event profs advice for getting mobile event apps right
DESCRIPTION
As mobile event apps become must-haves, there are still many questions to answer: What are the best practices for delivering a mobile app? What are the challenges you might face? What does success look like? Find out the lessons learned from a panel of seasoned event organizers who will share their stories on deploying their event apps and earning phenomenal ROI. Learn how what the event app process is like from beginning to end, how to promote your mobile app to achieve high adoption and usage, and what your audience really wants from an event app. View the webinar recording here: http://goo.gl/EebwjBTRANSCRIPT
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
LESSONS FROM THE SHOW FLOOR:GETTING MOBILE
EVENT APPS RIGHT
Adoption
Analytics
VendorSelection
Integration
Elijah Clark Ginsberg
INBOUND Conference Strategist – HubSpot
Matthew Jenusiatis
President & CEO – OCTANe
Tahira Endean, CMP
Manager, Event Marketing – QuickMobile
Hosted by:
Jeff Epstein
Director, Product & Channel Marketing – QuickMobile
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
Jeff EpsteinDirector, Product & Channel Marketing – QuickMobile
@B2B_StoryTeller
Elijah Clark GinsbergINBOUND Conference StrategistHubSpot@eclarkginsberg
Matthew JenusiatisPresident & CEOOCTANe@OCTANeOC
Tahira Endean, CMPManager, Event MarketingQuickMobile@TahiraCreates
Webinar host:
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
AGENDA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Gathering internal support
Setting goals & objectives
Asking the right questions
Promoting the app
Driving adoption and usage
“3 things I’ve learned”
Q&A
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
GATHERING INTERNAL SUPPORT
MJ: Looked at financial benefits - print vs. digital
Move to digital was being progressive
Intangible values became obvious - branding
Complimentary exercise now, but 5 years ago it was seen as a ‘cool option’
ECG: Tech audience, no brainer to have an app
TE: Majority of people going mobile, so an app is an expectation. Discussion is easier now. Can’t
imagine life without it now.
The sooner you involve your peers in the discussion about having an app, the sooner you can
address their specific concerns and requirements. This is especially true for IT.
It all comes down to value: when you demonstrate how the app can make their lives easier/
better/happier, they will come on board.
Guide: 10 Things to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Mobile Event App
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
SETTING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
ECG: Drive a great attendee experience. A tool to provide info at fingertips, on-demand. Didn’t want to deal
with paper, or have attendees deal with it. Always a challenge making last-minute changes.
MJ: All about user experience. Tangible metrics for effectiveness include: downloads, type of interactivity
e.g. photo uploads, survey completions. We figured out that we could sell sponsorship within the app.
TE: “Planned Serendipity”: who’s there, where they’re hanging out. Now we can find them and inspire
collaborative conversations and innovation.
Tie your app to higher-level organizational and specific event objectives: networking, education, sales, etc.
The more it aligns with these, the more useful and successful it will be.
It’s all about attendee experience.
There are other stakeholders to consider: Sponsors, Exhibitors, Speakers, Management
Guide: 10 Ways to Monetize your App
Webinar: How To Create a Results-Driven Event App
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
MJ: Everybody promises the world. Truth is it’s not the case. Key differentiators for OC:
1) interactivity between attendees, a source of connection, not just content: surveys, messages, Q&A, push
notifications;
2) quality of back-end: ability to upload information yourself. You’ll be working there for months, so it better
be easy to use.
ECG: Look for other related apps developed for other similar clients; Balance the technical requirements
with the less technical - are they real partners, do we get along, do they understand us, can we envision a
long-term relationship?
Also need a demo of content management, registration integration
Registration integration: push registrant info into app so they could log in and start using the app.
Integration with other key event and business systems: CRM, business intelligence, e-commerce
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
PROMOTING THE APP
ECG: People emailed asking for an app even before it was ready! Included a link to the app in all outbound
pre-event emails (same place in each email, including individualized login info); Landing page for the app;
published an e-book about how to use the app and get the most out of it (user’s guide)
MJ: Similar plan, leveraging email communication; registration integration is a great idea; at the conference,
we offer a QR code on the badge that people can scan to download the app; Help Desk on site for people
having trouble downloading/using it.
TE: Don’t forget social media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and any other platforms you use.
Guide: 7 Ways to Promote your Mobile Event App
Webinar: Best Practices for Event App Promotion
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
DRIVING ADOPTION AND USAGEMJ: You’ve got 5 minutes during the first app experience to make a positive impression. Make it go really
smoothly: Help Desk to address challenges, and Keynote speech promotion of the app and why they
should use it, where to go for help.
Bandwidth issue: Wi-fi access is critical, but so is bandwidth! Behind the scenes, you should do your best
to support many simultaneous users. Have the discussion with your venue/event provider to ensure they
can deal with it. There are companies that exist to help solve the bandwidth issue.
ECG: Large audiences are tough, tech audience would rather have wi-fi than food! Have brought in external
networks to solve that.
ECG: 50% of users downloaded app before event. Biggest impact was peer motivation. App coaches near
registration, MC announcements, session surveys. Reached over 100% adoption, avg. 43 openings
TE: Coaches and influencers are key
Other tools for adoption & usage: Gamification, adding notes, storing documents, surveys
Webinar: Building an Event App your Attendees Will Love
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
“3 THINGS I’VE LEARNED”
ECG: Know your audience, tailor app to their needs; Use the app to stay nimble, update attendees on the fly
with messages; learn from app analytics to see what sessions people liked, what they liked about the event
and the app
MJ: Soft sides of app value; Back end ease of use for uploading and interfacing with app; flawless onsite user
experience and bandwidth
TE: Cost is more manageable than you think, compared to a lunch of coffee break; imagine the possibilities to
create a community; Just Do It! No better time than now, strong platforms and audience comfort
Other Resources:
Gamification webinar (on-demand):
http://www.quickmobile.com/resources/webinar/event-app-gamification-the-rules-cheats-and-backdoors
Social media integration webinar (on-demand):
http://www.quickmobile.com/resources/webinar/your-event-app-has-social-media-integration-now-what
Find more at http://www.quickmobile.com/resources
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
QUESTIONS?
#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
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#QMLessons @eclarkginsberg @OCTANeOC @TahiraCreates @QuickMobile
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