Gautam Singh

The virtual realm has always been magical in terms of bringing people together in ways that are ingenious, defying geographical barriers and other circumstantial limitations. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual events have become especially pertinent, acting as effectual tools for recreating interactive environments. As attendees are welcoming this idea, the success of event technology hinges upon how well the event team can make the entire cycle work, in a way that helps create memorable experiences that add value to the event ecosystem. How can we make virtual events work during the current scenario, and the time to come? Here’s how. 

• Attempt to Disrupt Space-Time Barriers

Virtual events hold the ability to bypass geographical restrictions, thereby concocting event experiences that are real-time, unrestricted, and impactful. This way, one can offer repeat session in multiple time zones and leverage on activity streams for attendees to tune in.  One can also maximize by digitally featuring important speakers who weren’t originally available during live streams.  It is also a good idea to collaborate with influencers for virtual talks and live streams, or bring in subject-matter experts and exhibitors into the equation. 

• Create a Healthy Buzz at the Pre-Event Stage 

Event organizers should sure that the pre-event registration microsite is driven to seek invite-only registrations, wherein the process is easy, accessible, and straightforward. Once the attendee registers themselves for the virtual event, they will be equipped with an app download link that will allow them to directly tune in. The app shall contain the agenda for the event, allowing attendees to take better stock of what’s in store for them. Event organisers could also go ahead and add the “Book Meeting” option on the event day itself – this will facilitate one-on-one video calls that can be pre-booked and attended on the prescribed date. Engagement can be furthered with the help of in-app contests, as this will help create optimum buzz around the event! 

• Go All-Out on the Day of the Event

The session can be planned as per the organizer’s motto – they can either host live streams or publish pre-recorded videos and podcasts to the live session. Podcasts are a wonderful way to drive event interaction and keep attendees hooked at all times. You can bring in esteemed speakers who can address and answer the questions posed by the audience, and the best part is, all of this can occur in real-time. Here are some other ways in which you can add massive value to virtual events: 

• Publish in-app decks, slides, and presentations to keep your audience up-to-date with relevant information. 
• Add live polls to take the opinions of attendees into consideration.
• Bolster one-on-one video meetings that are planned and scheduled beforehand.
• Arrange in-app live support to curb sudden glitches, technical errors, in case they occur.
• Boost meaningful engagement with the help of in-app contests, feedback, etc. 
• Make sure that you have proper setups in place to monitor all streams/live streams simultaneously.
• Make sure that live streams are seamless. This can either be done via sharing the stream URL or hosting it on the platform itself. Stream in the highest quality possible. 
• Calculate in advance: how many hours do you require to stream? How many attendees do you expect will tune in? 
• Opt for pre-event testing to ensure optimum streaming quality.

• Keep the Post-Event Stage Meaningful and Humane 

The post-event stage is crucial for event organizers as this allows them to push the success of the event a notch higher. All content must be published in-app in order to garner feedback. Make sure to evoke an environment of togetherness, as that is crucial during such trying times. 

Now that you’re equipped with tips that help make virtual events work, keep spreading the magic of events – AIDA is with you every step of the way.

Sponsors are what makes an event tick. They are one of the most, if not the most, crucial sources of revenue for your event. Revenue, in turn, is directly proportional to the success of your event, assuming all else goes well. This simply means platforms such as offline event management and online channels like an event planning app, need to cater to making a fantastic event sponsorship package.

What a sponsorship package is, in essence, your pitch on why potential sponsors should choose to invest capital and associate with your event in comparison to a whole host of events occurring across the globe. It should also incorporate the goals and objectives of your sponsors and new potential sponsors that might pop up.

It’s been a continual trend among event sponsors to demand the customisation of event sponsorship package features, hence establishing connections with attendees. In conjunction with these demands, necessary requirements like integration with event technologies, brand exposure and last, but not the least, Return on Investment (ROI). Addressing these concerns of sponsors in your sponsorship package almost certainly guarantees a great revenue extraction and in turn, a successful event with sponsors who return every year with a smile. Now doesn’t that sound nice?

So how do you go about building an event sponsorship package? Broadly, two approaches have been formulated in order to build a truly awesome event sponsorship package.

• Tiered Sponsorship model: This is the traditional approach where a variety of features are included in the event i.e. offerings, based on the sponsorship levels.

• A la carte Sponsorship model: This approach is undertaken when sponsors need to be served with flexible, customizable needs or goals, and that is of paramount importance to the sponsors.

The Tiered Sponsorship Model:

There are 3 essential steps for executing the tiered Sponsorship model. Below is a step-by-step process for the same.

1. Create Tier Levels: Generally, the tiers in your sponsorship package will be labelled along the lines of Platinum Sponsors, Gold Sponsors, Silver Sponsors and exhibitors. There is a lot of creative room to innovate these tier names with the theme of the event. It also presents the opportunity to make the event sound very interactive and a bit different than others.

