We attend events for numerous reasons – based on data and surveys gathered by multiple industry publications, the top three reasons people attend events are
- Lead generation OR Commerce (I.e. finding vendors or customers)
- Networking (I.e. New connections – e.g. mentors, subject matter experts and partners)
- Learning
If you think back to the last couple of events you’ve attended, you were likely motivated by one or more of the above.
Lead generation
Events are a great place to make new connections that are unlikely to happen in any other way. Unable to catch hold of a decision maker at an organization you’d like to collaborate with? Chances are, they will be attending one or more of the top industry gatherings, but here’s what’s less obvious
75% of lead generation at tradeshows do not involve badge scanning – Three quarters of leads are generated from either online booth visits, private interactions through the event app, registrations for a sponsored session, bookmarking an exhibitor’s product or booth or meeting requests.
40% of leads are created before the event starts and 8% after the event – Close to half of the leads are generated outside the days of the event.
Takeaway: Leveraging an event app has a 3X increase in lead generation ROI. Facilitating connections before and after the event leads to almost 100% increase in ROI.
Networking
It’s practically impossible to connect with every potential prospect, (a fellow industry professional, a potential key hire, or just someone you really wanted to introduce yourself to) during the 2 or 3 days of an event (you might have missed them when you went for a coffee), but extend that timeline to a couple of months before and after the event by leveraging an event app, social media channels or an online portal, and the odds of making those connections increases exponentially.
Takeaway: Online connections accounted for 67% of networking recorded. It is clear that while formal meetings still hold value, attendees are now placing greater emphasis on building initial connections and engaging in more casual interactions before progressing to schedule meetings. Also worth noting that over 65% of networking occurs before the event.
Learning
Imagine wanting to sit-in on a keynote address, but happen to have an important meeting that coincides? You can now make key sessions available via the events YouTube channel or make presentations downloadable through the event app or website. In today’s on-demand digital world, it’s important that organizers facilitate key engagement activities to take place when and how participants want. This is where technology can help. Technology helps create options to achieve your events goals by increasing every participant’s ROI. Not to forget some of the more obvious advantages of introducing technology
- Streamline registration and check-in: Automate the registration process, reduce manual work, and speed up check-in – a.k.a. improve the overall attendee experience.
- Efficient communication: Facilitate seamless communication between organizers, attendees, and sponsors, providing timely updates and addressing queries efficiently.
- Realtime insights: Collect and analyze real-time data on attendee behavior, preferences, and engagement, enabling data-driven decision-making.
- Increased engagement: Interactive features, such as polls, Q&A sessions, and social media integration, can boost attendee engagement and participation.
- Increased reach: Enable remote participation, expand the reach of the event and accommodate a wider audience.
How can we help?
Here at Sajilni, we love events and the face-to-face interactions that it facilitates, but we also believe that data driven technology can take your event to the next level and set you apart.
By using technology to understand your participants better and facilitating more opportunities you can create stickiness. At the end of the day, time is the most important and limited resource we have, and an event that makes a clear case of a much higher ROI will always win and keep participants coming back. To truly maximize the potential of your events, consider implementing a comprehensive event technology strategy. By understanding your attendees’ needs, leveraging data-driven insights, and utilizing innovative tools, you can create unforgettable experiences that drive business results.
Let’s work together to elevate your events to new heights.
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