Category: Event Management

Engaging Patients in Healthcare Fundraising: 5 Event Tips

  • Event Management
  • January 25, 2024
Healthcare fundraising professionals sit in front of a laptop.

Patients are among your healthcare facilities’ most passionate supporters. They’ve directly benefited from your organization’s care and formed genuine bonds with your healthcare staff. As a result, many patients are motivated to give back by donating. 

One of the most effective ways to harness patients’ passion and engage them in healthcare fundraising is by hosting events. Events provide a unique opportunity to promote your cause, generate support from patients, and show appreciation for patient donors. Plus, your healthcare and fundraising staff can meet with patients in person to form more personal relationships and strengthen their ties to your organization. 

This guide will explore these five strategies for engaging patients in healthcare fundraising events: 

  1. Identify highly engaged patients to invite. 
  2. Plan an inclusive event.
  3. Offer opportunities for patients to tell their stories.
  4. Use multichannel marketing.
  5. Recognize patient contributions. 

Highly engaged patients can become some of your nonprofit’s top donors. The key to connecting with them is to identify the right prospects and reach out in ways that resonate with them. 

1. Identify Highly Engaged Patients To Invite 

When planning an event, you might conduct a variety of general outreach activities to drive registrations, such as sending emails to your entire subscriber list or posting on social media. In addition to this widespread marketing, targeted outreach can be highly effective for engaging former patients.  

Targeted outreach involves finding highly engaged patients who you think would be interested in supporting your fundraising efforts and personally inviting them to your upcoming event. 

Use your hospital’s constituent relationship management system (CRM) to identify patients who are past donors, volunteers, or event attendees. These patients have already shown an interest in your philanthropic opportunities and are likely interested in attending your fundraising event. 

You can also browse your CRM to identify highly engaged families of patients. Search for family members who have donated or supported your healthcare organization in a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. 

Personally invite these individuals to your event with a tailored email or handwritten event invitation. Reference their past interactions with your healthcare organization, whether through donating, volunteering, or another activity. Let them know how your upcoming event intersects with their interests.

For example, you could write something like:

Hi Meredith,

This is Jennifer from Healing Hearts Children’s Hospital. I wanted to reach out to personally invite you to our upcoming Summer Splash fundraising auction. We so appreciate your continued involvement in supporting our mission, whether through your volunteer efforts or social media advocacy. Our upcoming event will be a great opportunity to connect with other former patients, hospital staff, and others in our healthcare community to support children in need. Please RSVP at the link below. We hope to see you there!

A message like this fosters a personal connection, shows appreciation, highlights the benefits of attending the event, and provides a convenient way to register. 

2. Plan An Inclusive Event

About 13% of the U.S. adult population has a disability. Therefore, your patient community is likely made up of individuals with diverse accessibility needs and backgrounds. Open the door for more patients to join your event by making it as accessible and inclusive as possible. 

Create a welcoming environment by: 

  • Offering in-person and virtual engagement options. Not all patients may be able to join your event in person. However, you can bring the experience to a wider audience by offering a virtual option. Find an event platform that allows you to livestream your event for attendees who want to tune in from home. 
  • Ensuring your physical event space is accessible. For example, make sure your event can be fully accessed by attendees who use wheelchairs or walkers. Create wide walkways between tables and ensure your venue is completely ADA-compliant. Provide quiet rooms for those who may need to leave the main event area for any reason, such as attendees with sensory needs. 
  • Providing translation services. Your patients may not all speak English as a first language. Consider the language diversity within your primary audience to determine the type of interpretation services to offer. For example, if many of your patients are Deaf or hard of hearing, provide an on-site sign-language interpreter. 

Taking these measures shows patients that you care about creating an inclusive environment and want to make sure they’re as comfortable as possible at your event. 

3. Offer Opportunities For Patients To Tell Their Stories

Stories are incredibly powerful. They can create emotional connections and inspire someone to become a long-term supporter of your cause. 

Plus, stories are more memorable than facts alone. Neuroscience researcher Paul J. Zak found that “character-driven stories with emotional content result in a better understanding of the key points a speaker wishes to make and enable better recall of these points weeks later.” 

Make your fundraising event more engaging and fulfilling for patients by inviting them to share their stories with other attendees. For example, you could offer opportunities like: 

  • Small group discussions that allow patients to share their stories with others who have had similar experiences
  • Talks or seminars where patients and healthcare professionals share their stories
  • Written testimonials where patients share their stories on small pieces of paper and pin them to a large wall

This is another opportunity where your organization’s fundraising tools can come in handy. For example, you can use AI fundraising solutions to identify highly engaged patients who have shared their stories on other platforms, such as social media or your website’s blog. Because these patients have already expressed strong support for your mission, you can invite them to share their stories at your event or become donors themselves.

Provide plenty of donation opportunities throughout your event so that attendees who are inspired to give can do so immediately. Offer a QR code to your online donation page, opportunities to submit check donations, and the ability to contribute via a card reader or mobile payment processing device managed by one of your staff members. 

4. Use Multichannel Marketing

Patients each prefer different communication channels, and preferences often fall along generational lines. For example, Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face communications or phone calls, while younger generations like Gen Z are more comfortable using social media. 

With this in mind, using a multichannel marketing strategy will help reach different audiences more effectively. Promote your event using channels like: 

  • Email: Send event reminders and the registration link to make it easy for patients to RSVP. 
  • Social media: Share event previews or a behind-the-scenes look at your event preparation process to generate buzz on social media. 
  • Your website: Make your event information page easy to find using buttons and calls to action on your website’s homepage. 
  • Direct mail: Send personalized event invites directly to your most involved patients. 
  • Flyers: Post event flyers in your facilities’ waiting rooms or entryways. 

Increasing event registrations requires promoting your event as an experience that will benefit attendees, not just your organization. To get an idea of what those benefits are, Kanopi’s guide to healthcare web design recommends putting yourself in patients’ shoes when designing online marketing materials. Consider what would influence your audience to see your event as a can’t-miss experience, and incorporate those elements into your marketing efforts. 

For example, perhaps your event will feature a special performance from a famous musician or free refreshments and a talented DJ. Or, maybe your event is your region’s largest awareness walk for heart disease. Find the unique element that sets your experience apart to inspire more interest. 

5. Recognize Patient Contributions 

Fundraising research has shown that 13% of donors stop giving because they don’t receive any acknowledgment for their gifts. By showing appreciation for donors’ gifts, you’ll inspire them to continue giving and show prospective donors that your organization prioritizes donor recognition. 

Because of the special relationship between patient donors and your healthcare institution, your appreciation efforts should feel thorough and genuine. Show gratitude to patient donors with recognition efforts such as: 

  • Awards. Offer awards to top patient donors or patients who have contributed the most to your hospital through peer-to-peer fundraising. Allow them to share their story at your event if they feel comfortable. 
  • Speeches from doctors or nurses. According to BWF’s healthcare fundraising guide, healthcare professionals “play an essential role in creating positive patient experiences.” Fostering trust between healthcare professionals and patients is essential to engage more patients in your fundraisers. At your fundraising event, invite doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff to speak in front of attendees, thank donors for their contributions, and highlight donors’ accomplishments. 
  • Appreciation videos. Compile gratitude messages from healthcare professionals and other patients who have been supported by donations. Play the videos throughout your event to generate fundraising momentum and inspire mid-event donations. 

In addition to these public recognition methods, show the impact of patient donations. For example, send patient donors information about how many other patients were supported through their monetary gifts. You could say something like, “Your $300 gift can help provide personal hygiene items for eight patients.” This helps connect fundraising directly to positive results for real patients, showing donors that their gifts matter. 

Many patients may be inspired to give back to your institution but don’t know the best ways to make an impact. By engaging patients in fundraising events, you can show the impact of financial gifts, inspire more donations, and provide convenient ways to donate. A positive event experience can turn patients into lifetime donors, so use these tips to plan a fulfilling, engaging opportunity.

