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Embracing Event Technology: Navigating Attendee Comfort Zones

Embracing Event Technology: Navigating Attendee Comfort Zones
Embracing Event Technology: Navigating Attendee Comfort Zones
Posted by on June 4, 2023 in Conference, Itinerary, Meeting

As meeting planners, we recognize the significance of event technology in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of conferences and events. However, we must also consider whether technology is pushing attendees out of their comfort zones. In this blog post, we explore the challenges and benefits of embracing event technology and discuss strategies to address attendee concerns. Join the conversation and share your experiences with us!

Understanding Your Audience

Demographics play a crucial role in determining attendees’ comfort levels with technology. Millennials, accustomed to using apps in their daily interactions, tend to embrace technology more readily. Conversely, other generations may value personal interactions and prefer being “unplugged” at events. Recognizing these differences helps tailor the technology experience to meet attendees’ needs and expectations.

Addressing Concerns and Promoting Benefits

Let’s delve into the advantages of incorporating event technology, particularly a simple event app:

  1. Going Green: By eliminating paper agendas, speaker content, and bios, you can promote sustainability and appeal to even the most hesitant attendees.
  2. Networking Opportunities: Event apps facilitate networking by providing access to attendee lists and contacts, enabling delegates to connect and arrange face-to-face meetings.
  3. Real-time Changes and Notifications: Event planners can effortlessly make last-minute agenda and session location changes, and notify attendees in real time, ensuring they don’t miss important updates.
  4. Information Accessibility: Event apps offer easy access to maps, agendas, and session content, putting essential information at attendees’ fingertips.
  5. Enhanced Engagement: Incorporate gamification elements like trivia and challenges to create a dynamic and interactive attendee experience, fostering engagement and participation.
  6. Live Polling and Audience Interaction: Enable moderators to respond to audience preferences by incorporating live polling and audience question features, facilitating immediate feedback and personalized learning experiences.
  7. Valuable Data Insights: Leverage event technology to gather data on session attendance, popular topics, and attendee questions. This data can be used to demonstrate ROI to sponsors and improve future event attendance.

Navigating Challenges:

As event planners, we must acknowledge the challenges associated with event technology that may contribute to attendee reluctance:

  1. Infrastructure: Ensure that the WiFi network can support the volume of attendees accessing it, as technical difficulties can be a planner’s nightmare.
  2. Privacy Considerations: Transparently communicate data collection practices to attendees, ensuring they understand what they are opting into and safeguarding their privacy.

Remember, even small changes can have a significant impact. Embracing event technology doesn’t necessitate diving headfirst into artificial intelligence and complex systems. Sometimes, a simple adjustment like eliminating printed agendas can make a substantial difference.

We value your input! Share your thoughts and experiences. Have your clients and attendees embraced technology, or do they feel intimidated? Let’s continue the conversation and collectively explore the evolving landscape of event technology.

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Julia O’Grady has big vision, fresh ideas and a proven track record in the events industry. She and her team work hard to exceed client expectations and push ITM Events to achieve greater heights. A driven entrepreneur, Julia also manages the business side of ITM Events including human resources, finances, marketing and writing grant and sales proposals. In taking a high level approach to event management, Julia is able to visualize a project from inception to successful execution. She attracts valuable sponsors by offering meaningful opportunities to engage with participants. Julia uses her keen analytical mind to create incredible events that maximize the available budget. When Julia isn’t planning unforgettable events, she loves travelling the world with her family, staying active, and enjoying fine food and martinis.

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