7 Maximize your programming content with on-demand options In some cases, you may not even need fancy tech to achieve your goals, says Malinsky. “For a sales meeting, if it’s just a small boardroom and most people are in-person or a few people are tuning in virtually, that’s not the right fi t for PheedLoop, and we’ll tell our clients, ‘For this, you just need a simple webinar system like Zoom,’” he says. “It’s about understanding the purpose of what your meeting is trying to achieve, and working backwards from there to identify the tech solutions.” For large conferences, having a one-stop-shop solution is the most cost-effective, says Schwinger. “When you’re working with an end-to-end provider that can deal with the website, registration, the mobile app, the virtual, lead retrieval and badging, you can optimize costs across that one single channel rather than having multiple partners with their own separate budgets,” he explains, noting that a robust event tech platform can also reduce overlap and redundancy. “You may not need that breakout for 50 people to have a full-on production budget with on-property AV and a hard line at $20,000. If a client says, ‘We need this boardroom streamed into the platform because half the people can’t make it and we have to vote on an initiative,’ planners can leverage our studio tools. It could be as simple as a laptop with a camera faced the other direction, and using the polling mechanism in the mobile app. We just reduced potentially three products that would’ve been outside costs.” Planners may want fl exible conference tech options, like hosting their event on the platform spanning weeks or months with new content being delivered regularly, notes Rehak. “We’re seeing shared content hubs, with sessions recorded in different ways and the ability to share resources to enhance the in-person experience in advance, especially if there’s a strategic purpose to the event,” she explains. “A pre-event virtual preparation brings people together similar to an orientation. That way, people know exactly what to expect when they get to the in-person and can have a stronger experience for it.” On-demand options through your event platform also allow you to do post-event reunions or a ‘Best Of’ after-show, adds Rehak. “Invite speakers to record some sessions separately online—it ends up being much cheaper, and for the most part, a better viewing experience,” she says. 5 If tech terminology makes your eyes glaze over, you’re not alone. However, it’s important to understand what vendors are talking about so you can articulate your needs, get your stakeholders on board and make the best decision, says Malinsky. “Corporations and crown entities really care about security, privacy, accessibility and multi-language support; from there, there are different tech options,” he explains. “The event website—your marketing tool—is where people get information and register. For virtual events, there’s a separate virtual event portal—a password-protected gated environment accessible only to people who registered. In-person events have a mobile app—a pocket companion people download onto their phones for the schedule, fl oor plans and networking capabilities. For hybrid events, the mobile app will connect to and interface with the virtual portal so your in-person attendees aren’t separate from virtual; it’s fully integrated and synchronized.” 6 Learn the lingo Don’t buy a solution for a problem you don’t have 38 | Ignitemag.ca | Fall 2022
