3. Key Learning Points
• How mobile solutions can address a number
of attendee needs simultaneously
• How to develop a mobile event strategy
• The common features and functionality of
today's mobile solutions
• The pros and cons of native applications and
web-based solutions
4. Key Learning Points
• What you should expect to pay for a mobile
solution
• Mobile business models
• The new breed of low-cost, high function, self-
service applications
• Best Practices
• Common mistakes that event organizers make
when selecting a mobile solution
7. Why Mobile? Organizer Advantages
• Real-time dissemination of info to users
• Efficient collection of information from users
• Revenue streams
• Brand extension for the event
• Enhanced visibility and brand extension for
exhibitors and sponsors
• Enhanced matchmaking opportunities
between exhibitors and attendees
8. Why Mobile? Organizer Advantages
• Environmental benefits
• Community development and maintenance
• Reductions in operational costs
• New advertising and messaging platforms
• Access to new customers (social networks,
viral communications)
• Enhanced reputation and influence for the
organization
9. Why Mobile? Organizer Advantages
• Competitiveness with other events
• Access to changing demographic of mobile
device users
• Extension of existing event assets and
platforms
• Event analytics
• Integration of mobile, online, and face-to-face
experience
10. Why Mobile? User Advantages
• Real-time interaction between users
• Real-time user access to event information
• Real-time user access to social networks
• Organized presentation of event information
for users
• Efficient collection of information by users
11. Why Mobile? User Advantages
• Improved decision-making for users
• Enhanced navigation of event for users (floor
plans, schedules, agendas)
• Enhanced attendee experience
• Simplicity, usability, clean user interface
12. Why Mobile?
• Statistics on Smartphones
• User relationship with mobile devices
• iPad usage—Can you say iPad 3 with 4G?
• Utility
• Game mechanics
13.
14. Mobile Strategy
• What is driving the use of a mobile app? Make a list and
prioritize the organization’s specific pains and
organizational goals.
• Is mobile a good fit? Determine whether mobile
solutions are the optimum way to address specific pains.
Other options may be more suitable in some cases.
• What is the usability profile of the users? Decide
whether a native app or mobile Web site best meets the
platform capabilities and preferences of users.
15. Mobile Strategy
• How will the app be marketed to users? Determine which
existing and new communication tools will be used to launch
the app, train users and drive user adoption.
• How can the app be leveraged after the event? Consider
ways to use the app to extend the brand, engage customers
year round and onboard community or association members.
• How does mobile fit within the organization’s event
strategy? Decide whether the mobile strategy meets the
organization’s goals for exhibitor/attendee service and
retention.
16. Mobile Strategy
• What are the metrics for gauging the app’s success?
Determine in advance how the app will be measured in terms
of meeting event and organizational objectives.
• Who will own the mobile app strategy? Decide who in the
organization will be charged with choosing, deploying,
monitoring, addressing inquiries, etc. for the mobile app.
• Which tasks and procedures should be moved to mobile?
Examine existing marketing procedures, operations tasks and
budget line items to determine which can be migrated to a
mobile platform from an efficiency or cost-savings
perspective.
17. Mobile Strategy
• What is the budget for a mobile app? Determine what the
organization can afford to spend on a mobile solution and
whether some or all the costs have to be recouped by
revenue streams from the app.
• What is the time frame for selection and deployment of a
mobile app? Decide whether the event schedule permits the
introduction and deployment of a mobile app.
• What are the facilities’ limitations?Review the potential
venues and their connectivity issues: hotels, office,
conference center, exhibition hall, outdoors
18.
19. Features and Functionality
News, updates and Appointment scheduling
information distribution Floor plan viewing
Advertising channel for Event navigation
exhibitors and sponsors Exhibitor directory
Access to public social Event schedule
media platforms (Twitter,
YouTube, Flickr, Facebook) Session schedule
Lead retrieval Personal agendas
Real-time polling Speaker evaluations
Surveys Social games
Security Ranking event features
20. Features and Functionality
Event-centric social Merchandise sales
community platform Access control
Bookmarking exhibitor and CEU monitoring
speaker information Event ticketing
Virtual meeting access Text messaging
Information exchange Digital download of
between attendees and exhibitor marketing
exhibitors materials
Registration Attendee management
Live streaming of event Financial reporting
content
Multi-lingual QR Code readers
21.
22. Native vs. Web
• Native apps do not require a consistent
Internet connection
• Native apps have to be downloaded
• Native apps require extra time to be approved
by the respective platform stores
• Native apps are platform dependent
• Native app functionality/user experience is
superior to Web*
23. Native vs. Web
• Web solution require a consistent Internet
connection
• Web solutions do not have to be downloaded
• Web solutions do not have to be approved by
an app store
• Web solutions are platform agnostic
• Web solution functionality/user experience is
dependent on Web’s capabilities
24. Cost/Features
• Free (Web or iPhone) limited features
• $1,000 Web Only (Self-service)
• $1,200 Native Android or iPhone (Self-service)
• $6,000 Multi-platform Native (Full-service)
• $9,000 - $18,000 Native iPhone, iPad specific,
Android, BB + Web, HTML5 (Full-Service)
25. Low-cost, High function, Self-Service
• Content Management Systems
• Native or Web
• Multi-platform
• Sweat Equity vs. Cash
• Post-event functionality (news channel)
• Fast Deployment
26. Best Practices
• Determine the metrics you will apply to gauge
app’s success
• Use a written RFP
• Focus more on business goals and less on
functionality
• Take the user experience on multiple
platforms (Web, kiosks, mobile devices) into
consideration.
27. Best Practices
• Consider integration with existing event
management platforms
• Focus on simplicity and usability
• Consider the (connectivity) limitations of the
venue
• Synchronize app development cycle with the
event cycle
28. Best Practices
• Limit the number of functions to 10
• Select app/vendor with a view to long-term
outcomes
• Spend a little, learn a lot, tweak
• Create a list of “must have,” “deal breaker”
and “extra” features and functionality
29. Mistakes Organizers Make
• No time to promote to attendees
• Getting an app because everyone else has one
• Not taking advantage of the analytics
• Not keeping the same app for multiple events
• Not using the app year round
30. Contact Me
Michelle Bruno, MPC
President Bruno Group Signature Events
Brunogroup.com
EastVirtual.com
Forkintheroadblog.com
Twitter: @michellebruno
Linkedin.com/in/michellejbruno
Notas del editor
Why mobile?
Don’t dispose of your app- the audience goes with it.. make sure that you have a strategy where you are building on, not recreating the audience each time. For associations, this is easy, by making their app the same as their event apps and use it for their year round membership engagement.