Make attendees gather with ease. From small to large and complex events – plan and manage all of your events in one flexible platform – Attendease.

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5 Tips for Maintaining Proper Data Hygiene During Events

  • Event Management
  • January 25, 2024

There are many moving parts involved in event management—whether that’s securing a venue, acquiring sponsors, sending invitations, developing a ticket pricing strategy, or planning the event’s schedule. However, these to-do’s shouldn’t make you lose sight of your event’s main goal: providing an exceptional attendee experience. 

What better way to do so than to leverage data to connect with attendees and cater to their preferences? Data can fill in the gaps and solidify your existing relationships so that attendees can have a smooth event experience and receive engaging information after the event has ended. 

Keep in mind that data must be clean to be actionable. Here are our best tips and tricks for how to incorporate proper data hygiene into your existing event management plan.

1. Standardize your existing attendee data

The first step in maintaining proper data hygiene is standardizing your data. Once your attendee list is finalized, comb through your attendee data to ensure it’s uniform and standardize any data entered in different formats.

This practice will ensure it’s easy to find any data you need to reference in the future and streamline the check-in process. Additionally, standardizing your attendee data helps your staff understand how you’d like them to manually input data during the event to ensure uniformity.

For example, there are two different ways to enter phone numbers. During registration, some attendees may have used parentheses: (123) 456-7890. Others may have used dashes between numbers: 123-456-7890. Deciding which method you’d like to use will help clean your data for future use.

2. Verify attendee data upon arrival

Events present a unique opportunity to meet with people face-to-face and share your organization with them. Take advantage of these in-person interactions to improve your data hygiene by asking attendees to quickly verify their information before they become immersed in the event atmosphere.

That way, you can ensure you have the correct contact information, enabling you to follow up on sales leads or present attendees with relevant future engagement opportunities after your event concludes without disrupting their experience.

If you’re hosting a virtual or hybrid event, consider sending an email right before the event starts that asks attendees to verify their information online. You may link to a quick form that allows attendees to check their demographic information, phone number, email address, and mailing address for accuracy.

3. Simplify data collection for attendees

You’ll likely collect additional data from attendees during your event—whether through a lead capture form, survey, or some other method. Simplify and standardize these data collection points as much as possible to provide a good user experience and avoid data clutter.

When you’re collecting attendee data, incorporate the following elements in your forms to maintain data hygiene:

  • Standardized data fields. Across your data collection methods, standardize your data fields. Order and name your data fields the same way on each form to provide consistency. For instance, choose between using “Last Name” and “Surname” on your forms.
  • Predefined formatting. For data points that require a string of information, offer fields with predefined formatting. Perhaps you’re collecting attendees’ dates of birth in one of your surveys so you can segment attendees by age. Instead of allowing attendees to choose how they enter this information, create fields that dictate a specific date format, such as MM-DD-YYYY.
  • Dropdown menus. You may be able to narrow down possible answers on your forms to a set of several options. For example, if you’re asking attendees how they found out about your event, offer a dropdown menu with options such as your newsletter, website, and word-of-mouth referral so you can easily analyze these responses later on.

You may also add validation rules to your forms that standardize responses and flag input errors to ensure attendees enter data correctly. These rules may include mandatory fields, data types for each field—such as numbers or text—and length of input.

4. Integrate your software solutions

Facilitate the flow of data between your different systems by integrating your event management platform with your constituent relationship management platform (CRM). For associations, Protech recommends using an association-specific CRM that allows you to centralize member data and leverage those insights to provide an enhanced member experience.

When data flows seamlessly between the two platforms, you can avoid duplicate entries or errors. Automating this process also reduces manual entry, which can save your team time and prevent future errors from occurring. 

You may also integrate your event management platform with secondary platforms, such as digital invitation software, email marketing software, or your website, so attendee data can inform your efforts in other areas of your event or organization’s activities.

5. Conduct a data append

Let’s say you want to follow up with an attendee to thank them for coming and eventually engage them in additional opportunities. However, when you look at your records, you seem to be missing their email address. Upon closer inspection, you soon realize that there is a group of attendees who didn’t pre-register for your event and never gave their contact information at check-in.

To reach these attendees, conduct a data append. AccuData defines a data append as the process of supplementing your database with information from external sources.

In this case, you would conduct an email address or direct mail append, depending on how you would like to thank attendees. You may also append the following types of information:

  • Demographics, such as age, income, and level of education
  • Phone numbers
  • Geographic data
  • Employer data

Adding third-party data can help you gain a better understanding of your attendees beyond the information they’ve supplied. As a result, you can segment them into relevant groups and personalize your communications with them.

Beyond the demographic and contact information you collect from your supporters, make sure to fully leverage all of the data generated from your event. Dive into event analytics provided by your event platform to determine your event’s success. Attach insights about attendee behavior to your records and leverage this information to improve the attendee experience for your next event.

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Using SEO to Increase Association Event Attendance: 3 Steps

  • Event Management
  • January 23, 2024
This guide covers how you can use SEO to increase association event attendance.

Preparing for an upcoming event is one of the busiest times in an association professional’s career. After all, there are so many tasks to take care of, from determining event ticket prices to setting up your venue. But your most crucial tasks are promoting your event and encouraging your audience to register. After all, how can your event be successful without any attendees?

Increasing attendance for your association event is a challenging task. It requires you to use all of your marketing channels and tools, including your website. And what better way to supercharge your efforts than with search engine optimization (SEO)? This practice increases your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines such as Google, enabling you to reach a wider audience and garner more event registrations.

To help you get started with increasing attendance for your association event, we’ll go over three crucial steps to implementing SEO for your site. With the proper know-how and a robust website builder, you’ll be well on your way to achieving SEO success.

1. Perform Keyword Research

The foundation of SEO is made of keywords, the search queries that web users input into search engines to find the information they’re searching for. By threading the right keyword throughout your content, you can increase the chances that a web page will rank for that query, therefore increasing your event and overall organization’s visibility.

Ideally, you want to pick a keyword that has:

  • High search volume. Search volume refers to the number of web users that search that keyword. The higher the search volume, the more likely people will find your website.
  • High relevance. The keyword you choose should be highly relevant to your event to ensure that you reach the right target audience. For example, you might choose “professional networking workshop New York” to attract young professionals in New York to your professional development event.
  • Low competition. Some keywords are more competitive than others, making it more difficult for users to find your website. Ideally, the right keyword will have lower competition, so your site will rank higher on the search engine results page (SERP) and thus gain more exposure.

It’s difficult to determine whether a keyword meets this criteria simply by looking at the SERP. We recommend brainstorming a list of keywords relevant to your association’s event and then evaluating their search volume and competitiveness using keyword research tools.

According to Getting Attention, some of the tools you can use to perform keyword research include:

Identifying the right keywords is only the start of SEO for your association’s site. However, it’s the most crucial step—without the right keyword, you won’t be able to reach your target audience and set them on the journey to becoming an event attendee.

2. Create A Well-Designed Event Landing Page

After establishing your keyword, it’s time to optimize your event landing page for it. Incorporate the keyword naturally into the meta title, headers, meta description, and the body of your content. Create blog content that relates to your keyword as well. This allows search engines to understand that your site is related to your chosen keyword and helps it rank higher on the SERP.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to experiment with local SEO, especially if your event is in-person or hybrid. Implement local SEO by creating locally relevant content, optimizing your Google Business Profile, and identifying local keywords. This way, you can target individuals who live in the area and can easily attend your event if it’s open to the general public beyond your member base.

Aside from scanning the content of your page, Google also looks for user experience to determine the rankings of websites. Whether you created your association’s site and event landing page from a template or scratch, make sure that it is:

  • Branded to your nonprofit. Incorporate your association’s branding throughout your event website, including your logo, colors, and fonts. This practice allows visitors to immediately recognize that the site belongs to your organization.
  • Easily navigable. For the best user experience, visitors should be able to easily understand how to navigate through your site. Incorporate important links on your site’s header and footer and consider implementing drop-down navigation menus.
  • Accessible. Make your site accessible to everyone by following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which set the international standard for web accessibility. Ensure that your site is easily understood by screen readers by including alt text describing any visual content and providing closed captions or transcripts for any audio or video content.
  • Mobile responsive. The average person spends three hours and 15 minutes on their phone every day, and 20% of smartphone users spend upwards of four and a half hours on their devices every day. Support your members’ web browsing preferences by ensuring that your site is mobile-responsive.