1. Decide the perks per tier: Once the tiers have been decided, the next step is to actuate the number of packages of each tier that need to be closed in order to meet the revenue goals. Simple mathematics dictates that lesser the number of event packages there are per tier level, the more sponsorship amount they can be sold for quoting the “exclusivity” of those packages. This helps push the sponsors to make a definitive action as quickly as possible. Not only does it help you get Sponsors, it helps to plan the event forward based on the results of the pitch.

1. Distribution of sponsorship returns: The higher and more exclusive the tier of the particular sponsor, the greater will be the number of high-value benefits. There are many examples of high-yield structures of tiered models which have many features such as employee engagement tools.

The A La Carte Sponsorship Model

The a la carte sponsorship is an alternate way to approach building your event sponsorship package for sponsors who seek to customize their packages and perks, and in turn, aim to gain higher ROI from the exploits. Below is a detailed approach to this model of sponsorship offering based on the event lifecycle stages. 

• Pre-event 

Marketing Communications

• The event sponsors logo is a must in any event registration pages and across all marketing communications that are directly or indirectly promoting the event, for example, registration e-invites.

• Social Media shout outs are a sure-fire way to evoke interest from highly relevant channels.

• Sponsor speakers are to be promoted like you would promote the social handles of all those performing key roles in the event.

• Pre-event sponsored giveaways while promoting registration.

• On-Site

Event App Design

• Featuring the sponsor logo and including a detailed profile in the event app’s sponsorship section will help give a holistic view on what the sponsors are all about.

• Highlight the sponsor’s logo on results of all polls, the homepage, even the map images, if any.

• Include download links to downloadable resources provided by the sponsors such as product collaterals or brochures.

           Attendee Engagement

• If the event in gamification based, including challenges where attendees need to interact with sponsors in some capacity, will be incredibly helpful in achieving goals for both the organisers and the sponsors. Prizes are of course given away by the sponsors.

• Promote sponsor offers and giveaway that can be included as a part of the gamification process.

• Targeted alerts or push notifications go with the sponsor’s logo.

• Sponsored emails to a very specific target demographic will help further the cause of the sponsors.

• Enable sponsors to connect with attendees one-on-one through a chat/messaging function.

Venue Design

• Place the sponsor logo on any printed material and every digital marketing channel/signage displayed in the event registration area.

• On-Site competitions +giveaways will be crucial in endearing your event to the attendees and the sponsors alike.

• Post-Event

Sponsor logos and/or mention in post-event emails or surveys sent to the attendees.

These are just some in a long list of things you need to check off your sponsorship package but rest assured, if these little steps executed in an organised fashion will help attract high-profile sponsors and help organise successful events.

The fact that the events industry has been worst affected by the COVID-19 crisis is globally acknowledged. Since the beginning of the pandemic, hundreds of meetings and events have been cancelled or postponed the world over. The trend has seen a further enhancement in the past couple of months as an increasing number of cities have been forced to implement a partial total lockdown. This has made it necessary for the professionals within this sector to take some tough decisions regarding the future functioning of the industry.

Preparing For The Primary Challenge

Professionals working in the events industry need to be prepared to make major adjustments to the manner in which events and meetings will be organized in the future. In this context, the most important thing that these professionals need to focus on is the safety and well-being of the organizers as well as the participants. It would take the combined efforts of all the stakeholders to ensure that the key requirements for organizing safe meetings and events are fulfilled in the most effective manner. These requirements would primarily include setting up health and safety protocols, ensuring appropriate social distancing, a safe supply of food and beverages, and organizing remote registration for events using an event planning app.

Key Steps To Be Taken For Organizing Safe Events

Despite the uncertainty around COVID-19, event organizers need to focus on restarting the business while keeping their teams and attendees safe. They need to create strategies for implementing strict health rules that make the events relatively risk-free. Discussed below are the most important steps that event organizers can take for ensuring the same.

Create A Preparedness Plan

A preparedness plan can help assure the event partners and attendees that their safety with respect to COVID-19 is taken quite seriously. It will also boost the confidence of organizing teams during event promotion activities. The event organizers should upload and update the preparedness plan on the webpage dedicated to the specific event on their website. Creating a preparedness plan would involve doing as follows:

• Coordinate with local health officials.
• Reach out to the management of the selected venues.
• Establish the guidelines for identifying and isolating high-risk attendees.
• Ensure the timely circulation literature related to the prevention of COVID-19 across the venue.
• Have enough supply of sanitizers and disinfectant wipes available at all times.

Proactively Update Attendees

The event attendees, event partners, and event speakers should be proactively updated with all the latest information. This can be done with the help of various digital communication tools such as email, social media platforms, and even push notifications for their best event app. The important factors to be considered in this context include:

• Sharing the latest updates on the status of the event.
• Providing updates from local health officials.
• Reiterating the preparedness plan.
• Directing the attendees to relevant webpages to get detailed information reliably.

