These materials are 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

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3 Mobile Event Apps DoubleDutch Special Edition by Deborah Ng

4 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ Copyright 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) , fax (201) , or online at Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, The Dummies Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. ISBN (pbk); ISBN (ebk) Manufactured in the United States of America For general information on our other products and services, or how to create a custom For Dummies book for your business or organization, please contact our Business Development Department in the U.S. at , contact info@dummies.biz, or visit For information about licensing the For Dummies brand for products or services, contact BrandedRights&Licenses@Wiley.com. Publisher s Acknowledgments Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Development Editor: Elizabeth Kuball Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball Acquisitions Editor: Amy Fandrei Editorial Manager: Rev Mengle Business Development Representative: Karen Hattan Production Editor: Kumar Chellapa

5 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 About This Book... 1 Foolish Assumptions... 1 Icons Used in This Book... 2 Where to Go from Here... 2 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps?... 3 What Event Apps Can Do for Organizers... 3 Save money on printing costs... 4 Provide up to date information... 5 Gather attendee feedback... 6 Capture real time analytics... 6 Generate revenue... 8 Demonstrate event return on investment... 9 What Event Apps Can Do for Attendees Offer instant access to all event information Build an interactive, social community Facilitate networking and business opportunities Enhance the event experience What Event Apps Can Do for Sponsors and Exhibitors Extend reach and access to their target audience Connect them with qualified prospects Retrieve and qualify leads seamlessly Increase return on event sponsorships Chapter 2: The Types of Events That Benefit from Event Apps Conferences and Roadshows Trade Shows and Expos Internal Meetings Chapter 3: What to Look for in an Event App The Essentials Agenda builder Session descriptions Speaker bios... 23

6 iv Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Exhibitor and sponsor information Interactive floor map Offline mode Direct access to other critical information Social community Status updates Interactive capabilities Hashtags and mentions Gamification Compatibility with other social networks Promoted posts Push notifications Surveys Live polling Sponsor and exhibitor opportunities Data, Analytics, and Insights Real time, actionable insights Adoption and engagement rates Attendee sentiment analysis Trending topics Influencers and advocates Chapter 4: Homework Before Selecting an Event App Plan Ahead Take the App for a Spin See What Existing Customers Have to Say Align Your Mobile Strategy with Your Event Goals Chapter 5: Ten Ways Event Apps Can Enhance Your Events... 41

7 Introduction Events, conferences, and trade shows are an essential part of the marketing mix. They re the perfect venue to deliver content to a captive audience, an opportunity to meet face toface with potential buyers, and create a branded experience like no other marketing channel. Yet, historically, impact from events has been hard to measure when compared to other marketing channels. Today, mobile event apps are changing the game. They allow conference organizers to communicate with attendees digitally, learn from attendee behavior trends, and collect valuable data to demonstrate event success. Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition, explains how mobile event apps empower event organizers to enhance the experience for every stakeholder, from attendees to exhibitors, speakers, and sponsors. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit back, and relax with this quick read. Soon, you ll be adding Event App Aficionado to your résumé. About This Book Mobile Event Apps For Dummies was created with DoubleDutch, the award winning event app platform. In this book, I delve into the many benefits of event apps, cover which features to consider when shopping for an event app, discuss things you should know before committing to a particular vendor, and demonstrate how apps can enhance the attendee experience. Foolish Assumptions If you re reading this book, I assume you know a thing or two about putting on events. I also assume you know a thing or two about putting together an event agenda, working with

8 2 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition sponsors and exhibitors, and doing all you can to promote an event and ensure the best possible experience for attendees. I also assume you understand a little about networking and the importance of providing an interactive experience for your attendees. You probably want to understand how your event went over with attendees and sponsors alike, and want to learn other ways to bring in revenue from your event. You understand the importance of using a mobile app. And you understand that all the people who attend your event have mobile devices and rely on apps to help them stay organized, educated, and amused. Icons Used in This Book I use icons in the margins throughout this book to draw your attention to certain kinds of information: When I share some hacks for making the best use of event apps, I use the Tip icon. I use the Remember icon to reinforce an important thought or idea one worth remembering. When I share cautionary tales, I mark them with the Warning icon. Where to Go from Here To learn more about how DoubleDutch can impact your event marketing strategy, visit

