Choosing the right event technology can make a significant impact on the success of an event.
High-quality event tech can streamline event planning, enhance attendee engagement, and provide valuable insights for event organisers.
While event tech is clearly an important element of most events, so many available options means selecting the right technology can be a daunting task! Different event types will have different event tech needs. For example, an AGM probably won’t need the same scale and complexity as an international trade show.
This guide will take you through the essential tech needed for particular event types, and the options to consider to ensure your event tech solution is perfect for your event:
Exhibitions and Trade Shows
The Event
Your trade show or exhibition will bring together businesses and organisations from a particular industry to showcase their products, services, and innovations to potential customers and partners. You’ll probably hold the event in a large exhibition hall or convention centre. The show may last from a few days to several weeks.
Key Features
Your event is a great platform for companies to promote their brand, generate leads, and network with industry peers. Attendees may be industry professionals and media, to interested consumers. You may feature interactive displays, demonstrations, and seminars to provide a comprehensive look at the latest developments and trends in a particular industry.
The Event Tech
Essentials
Badge-Printing Kiosks – avoid a congested reception area by installing super fast badge-printing kiosks. CrowdComms’ kiosks can be customised with event branding and can print up to 100 badges per hour.
Mobile Event App – a comprehensive mobile event app will give attendees all the information they need to get the most from your trade show or exhibition. Include must-know information such as venue location, transport and local weather. Ensure your event app supports interactive mapping so attendees can maximise their time with each exhibitor. Your exhibitors should also have their own ‘page’ within the app to promote their services and products.
Lead generation – the ability to generate plenty of high-quality leads is possibly the biggest draw-card for your exhibitors! Make it easy for them with a digital lead generator, such as CrowdComms’. Attendees can use digital business cards and QR codes to deliver their contact information in moments.
Meeting Bookings – if your exhibitors want to ability to schedule 1-to-1 attendee meetings, offer them in-app meeting bookings. Attendees simply find the organisations they want to meet, access the online calendar and book a time and date.
Sponsor opportunities – complement your physical event sponsorship with digital opportunities via your event app. Pop-ups, rotating banners, sponsored features and videos all maximise your revenue and deliver great ROI for your sponsors.
Options
Consider gamification and leaderboard features in the event app to support exhibitor engagement. Gamification can encourage attendees to visit all or specific exhibitors, while a digital leaderboard creates exciting competition between attendees!
Industry Event
The Event
Your industry event will bring together professionals from a particular industry or field for the purpose of sharing knowledge, discussing current trends, and building professional connections. The event may be a conference, symposia, seminar, workshop, or even an informal meetup. You may organise the event as a professional association, trade organisation, or private company.
Key Features
Your industry event will likely feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Speaker sessions will provide attendees with the chance to learn from experts in their field, exchange ideas, and build relationships with colleagues.
The Event Tech
Essentials
Badge-Printing Kiosks – as with trade shows and exhibitions, badge-printing kiosks ensure your attendees spend less time in queues and more time enjoying your amazing event! Take a look at how the event organisers at AntiConLX Global used the CrowdComms’ kiosks to welcome over 1000 in-person attendees in super-quick time.
Event app – in addition to providing key information, the industry event app can also provide attendees with a personalised agenda, so they know exactly where they need to be, and when.
Networking – With 80% of professionals finding that networking is essential to their career success, it’s no wonder that 76% of industry event attendees rank networking as one of their primary drivers to attend events! Help them make those all-important connections by offering digital networking channels where they can meet as individuals or as a group. CrowdComms’ event app also has personal profile pages so attendees can make targeted and meaningful connections.
Q&A and Live Polling – speaker sessions are more engaging when audiences can participate rather than just watch. In-app Q&A plus live polling turns speaker sessions into a conversation between experts and attendees.
Social media feeds – engage attendees on important event chat and topics via your in-app social media feeds. Create hashtags for your industry event so people can easily find and contribute to key discussion points.
Options
Year-round event app access – extend attendee engagement beyond the event itself . CrowdComms supports year-round event app access so you can stay connected in between your industry events. Update the app with important industry developments, educational videos, and informal meet-ups – ideal for attendees who are looking for CPD opportunities.
Hybrid event – if your industry event has global stakeholders who cannot attend the event itself, consider adding a virtual event stream. This allows remote attendees to enjoy the event content without having to travel.
Recording the virtual element means in-person and remote attendees can re-visit key content and may also provide additional revenue for event planners who want to offer the content to non-ticket holders.
Corporate Town Hall or AGM
The Events
Town hall – your corporate town hall will be held so your company’s executives can update employees on the organisation’s performance, strategy, and vision. You’ll probably hold a town hall once a quarter or twice a year, inviting all employees to attend either in person or remotely.
AGM – the AGM is a mandatory annual event and will be held by your company or organisation to allow shareholders or members to hear reports on the company’s performance and financial status, elect the board of directors or trustees, and vote on any other business matters.
Key Features
Town hall – Hosted by the CEO or other top executives, the town hall will provide updates on the company’s financial performance, recent accomplishments, and upcoming plans. You may include a Q&A session to provide employees with the opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, and engage in an open dialogue with company leadership.
AGM – Usually required by law, your AGM is an opportunity for shareholders or members to ask questions, offer suggestions, and raise concerns about the direction and management of the organisation. You might hold your AGM and in-person event online or through other remote means, depending on the size and scope of the organisation.
The Event Tech
Essentials
Event app – not as comprehensive as the trade show or industry event app, it’s still an indispensable element for town hall meetings and AGMs. The interactive agenda will keep sessions on track and on point, while in-app documentation can provide attendees with access to important pre-meeting material, such as sales projections and product development documents.
Q&A and Live Polling – if your town hall or AGM has an open question session, use the event app’s Q&A feature to ensure questions are relevant and thoughtful. Snap-shot audience surveys can be taken in real-time via the live polling feature.
Live polling can also be used to vote on key issues.
Options
Virtual live stream – connect your global employees or shareholders to your local meeting by including a virtual live stream.
In Summary
Event tech is an essential element of any event, however, choosing the right tech and features can be challenging.
Choose a service provider like CrowdComms. CrowdComms not only offer a range of services and features that can be scaled for large and small events, we also work with you to make sure your event tech perfectly matches your event needs.