If you’d like some examples of well-designed websites, take a look at Morweb’s list of the best nonprofit websites to get a better idea of how to incorporate SEO and great design on your association’s site.

3. Monitor Results With Data And Analytics

Much like how you would evaluate the success of your event with event analytics, you should monitor the results of your SEO efforts as well. When assessing your performance on search engines, keep track of the following metrics:

  • Unique visits. This metric refers to the number of unique visitors that access your site. A higher number of visitors means that you’re getting the visibility you want, but this could be attributed to other channels in addition to SEO, like social media or email marketing.
  • Organic traffic. Organic traffic refers to visitors who access your site through SERPs, so if you’re seeing an increase in this metric, then it’s likely that your SEO efforts are on the right track.
  • Bounce rate. This metric refers to the number of visitors who visit your site and then leave without exploring the rest of your pages. While it’s impossible not to have a bounce rate if the rate is extremely high, then you might have some on-page navigation issues, or your content quality may need to be improved.
  • Conversion rate. Conversion rate refers to the number of web visitors that take a desired action, such as downloading a resource on membership benefits or signing up for an email newsletter. For your event landing page, the conversion to pay attention to is usually registering to attend the event and paying for tickets.
  • Keyword rankings. This refers to how highly on the keyword’s SERP your page is ranking—the higher your ranking, the closer to the top of the SERP your page will be, and the more clicks you’ll get.

Look at all of these metrics together to evaluate the success of your SEO marketing. For example, if you’re seeing a lot of organic traffic but a high bounce rate, then you know that your SEO strategy is working well but that there may be on-page issues you need to address. Or, if your page is ranking highly, but you’re not receiving much traffic, then you may need to optimize your landing page for a better keyword.

Planning an event takes time, and so does increasing event attendance and acquiring qualified event leads. To ensure that your SEO strategy is a success, give yourself the time you need to establish a thorough marketing strategy. And don’t be afraid to revise that strategy if you’re not seeing the results you want.

Make attendees gather with ease. From small to large and complex events – plan and manage all of your events in one flexible platform – Attendease.

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Handbook #1 – Finding The Right Event Management Platform

  • Event Management
  • January 18, 2024

Critical steps you need to take to find the right event management platform

Hosting corporate events means different things to different people. There is not just one event management platform on the market. So, how do you find the right one to fit the needs of your attendees and your organization? Whether planning conferences, seminars, product launches, or even team-building retreats, the key to orchestrating seamless and impactful events often lies in the technology you use to manage them.

In this handbook, we will demystify the world of event management platforms. We will explore the critical steps you need to take to find the right event management platform that truly meets your business needs, ensuring that you do not end up with yet another SaaS tool that either never gets used or does not get used to its potential.

Attendease Handbook: Finding The Right Event Management Platform

Download the step-by-step guide: Finding The Right Event Management Platform!

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Learn more about:

  • How to get internal buy-in for new technology. 
  • Conducting a needs assessment exercise. 
  • Finding and evaluating event management tools. 
  • Understanding pricing models and negotiating better deals.

3 Event Marketing Tips and Tricks for Associations

  • Event Management
  • January 3, 2024
A group of event attendees sits and listens to a keynote speaker.

Whether you’re hosting a keynote speech or a conference, your association can leverage engaging events to build member loyalty and make connections in your industry. That said, planning an event is one thing, but getting attendees through the door is another. 

1. That’s where event marketing comes into play 

Strategically promoting your event to appeal to target audiences can boost your RSVPs and, potentially, your return on investment (ROI). However, effective event marketing campaigns require careful planning and adherence to proven best practices. In this guide, we’ll explore how to execute an event marketing strategy with these steps:

  1. Create detailed audience profiles
  2. Embrace interactive marketing ideas
  3. Leverage event marketing automation
  4. Take a multi-channel marketing approach

These best practices will help you optimize your event marketing efforts and spread awareness of your brand. Keep your association’s unique brand and marketing approach in mind as you employ the following steps.

  1. Create detailed audience personas

Your association likely already targets specific audiences for general marketing efforts, and event marketing is no different. However, your audience for your event marketing outreach might differ based on the event’s purpose. You can make detailed audience profiles based on factors such as:

  • Demographic information. Knowing basic information about your target audience’s age, location, income level, and educational background helps you establish a baseline foundation for your event marketing approach. 
  • Interests and values. Once you have demographics down, develop your personas further by gauging their interests and values. They can be related to your event, industry, and association, but remember to include personal interests and values as well to get a comprehensive picture of their motivations.
  • Pain points and challenges. Your event should present a solution to a challenge your audience members face. Map out why your audience feels these pain points and how your event can help them.
  • Preferred communication channels. When picking your event marketing channels, prioritize those that your audience uses to maintain efficiency and get results faster. For instance, if most of your audience prefers to communicate via email, spend your resources developing digital marketing content.
  • Relationship to your association. Understanding your target audience’s relationship with your organization helps you determine the specificity and subject of your marketing messages. For example, are you targeting existing customers or people who haven’t heard of your organization?

To ensure you create these personas with updated and accurate information, conduct a data append. Once you create your personas with this information, you can optimize your marketing messages for the marketing funnel, which is a way of visualizing the specificity of a marketing message in relation to the audience’s motives. Take a look at Fifty & Fifty’s funnel diagram:

Developing these insights in detail allows your organization to create highly personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience and hit the right funnel position. 

2. Embrace interactive marketing ideas

Remember that quality is just as, if not more, important than quantity when it comes to marketing. Making campaigns as engaging as possible is important for maximizing your return on investment and getting attendees excited about your event. Plus, word of mouth can be a great tool for spreading the word to members’ networks, too. Try Getting Attention’s interactive membership marketing ideas for your association’s next event:

  • User-generated content. Social media is a powerful marketing tool, but the sheer volume of content posted can make it challenging to organize your marketing posts into a comprehensive campaign. However, hashtags have made it possible for user-generated content to support your association’s event marketing efforts. Challenge your members to post photos under a relevant, unique hashtag and repost content to your feed to keep the momentum going.
  • Pre-event contest. Take your user-generated content approach to the next level by implementing an element of gamification. For example, you could ask your members to compete to see which post under your hashtag gets the most likes. The winner will be announced at the event and will win a prize. This idea not only spreads the word about your event but also raises the stakes for your members, boosting participation.

These are just a few examples of interactive marketing ideas to get you started. The best ideas energize your members to get them excited for the event, so appealing to their personal interests and tying them to your brand identity is crucial.

3. Leverage event marketing automation for associations

Effective event marketing campaigns for associations are dynamic and adaptable, responding to real-time updates during the campaign rollout. Using event management software with automation allows you to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and address issues immediately. Here are some ways marketing automation can benefit your association’s event marketing efforts:

  • Manage registration. Manually sending emails after every RSVP response is tedious and time-consuming. Configure your event management software to automatically send registration confirmations, reminders, and more follow-up communications to free up bandwidth for your team to focus on event planning. 
  • Schedule content blasts. Maintaining a consistent content calendar is necessary, yet can be challenging for busy marketers. Marketing automation software allows you to schedule posts ahead of time so you never miss a deadline in your marketing plan.
  • Audience segmentation. If you’re targeting multiple audiences using the aforementioned persona criteria, segmenting your communications based on data is a large undertaking. However, marketing automation software makes it simple and can even provide recommendations of which segments to target. 
  • Generate reports. Having access to your key performance indicators (KPIs) throughout the campaign helps you make important data-driven decisions. Marketing software automatically tracks your priority KPIs and stores them so you can view your progress at any time.