9 Chapter 1 Why Use Event Apps? In This Chapter Enhancing the event experience Saving money on printed materials by going green Encouraging interaction between attendees and sponsors Delivering return on investment for all who participate Mobile event apps (apps for smartphones and tablets that are branded to a particular meeting, conference, or trade show) can enhance the experience for all event stakeholders. In this chapter, I explain why conference organizers, sponsors, and attendees should be using event apps. I also fill you in on how each stakeholder can benefit from using a mobile event app. What Event Apps Can Do for Organizers Whether it s a conference, trade show, or internal company meeting, attendees don t often think about what goes on behind the scenes at an event. There s more to it than putting up a few signs and setting out chairs. Organizers work with unions, venues, caterers, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors to ensure a positive experience for all involved. So, if there s a tool that can help organize and enhance the experience for each stakeholder, it s in an organizer s best interest to look into it.

10 4 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Save money on printing costs Conference organizers and sponsors spend a large amount of time, effort, and money on printed materials. Information is compiled, typed, proofread multiple times, and sent to a printer to be created. These materials include the following: Signage: Signs are printed ahead of time to mark session rooms so attendees know they re in the right place. They list the name and time of sessions as well as the speakers for those sessions. There is usually one sign per meeting room listing a schedule of the day s events for that room. Directories: Printed directories differ from event to event. Some events put out a heavy, technical manualsized book, listing everything from schedules and maps to speaker bios and sponsor profiles. Other events give out brochures listing each day s sessions. Schedules: Printed schedules featuring all activities must be accurate, but they re typically sent to the printer two weeks in advance. An event app, such as the one shown in Figure 1-1, ensures that attendees always have access to up to date information. Speaker bios and profiles: Attendees and sponsors alike browse the speaker bios and profiles listed in the directory in order to learn more about the presenters. Maps: Attendees need maps to find conference rooms and navigate the exhibit floor. Conferences often print out maps showing where to find session rooms and the expo floor so attendees can navigate the lay of the land. Promotional materials: Many speakers and exhibitors bring promotional materials and product brochures to hand out to leads at their booths. Every event experiences last minute changes that can render all the time invested in creating printed materials null and void. Replacing printed materials with an event app not only helps you save money on printing costs, but also enables you to update event critical information instantly via the cloud. (The cloud allows you use to use a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.)

11 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 5 Figure 1-1: Use a conference app to display the event schedule and save on printing costs. Provide up to date information Something organizers infrequently discuss is the amount of time that is invested in compiling information for each event they produce. Everything organizers share with their attendees must be accurate, or else confusion ensues! This can be a challenge because every single event experiences last minute changes. A speaker may miss his flight and be unable to make it on time, technical difficulties may lead to room changes, a problem with the venue may cause a booth to be moved to another location, and the list goes on. Because event apps are configured and updated via the cloud in real time, organizers can ensure that attendees aren t hampered by out of date information. Plus, conference organizers don t experience the wasteful print update reprint cycle or the need to print an addendum to the existing conference guide.

12 6 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Gather attendee feedback Attendee feedback is the backbone of any successful conference. Without feedback, you ll never know what works and what doesn t. For decades, organizers relied heavily on smile sheets (post course feedback forms) and paper surveys to gather feedback, which have been supplemented digitally in recent years with or other online survey tools. Unfortunately for organizers, respondents most often provide feedback post event when the experience is no longer top of mind, so responses are often skewed to the very unhappy or the easily excitable. Recalling your experience during a particular session two weeks after the fact is hard for most people, so response rates tend to be low and feedback is minimal and nonspecific. Event apps give organizers the ability to capture valuable feedback at a time when it s most relevant and when respondents are more likely to give it, instead of weeks after the fact. With mobile app push notifications (messages sent to users via the app that they can receive even when they aren t actively using the app), attendees can be reminded to complete a survey immediately after a session has ended, while the information is still top of mind. Or attendees can access surveys in the app activity feed whenever they have downtime during the event. Deploying surveys through a mobile event app gives organizers the feedback they need to improve the event experience and learn valuable lessons for the future. Attendee feedback is crucial to your success. Use this feedback to gauge attendee happiness and dissect the data to plan your next event. Capture real time analytics Event apps can enable organizers to gain valuable insight into their attendees that they simply have never had access to before. For example, attendees can check in to sessions, exhibitors, and more during your event. Organizers are instantaneously able to know with check ins not only which sessions and exhibitors are most popular, but also whether their

