“Attendees don’t stop using social media while they are at an event, so why not try and capitalize on this and incorporate your event presence into the social media world where everyone is spending so much of their time?” - Jason Showers, technical director, Advanced Staging Productions
drive increased attendance and aware- ness.With the invention of the personal SMART device, information can be transmitted, received, researched, liked, shared, tweeted, and posted all from a bench seat waiting for the train ride home. It is instantaneous social influ- ence and feedback from anywhere on the grid! Use it to evoke conversation that will inspire or motivate, cause or call for action,or tomeasure and evalu- ate.”
“Many of our clients have implemented social strategies and oftentimes incor- porate our technology into their overall plan to maximize effectiveness - whether it be the use of large screens in the general session room or a complex digital signage system designed for touch screen multi-person engagement in a reception area.”
Showers observes that many people today can be found staring at their digi- tal devices, so much so that it has become one of the most familiar sight- ings anywhere in public.
So what is it they all are looking at on those phones? The answer, he says, in the majority of cases, is inevitably going to be some form of social media.
“And attendees don’t stop using social media while they are at an event,” Showers adds,“so why not try and capi- talize on this and incorporate your event presence into the social media world where everyone is spending so much of their time?”
“We have seen socialmedia incorporat- ed into event apps in the form of a live twitter feed that is displayed on digital screens around the event space and -
42 September October 2016
on a larger scale - with individual users being able to live stream from their phone camera to the event screens dur- ing a live performance at an outdoor music festival,” he continues. “This is one of the best examples we have seen yet of the most significant component of social media - now ‘every user can publish’ and attract an audience - for free.We think that examples such as this show how the use of social media can push the attendee engagement at your event to a whole new level.”
Above all, getting the most out of tech- nology used atmeetings and events can be achieved through partnerships with technology industry professionals who can help lead the way in making the right recommendations and by offering guidance.
“It all starts with communication,”notes Cataldi.“Understanding the goals,objec- tives, and desired results are quintes- sential to delivering the highest return on investment and experience. State-of- the-art technology could mean many things to different people.
It really
depends on what they have or have not been exposed to. Our philosophy is quite
simple.Ask questions, and here is the big tip for suppliers - listen.”
“Our clients know what they want, but sometimes cannot take that vision and put it into words or action,” he contin- ues. “It is our job to be the best con- sultants - listeners, if you will - and help them realize their dreams. I would sug- gest that a planner reach out to a solu- tions provider early in the process. Share their ideas.Dare to be different! A great supplier will provide you with options, along with pros and cons of each. They will create renderings that
place you in the room six rows back and eight seats in. Really look into what the attendee will experience.”
Echoing this sentiment, Showers states that“the ideal overall out- come can be realized with planner and vendormeet- ings early on in the process of planning the event. Thesemeetingwould bewith all of the vendors being utilized, either as a group or separately,and during this phase of the process,the planner would have honest conversations with each vendor about the event objectives and their desired outcomes. In a forumsuch as this, the planner and the event ven- dors can formamutual partnership that maintains a singular focus on achieving the event outcomes.”
“At some point during these conversa- tions itwouldmake sense to discuss the event budget as a whole and begin to narrow down the range of monetary effort that is going to be applied to each area,” he adds. “By starting as a team with the end in mind, we are able to realize an economy in the process, which in turn enables us, as an event technology vendor, to provide the best experience possible to the attendees, the presenters and the planning group.”
As a way to help introduce planners to a wide range of the meeting and event technologies that are available to them, IMS Technology Services recently took part in Event Trends 2016 (event-
trends.info).
At Event Trends 2016,planners received an opportunity to see the latest in décor designs, marketing strategies, culinary concepts, and technology for meetings and special events. Attendees also had the chance to get involved, ask ques-
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