From registration to follow-up, a robust event management system with automation features will improve your marketing results and yield a better event experience for everyone.

Implementing your event marketing strategies for your association

Once you’ve conceptualized your event marketing strategy for your association, it’s time to implement your strategies. First, ensure you’re set up for success with an event management tool on your side. Then, experiment with different approaches until you’ve found the best one. Finally, after the event wraps, use your software to gauge the effectiveness of your efforts so you can expand upon your success in the future.

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35 Creative Product Launch Event Ideas to Try in 2024

  • Event Management
  • December 20, 2023
35 Creative Product Launch Event Ideas to Try in 2024

Launching a new product can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking time. You’ve invested months or even years into developing an innovative solution, and now it’s time to introduce it to the world. A successful product launch kicks things off on the right foot, generating buzz and allowing you to bring your offering to market in a memorable way.

But coming up with fresh, creative product launch ideas takes effort. You want an event that captures attention and gives your audience a stellar first impression. The last thing you want is a boring, cookie-cutter affair.

To help launch a new product more exciting and engaging, this blog shares 35 creative product launch event ideas with real-world examples to consider in 2024. Let’s dive in!

What Is a Product Launch Event?

A product launch event is a strategic marketing event designed to introduce a new product or service to the market. It typically involves a combination of presentations, demonstrations, and promotional activities aimed at generating excitement and interest among potential customers, media, and stakeholders. These events are carefully orchestrated to create buzz, showcase the product’s features and benefits, and ultimately drive sales and brand awareness. Successful product launches often involve extensive planning, coordination, and attention to detail to ensure a memorable and impactful introduction to the market.

What Are the Benefits of a Product Launch Event?

Generating Buzz:

Launch events create excitement and anticipation around the new product, attracting attention from customers, media, and industry influencers.

Building Brand Awareness:

Launch events provide an opportunity to showcase the product’s unique features and benefits, helping to raise brand visibility and recognition in the market.

Driving Sales:

Launch events can directly influence purchasing decisions by providing attendees with hands-on experiences, demonstrations, and exclusive offers. This can lead to immediate sales and long-term customer loyalty.

Gathering Feedback:

Product launch events allow companies to interact directly with customers, enabling them to gather valuable feedback and insights that can inform future product development and marketing strategies.

Strengthening Relationships:

Launch events provide a platform for companies to engage with key stakeholders, foster stronger relationships, and build trust in the brand.

35 Creative Product Launch Event Ideas & Examples

Planning your next product launch doesn’t have to be difficult with these unique and engaging event ideas. 

1. Interactive Virtual Product Launch Party

Hosting a virtual product launch party makes your event accessible to a global audience. Set up live video streams and demos so attendees can engage with your product in real time. Interactive elements like live chats and Q&A sessions also allow them to ask questions and provide feedback.

For example, when Adobe launched its Creative Cloud software suite, it hosted a virtual launch event featuring product demos and opportunities for attendees to interact with Adobe team members.

2. Influencer Takeovers

Leverage social media influencers in your industry by having them “take over” your brand’s accounts leading up to the launch. They can provide sneak peeks, share their early experiences using the product, and host Instagram Lives or TikTok videos to generate buzz among their followers.

When Instagram was gearing up to launch IGTV, popular creators like Kim Kardashian gave followers a first look at the new video platform.

3. Pop-up Shop Experience

Create a temporary pop-up shop where people can test out your new product and interact with brand ambassadors. This tangible, experiential environment creates an immersive brand launch event that attendees will remember.

4. Launch Event Geofilter

Design custom Snapchat geo-filters for your launch event venue so attendees can overlay this branded, themed graphic onto their photos and videos. It creates shareable social content around your launch.

For instance, geofilters helped Snapchat create buzz for their own hardware launches like the Spectacles 3 announcement event.

5. AR-Enabled Product Packaging

Incorporate augmented reality into your product’s packaging design! When customers scan a marker with their smartphone camera, it triggers an AR experience like a holographic tutorial or demo.

BMW created an AR app allowing users to scan a marker on the 7 Series brochure and visualize features like gestural control in an interactive 3D model.

6. Influencer Product Review Kits

Send your new product to social media influencers, bloggers, and industry experts, allowing them to experience it first-hand. Ask them to share reviews and product highlights with their audiences.

7. Product Teaser Mini-Sites

Launch mysterious, cryptic mini-sites that offer clues and previews about your upcoming product reveal. This creates anticipation and encourages visitors to provide their email for launch updates.

8. Crowdsourced Product Naming Contest

If you haven’t landed on a product name yet, turn it into a crowdsourcing contest. Invite social followers and email subscribers to submit and vote on possible names. Reward the winner with free merchandise or lifetime access!

To name their compact SUV, Chevrolet launched a crowdsourced contest inviting over 130,000 participants to submit ideas and vote.

9. Concept Car-Style Reveal

Emulate a concept car reveal with a staged unveiling of your product like it’s the latest cutting-edge vehicle. This works especially well for tech products.

10. Hybrid Product Launch Festival

Host a multi-day hybrid festival to launch your product with virtual and in-person components. Attendees can livestream sessions along with local experiential activations.

11. Mass Mystery Mailing

Send cryptic, unlabeled mystery boxes or envelopes containing teasers about your upcoming launch to industry mailing lists and existing customers. Inside, include clues urging recipients to join the upcoming reveal.

For the Stranger Things season 4 premiere, for instance, Netflix mailed mystery boxes to fans with 1980s artifacts hinting at plot points.

12. User-Generated Launch Hype Videos

Solicit quick video messages from beta testers, influencers, and potential customers sharing their excitement for the upcoming launch. Compile them into a hype reel to promote across social media.

13. Product Launch Pop-Up Restaurant

Partner with trendy eateries to offer limited-edition menu items or cocktails themed around your product. These help cross-promote your launch to new demographics.

14. Easter Egg Hunt

At your launch venue, hide Easter egg-style clues that reveal more information about key features or direct people to exclusive launch content. Make it into a game!

15. Movie Trailer-Style Product Promo Videos

Produce hype videos modeled after popular movie trailer formats. These trailers can showcase product features in a dramatic, suspenseful style to get viewers excited.

The Apple Watch Series 7 announcement emulated the feel of an action movie trailer with its fast-paced edits and booming soundtrack.

16. Launch Event Live Stream

Live stream your entire product launch event to virtual attendees. Consider hosting a separate online component with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews that showcase your product launch event planning process.

Microsoft has often live-streamed major product launches, like the reveal of the Xbox One, allowing online viewers to feel part of the action!

17. Product Launch Hashtag Campaign

Rally anticipation around your launch with a viral hashtag campaign. Encourage early access users, fans, and partners to post teaser content using your branded hashtag.

For example, GoPro’s HERO8 camera launch incorporated a #MillionDollarChallenge offering prizes for video creators highlighting the new product.

18. Launch-Themed Cocktail or Food Item

Develop custom cocktails or food/dessert items inspired by your new product. Feature them at in-person events or offer the recipes digitally as part of virtual product launch parties.

19. Limited-Edition Product Launch Merch Drop

20. Launch Event Pop-Up Arcade

Make your product launch more festive by setting up vintage arcade games or hiring a company to provide pop-up gaming kiosks for attendees. Tie-in custom gaming leaderboards showcasing your brand.

Nintendo has often brought arcade experiences to product launch events, letting attendees play new games. Fun!

21. Product Teaser Podcast Series

Launch a limited podcast series covering topics or themes related to your product. Insert teaser mentions of the upcoming reveal to get listeners hooked.

22. Virtual Product Launch Festival

Similar to a music festival, organize a multi-day virtual launch celebration. Have a lineup of speakers, demos, entertainment, and product experts. Attendees can join live or stream on-demand.

SAP hosted a virtual Concur Fusion event to showcase their latest software updates, including keynotes, demos, and breakout sessions.

23. Crowdsourced User Manual

Engage your community to help write sections of your product’s user manual and guides. This crowdsourced document can then be distributed digitally at launch.