13 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 7 attendees are attending the sessions they signed up for. More sophisticated event app vendors will provide dashboards that give you a clear indication of how well certain sessions within your event are performing, or who your most popular exhibitors are. Another advanced capability for some event apps is employing natural language processing (NLP), which combs through comments and ratings in the app to give you the pulse on how happy attendees are. This means you can make adjustments on the fly if attendee sentiment is dropping, or do more of what is making them happy. Use real time analytics to find out the following: How engaged attendees are in each session: As attendees post status updates to sessions, you can begin to gauge the popularity of that session. This gives you a good idea of how well each session is performing based on the wants/needs of your attendees and helps to determine which speakers or topics are most (and least) popular. How well attendees are responding to speakers and subject matter: Attendees can rate speakers and sessions through in app surveys or rating cards, allowing you to determine if they did or didn t like the content or the speaker (or both). Attendee activity during different times of the day: Sometimes attendees leave the conference to eat lunch outside, take a break, or socialize. By monitoring in app activity for peaks and valleys, you can determine when attendees are most engaged in your event, helping to shape future programming based on attendee behavior. Gauge which exhibitors are causing the biggest buzz: Much like you can with speaker and content ratings, measure which exhibitors and sponsors get the most exposure at your event by monitoring attendee activity. Make adjustments as soon as you need to: Real time analytics offer a wealth of data and insights that can help you change the outcome of your event in the moment, rather than after the fact. Test different strategies to engage attendees by making adjustments to the app s game mechanics, content, and more to see what gets your attendees ticking.

14 8 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Use the information gathered from your event app s analytics to sell your event to sponsors. By showing them data on your attendees habits, you can also show them why they re such a great fit for your event. In fact, you can use the app s analytics to provide different reports to different stakeholders. Investors, your CEO, and sponsors all can benefit from this type of reporting. Generate revenue Event apps offer a wealth of revenue generating opportunities that can add tremendous value for both exhibitors and sponsors. By adding a digital layer to the event, you give sponsors a unique and data driven approach to getting their brand in front of the best leads. They ll appreciate the extra valueadded services, including the following: In app lead retrieval: Exhibitors can scan attendee badges, qualify the lead, and include notes from their conversations directly through the application via their own mobile devices. Ditch clunky lead retrieval hardware to give exhibitors a seamless mobile experience. Promoted posts: Pin a sponsored message to the top of the activity feed (the most frequently accessed part of the app) for a set amount of time. Promoted posts can include an image and a link to a section within the application or website. Push notifications: If a sponsor or exhibitor wants to drive attention to a booth, product, contest, or event, you can sell push notifications. Push notifications can be delivered to every user or specific groups within the application for a more targeted approach. Sponsored section: This highly customizable app section appears in the app s menu bar and can link to a website, microsite, landing page, or other piece of content chosen by your sponsor. Gamification: Create sponsored badges that attendees can unlock by taking specific actions within the application, like checking into a booth, sponsored happy hour, or session. Splash screen: Add key sponsor logos to your app splash screen for attendees to see when accessing the app.

15 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 9 An event app offers a digital, measurable layer of event exposure for exhibitors that can help them directly demonstrate a return on their investment in your event, and ensure they return year after year. Demonstrate event return on investment The right event app solution can provide incredible data and insights before, during, and after your event to help you determine and demonstrate the value of your event (see Figure 1-2). Figure 1-2: Your event app can help to determine return on investment by showing you real time analytics and post event engagement reports. Here s what you ll want to monitor before your event: App adoption rates: Quickly identify what percentage of registered attendees have downloaded and engaged in the application. If you have low adoption rates, consider how you ll change your strategy to get attendees active in the app and engaging with your brand. Session and exhibitor bookmarks: Measure session, speaker, and exhibitor popularity ahead of the event to ensure you have enough space or support as needed. If you notice big sessions or exhibitors aren t that popular,

