- Optimize Your Event Page for Mobile: Many consumers are reading event pages on their mobile phones or through social media apps, so you must ensure that your event page looks good on smartphones. Be sure that you are optimizing for the various different mobile platforms including iOS and Android, so that no matter what model of phone your attendees are using, they have a good user experience. A mobile-friendly experience will make people on mobile devices more likely to sign-up and buy tickets.
- Create an Event App: An app can be the most convenient way for event planners to help people get around at an event and to stay in touch with live updates. Encourage people to download the app from the moment they buy tickets and send content updates to help build excitement for your event. The app should include useful information for people at the show such as a program, speaker profiles, maps to the venue, as well as useful information about hotels, parking and transportation. Also consider the mobile commerce possibilities of an app. Can you sell tickets to a future event or perhaps a keynote speaker’s books? Then once the event is over you can send roundup videos or surveys through your app.
- Encourage Photos & Videos: The people that are showing up at your event are coming with cameras and recording devices in their pockets. Take advantage of this fact and encourage people to take images and videos and to share them with their friends on social media. This is a great way to help spread the word about your event to new audiences through people who are already supporters of your event.
- Adopt SMS Campaigns: Collecting the mobile phone numbers of people that come to your events is a great way to market future happenings. Ask for customer phone numbers on your event registration page or during event check-in. Then send updates via text before, during and after your event. Send relevant information about the event’s highlights before it happens to build excitement. During the event send useful details that could help someone on-the-go such as where to park or where lunch will be served. After the show use text to thank attendees for their attendance and to ask for feedback. But limit your texts to useful information, you don’t want to bombard your audience.
- Gamify Your Event Via Mobile: People love a fun game that connects them to the event they are attending. Consider creating a scavenger event throughout your event in which people try to look for QR codes to get clues. Reward participants that unlock the most clues with special access or prizes during the event such as free drinks or swag. Encourage people to play with their friends during the event so it becomes a social thing and encourages networking. A fun mobile game may be just what your event needs to help break the ice.