24. Midnight Online Digital Product Launch Party

For online products, do a midnight launch where it goes live online exactly at 12:00 AM. Support it with a virtual launch party counting down to the precise moment.

Video games like Call of Duty have celebrated new title releases with midnight launch parties culminating in players gaining access right at the stroke of twelve. 

25. Product Launch Treasure/Scavenger Hunt

Organize a public treasure hunt by hiding QR codes or clues leading participants to different locations around your city related to your launch. QR codes can link to product teasers, demos, or discount codes.

Apple held a city-wide scavenger hunt for the iPhone XR launch in Paris with iPhone-themed challenges at landmarks.

26. Launch Event Live Theater Performance

Surprise and delight attendees with a custom theater experience like a play, musical, or improv show themed around your new product. This memorable event helps make the introduction of your new offering impactful.

When Salesforce introduced their AI product, Einstein, they hired Broadway performers to act out humorous sketches personifying the AI assistant.

27. Product-Themed Cocktail Experience

Hire mixologists to craft bespoke cocktails inspired by your product and brand. Set up cocktail-making classes at your launch event venue or distribute the recipes digitally.

At a recent Pixel phone launch, Google crafted cocktail recipes like the “Pixel Spritz” themed around product features.

28. Hackathon Challenges

Hold hackathons challenging developers and programmers to build creative projects, plugins, or integrations using your new product and its API. Offer prizes and recognition.

29. Limited-Run Launch Zine

Design unique launch-themed zines featuring announcements, photos, artwork, and details about your new product. Hand them out at events or pop-up shops.

30. Cryptic Skywriting Launch Teasers

In cities where your target audience is concentrated, hire skywriting pilots to fly over, writing cryptic launch phrases. This intriguing aerial advertising builds pre-launch curiosity!

During SXSW 2018, Uber Eats used skywriting above Austin reading, “Hungry for More? Look Up,” to promote their expansion into new cities.

31. AR-Powered Product Inserts

Include AR-activated inserts in your product packaging that trigger immersive 3D demos and tutorials when scanned with a smartphone.

32. Product Release Countdown Timer

Place countdown timer displays showing the days until your product’s availability in high-traffic public areas like shopping centers, transit stations, or screens in your office lobby.

33. Branded Launch Event Tattoos

For event attendees, offer custom semi-permanent or temporary tattoos related to your product launch. These can include logos or graphic symbols representing key features.

34. Crowdsourced User Testimonials

Recruit loyal fans and customers to contribute launch endorsements and testimonials praising your product. Their authentic perspectives build credibility.

Leading up to new product announcements, Apple typically shares user-generated social posts highlighting how current products impact their lives.

35. Launch Event Mobile Charging Stations

Provide branded mobile device charging lockers or stations for attendees to recharge at your launch venue. They’ll appreciate the convenience while staying connected.

Make Your Next Product Launch Memorable with EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease)

The key to a successful product launch event is choosing creative strategies aligned with your target audience, brand values, product details, and business goals. Identify which ideas best fit within your budget, resonate with your customers, and generate the kind of pre-launch momentum you want.

With EventUp Planner‘s all-in-one event management software, you can seamlessly promote, organize, and execute innovative product launches that wow attendees! From email automation to branded registration pages, EventUp Planner simplifies launching your game-changing products. 

Book a demo today to discover how our solutions can level up your next product reveal!

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From Clicks to Connections: The Event Attendee Journey Demystified

  • Event Management
  • December 7, 2023
The Event Attendee Journey Demystified

Technology has transformed nearly every aspect of event planning and execution. From initial event discovery to post-event follow-ups, attendees expect seamless digital experiences that enhance their journey before, during, and after an event.

Technology should facilitate meaningful connections in the digital age—not hinder them. While event planners adopt the latest tech tools, keeping the attendee experience at the heart of each touchpoint along the event journey is crucial.

With strategic and thoughtful technology integration, events can nurture attendee engagement, collect valuable data, and build loyal communities centered around shared interests and values.

Let’s explore how technology shapes the modern event attendee journey and demystify this evolving landscape!

The Pre-Event Stage: From Event Discovery to Registration

Long before stepping foot at an event, an attendee’s journey begins online. Event discovery and registration set the tone for their first impressions.

Online Conference Discovery

In a sea of event options, standing out is a challenge. Strategic search engine optimization (SEO) ensures an event website appears at the top of Google searches.

Optimizing page titles, metadata, URLs, content, and backlinks for target keyword phrases such as “industry event” makes your website more discoverable.

Social media essentially acts like a megaphone, amplifying your event’s message and reach. Promoting hashtags, running targeted ad campaigns, and partnering with influencers exposes your events to relevant audiences!

Mobile event apps and online directories also allow attendees to browse upcoming events on the go based on date, location, cost, industry, and other filters.

Seamless Event Registration

Once interested attendees find an event, the registration process needs to be seamless. Complicated multi-page forms lead to high abandonment rates—no one wants that!

Streamlined registration platforms like Attendease use intuitive interfaces and customizable components to gather essential info while keeping users engaged.

Integrating social media login options via platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google allows attendees to register quickly with just a click.

Finally, early bird ticket options, group discounts, and special promo codes incentivize users to commit to an event registration early on.

Preparing for the Event: Communication is Key

Leading up to the event, clear communication ensures your attendees know what to expect. Confirmation emails, reminders, and event guides set the right tone.

Event Confirmations and Digital Tickets

After registering, attendees want to receive confirmation emails and virtual tickets immediately. Quick confirmations build trust and confidence in the event experience.

Essential logistical details, like dates, location, agenda timing, required materials, and contact information, should be easy to find.

Log-in instructions and access links must be clearly highlighted for virtual events. Optimizing confirmations for mobile devices allows access on the go.

Furthermore, integrations with calendar apps enable your attendees to automatically add event dates, schedules, and other logistical details to their personal calendars. This makes staying organized effortless. Plus, these integrations send real-time updates if any event details change, so attendees always have the most up-to-date information!

Personalized Event Updates

Regular email updates get attendees excited leading up to the event while reinforcing key details. These messages can be personalized and automated based on attendee preferences and engagement.

For example, after registering, first-time attendees may receive more tips and introductory information than veterans of the event.

Push notifications via mobile event apps also remind attendees of important deadlines for travel, hotel bookings, agenda scheduling, and more.

For virtual attendees, creating online orientation guides walking them through the event technology provides reassurance and builds anticipation. 

The Event Experience: Technology Touchpoints

Technology should facilitate meaningful connections and engagement at the event itself, not hinder them. Here are some key ways to streamline crucial event touchpoints with technology. 

Event Check-In and Badge Retrieval

Long check-in lines frustrate attendees and cause delays. Contactless check-in technology offers solutions.

For instance, attendees can self-check in via QR codes that instantly pull up their registration data when scanned. RFID-enabled name badges also speed up diskless check-in.

Interactive Event Apps

Event apps enhance engagement before, during, and after an event. Features like interactive maps, agendas, messaging, and live surveys create a seamless experience for attendees.

Gamification through point systems and leaderboards incentivizes participation in live polls, surveys, social sharing, and other activities.

Matchmaking algorithms connect like-minded attendees for more meaningful networking. Customizable profiles allow for screening based on role, industry, interests, and goals.

During Q&A sessions, moderators can monitor questions and feedback coming in through the app. This facilitates dynamic audience interaction and participation!

Virtual Event Participation

Hybrid events must carefully interweave virtual elements with in-person activities so remote attendees don’t feel excluded.

Offering live streams, on-demand recordings, interactive virtual lounges, and custom-branded event apps allows virtual participants to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Cutting-edge event technology like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) takes remote participation to the next level. Attendees can join photorealistic virtual venues to network, visit exhibits, and more!

Gifting virtual swag bags filled with downloadable content, coupons, and samples from event sponsors also demonstrates value to virtual attendees.