16 10 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition you can leverage promoted posts, push notifications, and game mechanics to increase attendee excitement and attract more attention to those areas. Here s what to monitor during your event: Attendee engagement: Track app engagement levels to see if your attendees are excited and engaged in the application. Attendee experience: Monitor the overall happiness and engagement levels of attendees to gauge whether you need to do something to improve the experience. Attendee feedback and sentiment: Status updates, in app polls, surveys, and ratings paint a clear picture about what attendees think and feel about your various sessions, speakers, and exhibitors. And here s what to monitor after your event: Popular content: Demonstrate to leadership which sessions and speakers were most popular with attendees and why. Event overview: From a high level, be able to show how many attendees used the app, how many actions were taken within the app, and the average number of actions per user. Influential attendees: Identify which attendees got the conversations rolling to turn them into brand advocates for future events and marketing collateral. What Event Apps Can Do for Attendees Mobile event apps aren t a perk just for conference organizers attendees can also benefit from them. Be cause nearly every attendee is already carrying a mobile device at your event, access to an event app is easier than ever. Plus, mobile apps replace outdated directories that are too bulky to carry around and provide an interactive, personalized event experience for attendees that enables them to engage with each other in a new and deeply social manner.

17 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 11 As an organizer, you spend lots of energy focusing on the details, and it doesn t go unnoticed by attendees, who appreciate every effort you go through to ensure a seamless, enjoyable event experience. An event app helps attendees achieve their goals at your event, whether it s education, networking, conducting business, or a combination of all three. When attendees have a favorable experience, they share it with their friends and colleagues, which will encourage registration for your next event. Offer instant access to all event information Attendees are no longer at the mercy of outdated signage. If there s an update to session times, speaker information, or room changes, it can all be instantly updated in the app, and attendees can even receive push notifications from you alerting them of the changes. No more angry s and social media mentions from attendees who missed out on activities because they went to the wrong room or showed up for a presentation that was canceled or rescheduled. Build an interactive, social community In our hyper connected world, it s no secret that attendees love to be social, both online and off. Event apps enable attendees to do the following: Post to sessions, speakers, and exhibitors: Attendees like to show friends and colleagues where they ll be, and they can do so by posting status updates in your event app. Also, when other attendees see a session is popular or getting lots of buzz, they ll want to attend to see what all the excitement is about. Provide commentary: Attendees can share their thoughts as a session is happening, adding their own two cents or asking the speaker or panelists questions directly through the app.

18 12 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Send messages to other attendees: Attendees can network with each other by sharing information, locations, or details with other attendees privately through the application. Rate sessions, speakers, exhibitors and events: Encourage attendees to give feedback. You ll find they appreciate being able to share their input and ideas by completing surveys and participating in live polls. Learn more: By providing recommended sessions, links to speakers resources (such as their books, websites, or presentations), and offering a place to discuss each session, you enhance the educational component of your event for attendees. People attend events to learn and network, creating a naturally social environment. Giving them the added perk of being able to network via an event app will add an extra element of fun while creating a hyper social community. At an event, the sharing economy naturally builds on itself. An interesting chain of events happens when attendees are enjoying themselves they want to share their enjoyment with others via social networks, videos, blogs, and other online content. So, when you provide the additional element of an event app, you re giving attendees another reason to share your conference with others. Plus, if the app is making it so attendees can navigate the event or conference more easily (that is, if they re pleased to not have to carry around a bulky directory and they appreciate receiving instant notifications and up to the-minute information), they ll share those benefits as well. Facilitate networking and business opportunities The social element of the event app also enables attendees to conduct business and establish important relationships with other attendees. For example, attendees can use the event app to do the following:

19 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 13 Learn more about speakers: Through speaker profiles, attendees can learn more about who is presenting to better determine the educational sessions that meet their needs. To top it off, they can engage with speakers in the application by asking questions before, during, and after their presentations. Learn more about exhibitors: Attendees can make the best use of their conference time by using the app to learn about exhibits that are relevant to their interests and focusing their time on those booths. Learn more about social events: By using the app to see what is happening each day, attendees can sign up to attend their favorite events whether academic or social. Learn more about their fellow attendees: Attendees can browse profiles of fellow attendees to see who is a good fit for collaboration or perhaps a potential customer, partner, or employer. Interact with other attendees: Attendees can use the social experience provided by the app to chat with other attendees, and then when they network in person it s a much less awkward first meeting. Make appointments: Attendees can use the app to make appointments with other attendees, as well as exhibitors. Enhance the event experience Chances are, most or all of your attendees use apps to make their lives easier. They can order food, hail taxis, and map out a route using their mobile devices. With that in mind, it s an easy transition for attendees to not only use an app, but also become dependent on the app to enhance their experience at your events. An event app can make the event experience even better for your attendees by allowing them to do the following: Spend more time on conference related business. Learn more from interacting with each other. Express themselves easily and be heard! Access all the information they need, on their own time.

