As technology advances, event planners are under increased pressure to keep up with the latest industry trends. But in the midst of constant innovation, it can be difficult to decide which tools and devices are actually working for us and which are slowing us down__especially in a business that has no tolerance for trial and error. So how can we look past the bells and whistles and figure out what's really going to help planners get their jobs done well and with efficiency?
First and foremost, avoid investing in technology for technology's sake. When you read about a new event planning application or a breakthrough in meeting technology, think of it only in the context of your day-to-day planning work. Will it help you promote your event or engage your participants? Does it add or detract from convenience?
Here, you'll find five smart ways to use technology to improve the most fundamental elements of event planning:
1. Promotion
At this point, using social media as a promotional tactic is tried and true, and the benefits of using it are abundant. It's a rare space that is as easy to occupy and update as it is accessible to your employees. And by simply transferring the event information from a corporate setting to a social one, you'll shift the perspective. Regular posts about location and scheduled activities can help build excitement and turn a work commitment into an event to look forward to.
Wondering where to start? Facebook will be your best bet. Despite the growing popularity of other social sites, a recent study performed by the Pew Research Center shows that 71 percent of adult internet users use Facebook, compared to Twitter's 23 percent and Instagram's 26 percent usage.
2. Organization
No matter how well you plan, large events always rely heavily on a variety of specialized forces working in tandem to make your vision a reality; you can't be everywhere at once, and that leaves a lot of room for error. Fortunately, you can mitigate that uncertainty by making sure you have dependable methods of communication in place.
Set up a chat group that includes all of your event staff. Or find an organization that offers an event-planning application of its own. Working with a venue that allows you to regulate the details of your event in real time can really benefit your peace of mind, as well as the success of the event itself.
3. Efficiency
Many event planners are saving their companies time and money by distributing event materials electronically__and wikis are an easy solution. These websites are incredibly intuitive, and can be used for the simple sharing of materials or for more collaborative endeavors, in which multiple users can edit and rearrange content as needed. This opens up a lot of possibilities for virtual team-building exercises__the results of which will be documented in a common space for later review.
4. Engagement
Lately, industry leaders are turning heads by flaunting new methods of engagement that utilize modern production equipment and wearable technology. New event mobile apps like Ooto and PlanningPod are popping up every day, offering easier means of gamification, registration, peer-to-peer messaging, and more.
This abundance of innovative products available makes it incredibly difficult to discern which trends you can actually trust to work, so be extra cautious and thoughtful as you consider your options. Event-specific mobile applications are slowly gaining traction with attendees, but we're still a long way from 100 percent interest and adding extra hurdles can be a deterrent.
5. Education
There is truly no better way to determine the success of your tech integrations than to simply ask your attendees and learn from their responses. In the past, getting feedback from participants required surveying after the fact, the success of which was generally unpredictable. Today, you can crowd-source information in real time, in a way that requires less work from participants, giving you a far more accurate and holistic sense of how your event is being perceived. Plus, asking your team to post their reactions on social media with a designated hashtag is a great way to get some extra publicity.
So when the time comes to book your next event__complete with a new and modernized approach to planning__find a venue that has all of the resources necessary to support it. A place that's just as forward thinking and tech-savvy as you plan to be.
A place like JW Marriott.
For more information about our state-of-the-art locations and venues, event planning mobile application, and event service excellence, simply visit http://www.jwresorts.com.