Post-Event Follow-Ups: Building Relationships

The event journey doesn’t end when an event concludes! Post-event technology nurtures ongoing engagement with your community of attendees. 

Post-Event Surveys and Feedback Forms

Instant feedback is invaluable for continuous improvement. Post-event surveys assess satisfaction, collect testimonials, and identify weaknesses.

However, survey fatigue is real. Limiting the number of questions and offering incentives like entry into a gift card raffle encourages participation.

Then, complete an in-depth analysis of survey data to fuel measurable changes for future events according to your attendees’ preferences.

Social Media Engagement and Sharing

Post-event social media campaigns keep the conversations going long after the event is over. Encouraging attendees to post photos, testimonials, memories, and feedback using designated hashtags sparks user-generated content (UGC) that can be re-shared to keep the buzz going!

Offering custom frames and filters for event photos and automated options to share posts about the event easily provides social sharing shortcuts.

Reviewing social media analytics provides valuable demographic data and helps quantify the success of your event through metrics like reach and engagement.

Targeted Email Campaigns for Future Events

Adding attendees to targeted email lists nurtures ongoing relationships. Use insights from surveys and analytics tools to segment recipients and personalize messaging.

For example, young professionals may be open to more networking opportunities, while VIPs expect exclusive invites and perks. Tailor your outreach accordingly.

Sending recap emails with highlights, photos, and recordings allows attendees to re-live memorable moments! Sharing event metrics like attendance numbers or raised funds excites people about the collective impact.

Post-event emails should promote next year’s event dates early on and offer alumni discounts or early registration perks to incentivize re-registration.

The Future of Technology and the Event Attendee Journey

As events continue to evolve, so will the technology shaping the attendee journey. Hybrid events will become the norm, requiring seamless integration of virtual and in-person experiences.

Data collection and analytics will get more sophisticated, revealing behavioral patterns to inform highly personalized engagement touchpoints along the event attendee journey.

Finally, artificial intelligence will power next-level matchmaking algorithms and virtual assistants to guide attendees, answer questions, and handle logistics.

While these innovations offer exciting possibilities, technology should ultimately facilitate human connections and engagement around shared interests—the heart of any successful event.

  • EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease) offers an intuitive end-to-end event management platform designed to streamline event logistics while keeping the attendee experience at the core. From registration to post-event follow-ups, EventUp Planner enhances engagement and connects your community.

Book a call to learn more about how EventUp Planner can optimize your event attendee journey!

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25 Event Promotion Ideas You Haven’t Tried

  • Event Management
  • November 30, 2023
People using AI at an event

Event promotion is key to driving awareness, interest, and registrations for your upcoming event. But with so many events competing for attention, it can be challenging to make your event stand out.

That’s why thinking outside the box and trying new, innovative promotion tactics is so important. Rather than relying solely on conventional promotion methods like social media posts and email blasts, consider incorporating some fresh, creative strategies into your event promotion mix.

Below are 25 cutting-edge event promotion ideas to inspire you and captivate your target audience. With options spanning emerging technologies, sustainability initiatives, and more, you’re sure to find unique concepts to make your next event a standout success!

How to Promote Events in Innovative and Creative Ways

Virtual Reality (VR) Previews

Virtual reality (VR) is an incredibly immersive medium that transports users into digital worlds. Bring your event to life by developing a VR experience that gives potential attendees a vivid preview of what your event entails.

Attendees can strap on a VR headset to virtually explore your event venue, interact with sponsors and exhibitors, and get a firsthand look at the types of sessions and activities you’ll offer. Giving attendees this kind of behind-the-scenes access makes your event intriguing and helps convert registrations.

NFT Ticketing

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have exploded in popularity recently. Tap into this craze by providing select event tickets as exclusive NFTs. This could mean working with digital artists to create beautiful one-of-a-kind ticket NFT artworks. Or, making your virtual event NFT tickets double as access keys for attendees.

The collectibility factor and crypto community appeal of NFT ticketing makes your event stand out. Plus, it gives attendees an extra layer of social status and exclusivity.

Interactive 3D Seating Charts

Elevate a mundane process like selecting seats or virtual spaces into something fun and engaging. Implement 3D seating charts or virtual venue maps that allow attendees to navigate and select their preferred spots!

Make it interactive by enabling attendees to toggle between venue views and get insights on sightlines. Giving attendees this level of choice and control over their event experience boosts excitement to attend while providing valuable data for your planning.

Augmented Reality (AR) Scavenger Hunts

Incorporate augmented reality by developing a scavenger hunt-style mobile app for your event. Attendees can use their phones or tablets to hunt for virtual collectibles overlaid on the event venue or virtual event platform.

As they explore and complete AR challenges, they can unlock rewards like discounts on merchandise or exclusive event content. This gamified promotion idea entices attendees to engage with your event in a memorable way.

Voice Search Optimization

With voice assistants like Siri and Alexa becoming ubiquitous, optimize your event content for voice search. This involves using natural language and conversational keywords when describing your event details online.

Optimizing for voice makes it quick and convenient for people to find information about your event using voice commands. Voice search optimization expands your digital visibility, as voice usage continues its upward trajectory.

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Integration

Appeal to the tech-savvy crypto community by accepting payments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Or, provide discounts for registrants who pay using blockchain technology. This promotion idea associates your brand with innovation and caters to a growing audience.

You can even issue blockchain-backed digital collectibles as part of the event experience! The possibilities are vast when you integrate these decentralized technologies.

AI Matchmaking

Harness artificial intelligence (AI) to power seamless networking and connections at your event. Collect robust attendee data like interests and goals, then implement smart matchmaking tools that pair attendees for relevant, value-driven meetups.

Providing customized networking not only adds value to the event experience, it also gives attendees more incentive to participate. AI matchmaking makes attending your event more rewarding professionally and personally.

Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Today’s audiences have an appreciation for brands that implement eco-friendly practices. Promote your commitment to sustainability through initiatives like carbon offsetting emissions associated with your event, zero-waste policies, or planting trees for each ticket sold.

You can also opt for sustainable event merchandise and supplies or host a beach cleanup as part of the event agenda. With climate change a rising concern, sustainability-focused promotion attracts conscientious attendees.

Live Polls and Contests

Actively engage your audience during virtual and in-person events through live polls and contests delivered via your event platform or app. These could be brief polls asking for attendees’ perspectives on session topics or fun trivia contests related to your event theme.

Winners can be awarded with event merchandise, discounts off future events, or access to an exclusive speaker Q&A. Integrating polls and contests into your event keeps the energy high and gives attendees incentives to tune in.

Crypto Art Galleries

The crypto art movement combines blockchain technology and artistic creativity. Bring this innovative concept to life at your event by collaborating with digital artists to host a crypto art gallery.

Attendees can browse and purchase exclusive digital art pieces as event-accessible NFTs. Holding an art showcase centered around this emerging technology attracts crypto-enthusiasts and showcases your event’s originality!

Live Social Challenges

Generate buzz on social media by creating branded challenges that encourage attendees to engage with your event across platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These could be photo challenges that incorporate your event hashtag or dance challenges set to themed music.

Attendees can participate for a chance to win VIP upgrades, merchandise, or other exclusive perks. Additionally, compiling and reposting user-generated content from these challenges expands your event’s social reach.

Crypto Giveaways

Cryptocurrency giveaways continue to gain momentum for their novelty and valuability. Offer an exciting giveaway where select registrants win cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum or non-fungible tokens. You can even create custom-branded crypto coins as collectible giveaways!

Promoting crypto giveaways casts an innovative light on your event and provides attendees with a chance to win valuable digital assets for their participation.

Metaverse Meetups

As the concept of the metaverse goes mainstream, organize unique pre-event metaverse experiences. This could involve creating your own space within a virtual world like Decentraland for attendees to explore and mingle before the main event.

You could also partner with an existing metaverse platform to host scavenger hunts, live music performances, or networking spaces tailored to your event theme and audience. Blending virtual and physical spaces makes your event cutting-edge.