20 14 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Attendees can use an event app to navigate the venue; receive up to date information; hobnob with others; take notes; learn more about people, products, and services; and socialize. People prefer to handle their tasks and manage their days via their gadgets. When you can provide all the above via an app as opposed to requiring them to keep track of printed schedules and maps, make appointments through personal assistants via the phone, and so on it s already worth the investment for both you and your attendees. What Event Apps Can Do for Sponsors and Exhibitors Without sponsors, many events simply could not happen. Though attendees often pay for passes, the truth is, this only covers a small percentage of what it costs to put on an event. Sponsors provide the bulk of revenue generated by events, so it s in an organizer s best interest to provide them with an experience that offers the best return on their investment. How can event apps benefit sponsors and exhibitors? Read on. Extend reach and access to their target audience An event app can take sponsors and exhibitors presence beyond signage and a booth. In addition to these more traditional means to connect with attendees, they can monitor conversations within the app and connect with attendees on a one to one basis. Sponsors and exhibitors can Invite attendees to meet up: An app enables sponsors and exhibitors to browse attendee profiles, search hashtags, and monitor session activity to see who is a good fit for their product or service. From there, it s easy or send a message directly to attendees, inviting them to stop by the booth for a visit and maybe even schedule a demo.

21 Chapter 1: Why Use Event Apps? 15 Take advantage of sponsorship opportunities: Using promoted posts, push notifications, and other sponsored opportunities in the app, sponsors can increase their visibility, directing attendees to their booth or content and ultimately generating more high quality leads. Deliver offers to a targeted audience: Segmenting attendees by interests, sponsors and exhibitors can ensure their message is being seen by the attendees most interested in their product or service (not just the free booth swag). Engage with potential customers: Sponsors can use an event app to answer questions about their products and services, share discount codes and demo links, and generate event buzz. Gauge wants and needs: By monitoring conversations within the app, exhibitors can feel out the buzz regarding their product or service and pitch it in a way that makes it relevant to the attendees needs. Connect them with qualified prospects Sponsors and exhibitors invest in conferences for a variety of reasons, but especially because they re able to put their products or services in front of a new targeted audience and nurture relationships with existing customers. Having an app that helps to do this and more empowers sponsors and exhibitors to receive (and demonstrate) a positive return on their investment. Retrieve and qualify leads seamlessly Exhibitors have the ability to scan attendee badges, qualify leads, and take notes directly from within the application using their own mobile devices. This eliminates the need to collect business cards, request more information, and share lead retrieval devices with each other, so exhibitors can focus on the task at hand: generating demand. Lead lists are available for instant download and personalized follow up.

22 16 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Increase return on event sponsorships Sponsors and exhibitors have concrete evidence of what they ve gained by participating in your event: Analytics: Show sponsors how many attendees showed an interest in their brands by bookmarking them, checking in, or otherwise engaging with them via your event app. Interaction: By talking with attendees in the app, sponsors have the opportunity to promote their products or services while coming off as honest and human. Attendees appreciate the ability to connect beyond a rushed conversation at a crowded booth. Follow up: By giving sponsors the ability to follow up with booth visitors immediately, they can keep the excitement from the booth going even after the exhibit doors close. These sponsor perks are the types of items you can add to your sponsorship and exhibit kits as additional selling points. Use the ability to connect with attendees at the conference, and drive leads as an upsell. Better for them and better for you!

