Want to take control of your company’s events and skyrocket your results? There’s an app for that.
One of the many luxuries of being alive in the information and tech age is the absolute abundance of apps created to make our crazy lives a bit easier.
From grocery shopping, to reviewing local businesses, to ordering prescriptions and finding audiobooks on the go, apps can enhance our experiences, make improvements, and simplify our lives.
Apps have officially forged their way into the business world, too. You can utilize apps for payroll, productivity, project management, and now: events!
While event apps aren’t brand-new to the scene, they are really starting to take off. The future of corporate-hosted events predicts event apps to take the lead in these next few years, with only the users’ imaginations to limit the possibilities.
They’ve surpassed the stage where they act as a nice surprise or added benefit to event-goers and are now an expected and even necessary element.
Here, we’re going to take a look at the ins and outs of event apps to uncover exactly why these apps can be your business’ new secret weapon.
So… What Is an Event App?
An event app serves events such as meetings, retreats, trade shows, or the like to streamline information and processes (from planning to execution to feedback), making the event more purposeful, understandable, and smooth-running.
These mobile apps are downloadable on smartphones to be used in advance of the event and during activation, acting as an access point for every attendee.
Why You Should Be Using Event Apps for Your Business
Whether hosting internal or external events, event apps can and should be used by for all.
1] A Digital Guide
Prior to an event, it’s custom to send out a guide to exhibitors, partners, and attendees to get everyone on the same page about the event.
Usually, this process requires great collateral planning, printing, mailing, and a huge recovery if there’s a mistake on the already-printed or sent materials.
Most event apps will have a feature that allows the event coordinator to upload a digital guide, simplifying this step immensely. No unnecessary printing or mailing means a dramatic decrease in the environmental impact of the event — a win for everyone.
In addition to that benefit, digital guides also elevate the prospect of sponsor advertising in the event’s “program.” Instead of traditional flat paper ads, sponsors can use interactive content to make a bigger statement.
2] Key Use During Activation
Event apps are irreplaceable during the actual activation of the event. This app can serve as the ultimate home of all things event-related.
You can use the mobile application for guests to check in, use maps, find booths or buyers, enter raffles or drawings, find directions, follow a schedule, and check out.
Keeping things in one place will help create a pleasant experience for both the ones attending and the ones in charge. Everyone will know the app as the home base for anything they might need, reducing the need for a ton of event staff and making their lives easier.
Things often change last-minute during events and that can cause a headache. With a mobile app, however, information can be sent out to everyone instantly, so there’s no worry that someone missed the memo.
3] Easy Stockpile of Information
After the event, the app is no longer very useful to the attendees. However, it becomes extremely valuable to the coordinators at this point.
The app can serve as a stockpile of information recorded from the event about activities, guests, attendance, and results.
When users register to the app, you can collect key information about them to analyze the demographics and other statistics about your audience.
You can have them interact with a schedule, letting the app know what activities they will participate in. Users can also leave notes and reviews with a feedback opportunity.
The ease of this audience participation makes the likelihood of its use much greater. (Giving an event 5-Stars on an app feels so much simpler than filling out a scorecard and handing it in, right?) Because of this, you’ll have a wonderful collection of information to mine for analytics to continue improving event experiences moving forward.