Distributed Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)

DAOs are member-led organizations without centralized leadership. Embrace collective decision-making by forming a DAO for your event where members vote on key aspects like themes, speakers, or charity partners.

Adopting this decentralized organizational model empowers your community while generating buzz and a sense of ownership among engaged attendees. Plus, it aligns your event with one of the most talked-about applications of blockchain technology!

AI Chatbots

Implement conversational AI chatbots on your event platforms and website to provide 24/7 customer service and event recommendations. Attendees can ask questions and get immediate personalized suggestions on sessions, networking opportunities, local attractions, and more.

Chatbots make attending your event more convenient, memorable, and impactful. And they represent an innovative, data-driven promotion tactic that wows today’s digital-first audiences.

Livestream on Multiple Platforms

Expand your event’s reach by livestreaming simultaneously across social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. This multiplication strategy exposes your event content to broader, platform-specific audiences instead of just your existing followers.

Plus, enabling viewers to tune in from their preferred platform makes accessing your event more convenient across demographics. It also gives you more opportunities to promote interactive features like live chats and Q&As.

Subscription Box Collaborations

Think outside the box by partnering with popular subscription box brands such as Dollar Shave Club and FabFitFun. See if you can include co-branded box items or miniature event merchandise and materials in upcoming subscription shipments.

This promotes your event to new audiences in a context where they already enjoy discovering and engaging with brands. The unboxing experience generates buzz while positioning your event as a cutting-edge, customer-centric experience.

Wellness Initiatives

Promote health-conscious values and self-care by incorporating wellness initiatives into your event agenda or registration package. For example, you could host guided meditation sessions during conference break times or offer online yoga classes for virtual attendees.

Providing these refreshing breaks demonstrates your commitment to attendee well-being. It also attracts modern professionals who prioritize workplace wellness and makes participating in your event more rewarding.

Mixed Reality (MR) Experiences

Mixed reality blends physical and virtual elements into interactive experiences. Bring this innovative tech to your event by engineering ways for attendees to engage with digitally overlaid content using MR headsets or their smartphones and tablets.

From visual digital signage to informational pop-ups on event accessories, opportunities abound to overlay digital enhancements onto physical event elements. These cutting-edge MR engagements make attending your event truly one-of-a-kind.

AI-Generated Art and Music

Showcase emerging AI capabilities by featuring art, music, or other content created by artificial intelligence algorithms. You could display AI-generated works in a virtual gallery, perform an AI composer’s music at the event, or have an AI artist paint live at your venue.

This cutting-edge concept attracts tech-savvy attendees while demonstrating innovative and artistic applications of artificial intelligence. It creates an event experience that feels ahead of its time.

Data-Driven Personalization

Use attendee data and analytics to deliver hyper-personalized promotions and experiences. Send customized agendas highlighting sessions they’ll love based on their interests. Or provide personalized venue maps showing optimal networking spots based on attendees’ goals.

Implementing data-driven personalization makes each attendee feel recognized and catered to at your event. It also helps demonstrate the value your event can provide on an individual level, prompting registrations.

Sustainable Merchandise

Promote eco-conscious brand values by offering only sustainable merchandise and supplies at your event. This includes items like reusable water bottles, tote bags made from recycled materials, bamboo utensils, and solar-powered chargers.

Providing attendees with practical and innovative sustainable products lets them participate in your brand’s efforts to reduce waste. It’s an ethical promotion strategy that attracts environmentally minded audiences.

In-Game Collaborations

Meet audiences within the virtual worlds of popular video games by collaborating on in-game events. Work with game developers to have virtual versions of your event appear within popular metaverse-style games like Fortnite or Decentraland.

Gamers can attend your event digitally to unlock exclusive rewards and interact with other players. This groundbreaking concept generates buzz in the gaming community and expands your event’s digital footprint.

Voice-Controlled Event Apps

For a hands-free event experience, develop custom mobile apps that integrate with Siri, Alexa, and other AI voice assistants. Attendees can navigate event agendas, access info, and engage using only their voice.

Voice assistant integration casts your event as highly innovative and accessible. It also enables attendees to easily discover and connect with all aspects of your event through conversational AI interactions!

Virtual Food Tastings

Enhance virtual events by arranging to send attendees curated food and beverage tasting kits. Meal delivery services ship packaged samples representing the cuisine being showcased at your event.

Attendees can follow along with cooking demos and sample food and drinks from home. Combining interactive presentations with shipped tasting experiences makes virtual events more multisensory and memorable.

Uncomplicate Your Event Promotion with Attendease

Today’s audiences expect events to wow them with unique concepts and experiences. By brainstorming creative applications of emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and immersive digital mediums, you can devise event promotions that intrigue and delight target audiences!

Looking for help seamlessly managing the end-to-end event lifecycle? Event management software like Attendease enables you to execute even the most inventive ideas without breaking a sweat.

  • Attendease offers robust features including registration management, event promotion tools, interactive hybrid event broadcasting, and detailed data insights to set your event up for success.

Discover how the right technology partner can help bring your most imaginative event promotion and experience ideas to life! Book a demo to learn more about how Attendease can elevate your next event.

7 Steps to Secure Your Event Ticketing Process & Registration

  • Event Management
  • November 21, 2023
event ticketing and registration cyer security

Believe it or not, corporate events make prime targets for cybercriminals and bad actors. The event ticketing process is the number one target. Whether running a face-to-face, virtual, or hybrid event, you must safeguard your incumbent technology stack and integrated solutions from attacks. Otherwise, you may be risking sensitive customer data falling into the wrong hands.

Cyber attacks Can Happen Anywhere Online

Cyberattack methods are growing and evolving every day. Because of this, it’s imperative that businesses adopt a security-first mindset when organizing their events. Event organizers should be looking at all online aspects of their events, from registration and check-in, to scheduling and marketing communications.

One of the key components of an event organizer’s attack surface is the technology associated with the event registration and ticketing processes. If appropriate security measures are not implemented from the outset, data breaches can occur. This leads to issues ranging from compromised customer information to fraudulent ticket sales.

If you are running a corporate event, be it a sales expo, networking meeting, trade show, or conference, it’s vital that you understand the possible vulnerabilities within your event management infrastructure. This means first making a list of any exploitative weak points in your tech systems. Then, you’ll want to plan preventative measures you can take to protect your own brand, plus any suppliers, and, of course, your attendees.

This guide looks at some of the top cyber security risks to be aware of when managing your B2B event and, in particular, your event ticketing process and registration.

Breaches From Phishing or Social Engineering Attacks

Phishing remains one of the biggest and most frequent cyber threats to businesses of all sectors. There are an estimated 3.4 billion phishing emails sent every day. Hackers methodically craft these seemingly innocuous emails to deceive users into thinking that the ‘sender’ legitimately needs access to user accounts or data. Users are tricked into thinking that requests come from known parties, not realizing that they have been deceived.

When a bad actor gains access to data stored in ticketing and registration systems, customer data like names, email addresses, phone numbers, financial information, and more can be compromised and exploited. Staff training and awareness are crucial. Train your team to identify and report any suspicious or otherwise harmful messages. Event organizers can also assess which parts of ticketing systems or networks are most prone to targeted phishing attacks or malware installations using third-party penetration testing solutions. These services can identify weak points and give actionable suggestions to strengthen your defenses.

Insecure Data Storage and Transmission

Event organizers need to keep personal and payment information of each customer’s ticket purchase secure. Having a record and receipt of the transaction is pivotal. This usually means your event data is transmitted and stored in a digital cloud infrastructure. According to recent statistics, 45% of data breaches have occurred on cloud-based platforms.

If this cloud storage solution is not encrypted correctly and lacks data security controls, the sensitive data is left vulnerable at multiple touchpoints. Not only is it at risk of interception when transactions are made, but also as it moves to and from multiple servers. Deploying HTTP across your website and ticketing platform – with a valid TLS or SSL certificate – will ensure that standard HTTP requests are undecipherable, with data encrypted at rest and in transit.