23 Chapter 2 The Types of Events That Benefit from Event Apps In This Chapter Looking at event apps for conferences Enhancing the trade show experience Taking corporate meetings to a new level I use the word event quite a bit throughout this book, but event is a word that can include anything from an intimate corporate retreat to a 50,000 person trade show. Whether your event has a few people or many, it can benefit from an event app. In this chapter, I discuss some of the more common types of events that only get better with the use of an event app. Conferences and Roadshows Businesspeople are busy. When they attend conferences, they don t have time to waste on disorganization and misinformation. Plus, the investment business owners make in order to have their people attend conferences can be quite expensive. Having an app that helps enhance their conference experience ensures that their needs are met, whether that s education or conducting business. And when an attendee s needs are met, they ll be sure to return event after event.

24 18 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition How does an event app help when people are on the road? Scheduling: By scheduling each day s activities directly in the app, the app becomes a one stop resource. No need to switch to different tools to handle different tasks (from scheduling to room details and appointments). The event app takes care of it all and syncs directly with the phone s native calendar! Messaging: Attendees can stay in touch with teammates, connect with speakers, and meet new contacts by using the messaging feature in the event app, as shown in Figure 2-1. Making your location known: By checking in to different events or sessions, attendees enable people to see where they are at any given time, making them easy to find when they re needed. Figure 2-1: Attendees can use an event app to set up meetings with people they want to get to know better.

25 Chapter 2: The Types of Events That Benefit from Event Apps 19 Generating leads: The app is a terrific place to find business leads. Speaker, sponsor, exhibitor, and attendee profiles provide important information like experience, website info, and contact details. Seeing these details at a glance saves every event stakeholder from having to go online to find the same information in other places. Trade Shows and Expos Most business owners attend a trade show at least once a year. It s the best way for them to find the newest and most innovative products and services in one place. Trade shows also enable those same business owners to make important connections, meet potential clients, set up business meetings, and drive sales. With an event app, exhibitors and attendees alike can do the following: Eye the floor: The bigger a trade show, the harder it is to find everything you want to see. Attendees can save time by using the app to find exhibitors that interest them and visit them first. This way they can spend more time meeting with like minded business owners and save checking out the rest of the trade show floor for after the most important networking is done. Attend meetings: One reason businesspeople attend trade shows and expos is because many of their clients and potential clients are in the same place at once. They save time setting up as many meetings as possible during these events instead of having to fly out to meetings at different times (and places) throughout the year. An event app cuts out the middleman, enabling businesspeople to schedule and keep track of meetings without having to go through an executive assistant. Learn about scheduled activities: Attendees can learn about product demos, contests, giveaways, and other scheduled activities.

26 20 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Internal Meetings Although event apps are perfect for big conferences, trade shows, and expos, they re equally as important in managing internal business meetings and corporate retreats. By using an event app, you re giving your team the ability to work together throughout the event. Meetings are team building events, and nothing builds a team better than an event app. An event app offers the following benefits: Creating camaraderie amongst team members: In addition to the team building activities and educational sessions you re sharing live at the event, your team is able to like, comment, and interact with each other via the app, leading to more camaraderie. Keeping team members on track: Scheduling and push notifications ensure that team members are where they should be, when they need to be there. Providing a central location for note taking: Team members can take notes while information and ideas are fresh in their minds. Giving feedback on various activities: By monitoring feedback and attendance, you can determine how well each activity is going over, helping to plan future events and activities. Mapping in app behavior to performance: When team members use the app to participate in a business event, you can monitor participation levels to see which members of your team are getting the most of the event and who is just going through the motions. Taking advantage of surveys and polling: Use the bells and whistles provided by the app, to provide opportunities to improve your business by receiving feedback in a fun and innovative way. Use an event app for meetings of all sizes. Attendees can reap benefits from using an app in a small, one hour meeting in a conference room, just as they would at a larger corporate retreat. In fact, you may find that the people you work with really appreciate being able to use an app, and meetings become more productive.

27 Chapter 3 What to Look for in an Event App In This Chapter Identifying the key components of an event app Understanding the importance of a social aspect Enhancing the value of your sponsorships Demonstrating return on investment If you ve learned anything from this guide thus far, it should be that event apps do so much more for every stakeholder than just listing schedules and showing floor maps. Attendees simply won t use an event app that is boring or limited in functionality. You also shouldn t settle for an event app that doesn t deliver robust engagement data it goes beyond a pie chart of iphone versus Android users. It s important for event organizers to choose apps with as many beneficial features as possible in order to make the most out of the experience for every event stakeholder. In this chapter, I fill you in on the features every event app should provide for organizers, attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors. The Essentials Based on your unique event goals, you may not need all the bells and whistles of an event app. Some features will be more essential for your meeting than others. How do you decide which ones are must haves or nice to haves?

