue. My Event Technology Resources Guide is an excellent place to start looking for some products.
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