Outdated and Unpatched Ticketing Software

Ticketing software, like most other programs, requires ongoing maintenance, updates, and patching to ensure optimum stability and performance. Install regular patches on your proprietary technology to ensure that you address any known vulnerabilities. This will also ensure your customer data is not susceptible to compromise.

However, using outdated platforms that no longer receive managed updates poses an inherent security risk. Vulnerabilities are more easily exploited this way. Event organizers should proactively maintain their ticketing solutions and apply patches immediately when prompted to address any known vulnerabilities. If you are using outdated platforms that are no longer supported by developers, migrate and update to solutions that offer sufficient security.

Learn more about EventUp Planner’s secure registration and ticketing platform here.

Lack of Proper Authentication

Authenticating across all endpoints within your event management platform and any third-party integrations requires users to enter multiple usernames and passwords. Irrespective of industry, users are overwhelmingly guilty of reusing familiar passwords across multiple systems and applications. This is easier with organizations that fail to implement clear, strong password policies.

Hackers exposed over 24 billion passwords in 2022 alone, with more than 80% of confirmed breaches pointing to weak, reused, or stolen passwords. Hackers can often initiate brute-force attacks to compromise logins and move laterally across systems with fewer passwords to guess. If your ticketing platform makes it easy for users to enter basic passwords, or if you don’t have an established secure password policy, you’re inviting hackers in. Because of this, event organizers should implement a strong policy across your infrastructure by enforcing complex, unique passwords for each user login. Back these up with enterprise-wide, multi-factor authentication (MFA) to prompt users to verify their information and login attempts. Prompting users to enter one-time passwords (OTPs) or biometrics to validate requests can block an estimated 99.9% of modern automated cyber attacks.

PCI DSS and Non-Compliance

Processing credit card payments online requires your business to adhere to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Failure to comply can lead to hefty monthly fines, sometimes as high as six-figure sums, depending on the size of your organization and the seriousness of non-compliance.

Validate all your ticketing payment controls and gateways to ensure sufficient vulnerability management, access restrictions, data encryption, and more. Identify any gaps, ensuring you only collect the minimum amount of customer data during the checkout process. Be sure to communicate how you use data and outline processes for deletion. Transparency is key when handling consumer and attendee data for your event. Maintaining an open, proactive approach will provide much-needed reassurance that you’re acting lawfully and ethically with data protection laws.

Mitigating Event Risks Ahead of Time

Proactive planning and due diligence is key to ensuring your event runs smoothly. These steps can protect your event from hackers or data hiccups:

  1. Conduct security assessments ahead of time to identify weak points in ticketing software and knowledge gaps in your team.

  2. Initiate regular, comprehensive security training. This will ensure your team is skilled and capable of recognizing key threats like phishing or social engineering.

  3. Create detailed data security policies and incident response plans. Clearly outline and communicate your team’s specific roles in threat reporting and containment.

  4. Validate your third-party software thoroughly, ensuring that you understand its security policies.

  5. Upgrade from legacy, non-supported solutions into industry-leading event management tools like EventUp Planner that support your event goals and offer premium protection.

  6. Maintain regular updating and patching schedules for your own tools. Plus, work with companies who have their own frequent updates, to ensure optimum stability of systems and integrated software.

  7. Implement strong, unique password policies for all users.

Following these steps will give you a much stronger baseline level of security for your event ticketing process. If you need more advice on management or other solutions, EventUp Planner can help. Book a demo with one of our experts today!

Vetting Event Management Technology for Ease of Use Before You Buy

  • Event Management
  • November 7, 2023
Two people discussing event management technology

The right event management technology can make a big difference to the success of your event. It helps you save time and reduce stress so you can focus on the event itself. Moreover, choosing tech with a seamless user experience can mean the difference between a wildly successful event and a logistical nightmare!

But how do you determine ease-of-use while shopping for event management technology? This blog post will guide you through what questions to ask, the importance of user experience, and the benefits of easy-to-use event management tools.

Let’s get started!

Defining the user experience

User experience (UX) refers to the overall experience a user has when interacting with a product or service. It encompasses everything from the user interface design to the navigation and functionality of a platform.

What does it mean for software to be user-friendly? In essence, it should feel as though the developers predicted all your needs. Well-designed event management technology should have a clear user interface that is easy to navigate. It should also be responsive and fast. This allows your team to easily complete their tasks without any hiccups from the software.

In addition, a user-friendly event management software should be flexible and customizable, meeting the specific needs of users and events. Users should be able to use the software regardless of their experience level. They should be able to easily modify settings, create templates, and integrate with other tools. It’s a good idea to also look for drag-and-drop capabilities, real-time updates, and straightforward attendee registration and management.

Easy-to-use event management software is essential for planning and executing successful events of all sizes. User-friendly event software helps you save time and reduce stress by automating tasks and streamlining workflows. It can also improve accuracy and enhance collaboration by providing a central hub for your team.

Best of all, easy-to-use software gives you the bandwidth to deliver a better attendee experience!

Key questions to ask software providers

When evaluating event management technology, be sure to ask the following questions to assess ease of use. By asking these key questions, you can get a better understanding of the ease of use of different solutions and choose the best one for your business.

User interface and navigation

  • How intuitive is your software’s user interface? This question will help you to understand how easy it is to learn and use the software.
  • Can you provide a demo or trial version for my team to help us assess the ease of use of the tool? This is a great way to get hands-on experience with the software and see how easy it is to use in a real-world setting.
  • What user training resources do you offer? This question will help you to understand how the software company supports its users.

Customization and flexibility

  • To what extent can the software be customized to suit specific event needs? This question is important if you have any special requirements for your event management tool.
  • Are there templates or presets available for common event types? This can save you time and effort by providing you with a starting point for your event planning.
  • Can users easily modify event layouts, forms, and branding? This question is important if you want to be able to create a unique and visually appealing event experience for your attendees.

Integration capabilities

  • Does the software integrate seamlessly with other popular event tools (e.g. ticketing platforms, CRM, email marketing)? This can help you streamline your event planning workflow and avoid having to manually enter data into multiple systems.
  • How does it handle data import and export for attendee lists, schedules, and other event data? This is important if you need to be able to easily import and export data from your event management tech.

Mobile accessibility

  • Is there a mobile app or a responsive mobile interface for on-the-go event management? This can be helpful if you need to be able to access and manage your event from your smartphone or tablet.
  • Can users access and make changes to event details from their smartphones or tablets? This is important if you need to be able to make changes to your event on the fly.

User support and training

  • What kind of customer support is available? (e.g. live chat, phone, email) This is important if you need to be able to get help with the software quickly and easily.
  • Are there tutorials, documentation, or webinars to help users get started? This can be helpful for new users or users who need a refresher on the software’s features and functionality.
  • Is there a user community or forum for sharing tips and best practices? This can be a great way to learn from other users and get help with your event planning.

Evaluating user feedback and reviews

It’s also important to read user reviews and testimonials to get a better sense of how easy an event management software is to use. You can find user reviews on the software company’s website as well as on third-party review sites.

Look for reviews that mention the software’s ease of use. Do reviewers say that the software is intuitive? Do they mention any specific ease-of-use features or functionality?

Consider the experience level of the reviewer. Are they a seasoned event planner or a first-time user? This can give you an idea of how easy the software is to use for people with different experience levels.

Pay attention to the specific feedback that reviewers provide. Are there any areas where they would like to see improvement?

Use your own judgment to assess the credibility of the review. Is the review well-written and informative? Does the reviewer seem to have a good understanding of the software?

This information can help you make an informed decision about which software is right for your needs!

Conclusion

User-friendly event management technology ensures you can efficiently manage every aspect of your event without getting bogged down by complicated software or manual processes.

Attendease uncomplicates even the most complicated events, making event production simple, effortless, and cost-effective.

Set up events in minutes with:

  • Intuitive navigation
  • Visual tools
  • Drag-and-drop customizability
  • Unlimited website templates

Book a demo today to see just how easy it can be!