28 22 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition In this section, I walk you through the most important features to look for in a mobile event app. Every event is unique. So, although I consider the following features to be essential to your success, you ll want to keep in mind what features are most important to you in an event application. Agenda builder An event app s scheduling tool is one of the most important items in your arsenal. Without an up to date schedule, attendees won t know where to go or be at any given time. They won t be able to see who is speaking, nor will they know which sessions best suit their needs. Giving attendees the ability to see a schedule at a glance, build their own agenda, and receive notifications as each of their scheduled activities is taking place ensures a smooth event for all involved. It s equally important that attendees be able to build their own schedules in an intuitive manner by simply tapping a bookmark button. Using filters for session tracks or topics makes it easy for attendees to find content that is interesting to them, instead of forcing them to sift through every agenda item. Another added benefit to the agenda builder in your event app is the ability to export a personalized agenda directly to a mobile device s calendar. This helps ensure that attendees never miss an important session or meeting. If you have a last minute change to your agenda and you feel attendees may not know about it, use a push notification to send an alert to everyone s mobile device. Session descriptions Don t underestimate the importance of a session description. Without it, attendees have no idea if a session will provide relevant education or information to them. Session descriptions in your event app should feature the following information for attendees:

29 Chapter 3: What to Look for in an Event App 23 Title: A title should grab the reader s attention and succinctly describe what the session is about. Attendees should be able to look at a title and determine if the session suits their needs and interests. If the title grabs them, they ll move on to read the descriptive text. Descriptive text: A session description should feature one to two paragraphs telling attendees what they can expect to learn from the speaker or panel. Takeaways: The session description should also give an indication of what actionable items the attendee will retain, or take away, from each session. Date, time, and location: Session descriptions should include the date, time, and location so attendees know when and where to arrive. Speaker info: Session descriptions should include the speaker s name and allow attendees to easily access the speaker s bio. This helps attendees learn more about the speaker before the session begins. Speaker bios Speaker bios are extremely important they explain why the speaker is qualified to discuss a particular topic. Your event app should include the following information in the speaker bio: Experience: Describe the speaker s business experience, including any notable clients or businesses he or she worked with. Headshot: A photo of the speaker should be included so attendees recognize the speaker before the presentation. Related sessions: Attendees should have the ability to see all sessions related to a speaker, bookmark them directly from the speaker s bio, and tap into the session to read the full description. Surveys and ratings: Attendees should be able to complete surveys and rate and review speakers directly from the speakers bios.

30 24 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Connect in app: Your event app should give attendees the ability to connect and follow speakers activity throughout the event. Social media information: Links to Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn accounts can also be included in a speaker bio. This allows speakers and attendees to connect with each other before and after the event. Links to blogs, websites, and other content: Attendees can browse speakers blogs or websites in advance to learn more about them. Speakers usually have a reason for presenting at a conference beyond just wanting to talk! For example, a speaker may have a book or business to promote. Include that information in the speaker s bio to provide speakers with more exposure attendees and sponsors can learn more about them and even think about ways they can do more business together. Exhibitor and sponsor information Attendees should be able to learn as much about sponsors and exhibitors as possible so they can be sure to meet with the right people, have talking points when they visit, and ask the right questions. Include the following with exhibitor and sponsor information: Booth number: Let attendees know where they can find this brand. Location on the floor map: Show attendees how to find each exhibitor s booth in the app s interactive map. A business profile: Share information about the brand so attendees know what the product or service is about and how it can benefit them. Notable products: If there s a product launch in the future or if the product or service has won an award or made the news, include this information in the app.

31 Chapter 3: What to Look for in an Event App 25 Request information: Give attendees the ability to send an immediate request for more information from the exhibitor or sponsor with the tap of a button. Have an delivered to the attendee with more information from the exhibitor. Request a meeting: Give attendees the ability to schedule meetings with exhibitors and sponsors directly through the application via . Links to social media profiles and business websites: Let attendees know where they can find the business online. Rate and review: Allow attendees to share their thoughts with you by giving them the ability to rate and review an exhibitor or sponsor. Exhibitor activity: See what other attendees are saying about the exhibitor or sponsor s product or service and allow them to ask questions directly through the application. The more interest you can generate for exhibitors and sponsors, and the more you highlight their brands, the more likely they are to invest in your event again. Interactive floor map A floor map means no one gets lost. This is especially important if you re hosting a big event or an event in a large venue with lots of turns and corridors. Make sure each session room, event space, and booth has a name or number, and feature each number prominently on the floor map. Your event app s interactive map feature will give attendees the ability to get from point A to point B with just a few taps. Offline mode Attendees should be able to access critical event information even if the Wi Fi network goes down. Make sure offline mode is available and that event information (such as the agenda, speaker bios, and exhibitor lists) is downloaded and stored (cached) locally on the device.

32 26 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition Direct access to other critical information An event app can offer other essential information to attendees, including the following: How to access Wi Fi: Share the login and password details for the conference Wi Fi. Transportation information: Share information on shuttle buses, rideshares, and public transit. Lodging: List the participating hotels and information on how to book with each. Evening activities: List parties and events, as well as location and directions for each. Social community While the educational aspect of a conference is important, many attendees cite networking as a primary reason to attend an event. They want to network in the most creative ways, too! Whether they share tweets and Facebook updates, have a lengthy conversation over a cup of coffee, or linger in a conference hallway, attendees agree they learn more from having a conversation than they do from any other aspect of the conference. Even more important than being able to share via social networks is the ability to share within the app itself. Attendees should be able to see the following: Activity: Attendees should be able to see what others are saying about the session, engage with one another, and ask the speaker questions directly through the session activity tab. Who is attending: At a glance, attendees should get an idea of how many others are planning to attend a session. If it s a popular session, this might also increase their likelihood of attending.

33 Chapter 3: What to Look for in an Event App 27 The beauty of the app is that everything is in one place without having to switch to different platforms or printed materials. Having the social elements combined with all the other benefits of the app kicks the attendee experience up a few notches. Status updates An event app can provide a social experience similar to what attendees are already used to on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Attendees can post status updates detailing where they are, what they re doing, and what they re looking forward to doing. They can post comments, share photos, use hashtags, and mention other attendees. The app technology gives everyone involved with the conference from the organizers, to the sponsors, to the attendees an equal voice. The social interaction provided by the app should encourage attendees to follow each other. By following each other, attendees are notified when someone posts a status update, which leads to more interaction and familiarity when they meet up with each other offline. And this scenario doesn t apply just to attendees. Speakers, sponsors, and even you can benefit from chatting in the app! Interactive capabilities Conference apps provide a variety of opportunities and scenarios for socializing, including the following: Likes: App users can like each other s status updates. Comments: App users can comment on other users status updates, to engage in deeper conversations. Direct messages: If users don t want to be so public with their comments, they ll appreciate the ability to take them private. Hashtags and mentions Socializing on event apps has the same functions as it does on a social network such as Twitter. Adding hashtags to a post will make it searchable in the application. When you mention

34 28 Mobile Event Apps For Dummies, DoubleDutch Special Edition an attendee (using his or her username preceded by sign), it s the same as tagging that person. When attendees use these tools, they re making posts more readily discoverable for other attendees, which makes for a lot more interaction. Gamification Gamification is the act of turning interaction and participation into a game, with rewards and fun bells and whistles. In fact, gamification can turn an event into a competition, but in the best way possible. Part of the reason gamification is such a successful strategy is because it taps into our most basic instincts and desire for competition and achievement. For example, you can customize the game mechanics of your event app to offer in app badges (achievements) for taking specific actions. Attendees can earn badges by doing the following: Posting to sessions: For every five sessions an attendee posts a status update to, he or she will earn another, higher level achievement. Socializing: Attendees can earn points when their status updates generate lots of likes and comments. Visiting exhibits: Reward attendees for posting to as many booths as possible. Interacting with speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors: Provide a networking achievement for your most outgoing attendees. Tie your gamification strategy to your overall event goals to ensure a successful event! Compatibility with other social networks Interacting via a private social community is fun, but conference organizers and sponsors like to see activity extend beyond the app as well. For many events, it s important to