Establish Health and Safety Rules for Your Event

It is extremely important for event organizers to set clear and strict health and safety guidelines to be followed by all attendees. These guidelines, help to minimize the risk for the attendees besides providing extra protection for people around them. Some important steps that need to be taken to ensure the same are listed below.

• Provide detailed information to the attendees about the event health policy well in advance through their preferred communication channel.
• The organizers should have a clear refund/registration transfer policy in place for attendees in case they need to be prohibited or excluded from the event at a later stage.
• Offer clear and precise instructions about what is allowed, what is prohibited, and what is advised.

Creating a Sanitary Environment

Taking the necessary measures to keep the venue well sanitized and disinfected is essential to create a safe environment for the event. These measures should be listed in the preparedness plan and should be followed through in the most stringent manner. The following things need to be done for creating a safe and sanitized environment.

• Have enough dedicated sanitization sites spread across the venue with ample supply of hand sanitizer and disposable disinfectant wipes.
• Make sure that the microphones and other such equipment are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after each use.
• Provide constant reminders to the attendees about hygiene best practices. 

Following the above guidelines can go a long way in making events and meeting safe for everyone involved in the future. Till then, stay safe!

Let’s tread where facts dwell: Rewarding communication stems out of trustworthy roots. Hence, it’s of prime importance that in order to market yourself, one has to establish a foundation of trust and then proceed forth. Interactive events of the likes of conferences, webinars, exhibitions et al, are vocal of strengthening the aforementioned foundation and are therefore brought into practice every now and then in the corporate world. Such events pave the way for networking and bonding – the cornerstones of any successful business endeavour. Apt communication yields transparency – a much desirous aspect that transcends vital information in the best manner possible, thereby increasing customer loyalty.

However, owing to the pandemic transpiring yonder, life as we once knew it, has come to a standstill. COVID-19 has left the world in shackles – with people retreating indoors in order to stay safe and sound. With organizations running on empty and a large chunk of populous working from home, it’s high time that we evolve with respect to the situation at hand. In order to overcome the circumstantial hurdles, the corporate world is favouring virtual events that can be easily executed via a state-of-the-art event management app.

With virtual management of events being the need of the hour, it’s quite necessary that during the initial phase, an integrated communication should nullify any chances of errors, thereby ensuring fruitful administration and potential audience retention. Here’s how you can accomplish doing the same:

One Platform To Rule Them All

In order to orchestrate the smooth functioning of a task in a professional environment, one is always at the liberty to put the hassles at rest by opting for a platform that delivers on one’s expectations. With respect to the pandemic, we already have our plates full of problems – hence, in order to manage our employees efficiently or conduct an interactive event, a platform that offers branding, zero coding, security, and comes sans maintenance ordeals, is nothing short of being a blessing in disguise. With every technical aspect sorted from your end, you can now be assured that your attendees shall embark on a seamless virtual journey.

Pre- and Post-Event Interaction

Event apps largely bank upon the aspect of trustworthy communication. Apart from branding your app in order to churn out a storytelling experience, such apps are devised in a manner that you stay in touch with your attendees both before, during, and after the event. During the pre-event scenario, showcasing event information is the primary agenda. It comprises of shedding light on the itinerary, speaker profiles, sponsors et al. Push notifications to ensure that such information keeps popping up on the devices of the attendees – thereby making them feel involved. During the event, the activity wall is bustling with life – the latest updates of what’s transpiring and live discussions encircle the same. The mentioned live feed comprises of posts, photos, videos, et cetera. Post-event- surveys, offline feedback, deep interaction insights, and audience tracking, enable you to fish out the nuances that make you familiar with what clicked, what didn’t, and how to rectify the same. 

Empathy is the Key

Empathy is the need of the hour. During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it’s highly recommended that your online event should be laced with empathy and compassion. No matter how interactive and apt your event is with respect to the premise if you fail to acknowledge the elephant in the room, then there exist high chances that you will fail to make an impact. Addressing COVID-19, discussing the threat it poses to the society and the economy, and interacting with the attendees on the same ground, shall provide an emotional angle to your approach. If you genuinely empathise with your attendees, then they too shall empathise with your cause. Period. 

Do remember that a live polling app – yet another feature offered by event app platforms- enables you to conduct live polls, thereby sending an interactive pulse that most of your attendees shall respond to. An all-in-one event app also supports social media integration – allowing you to share what’s transpiring during the event, on your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Contests, quizzes, and what not – event apps are the new vogue to take your virtual event experience to an entirely new level.

The wise and the experienced admit the very fact that often mammoth efforts lead to minuscule impact. Such instances implore us to work smart rather than working hefty. The act of making a mark in the modern world does not derive from a grandmaster plan – no, it’s more about seizing the moment and making the best out of it.

When it comes to defining smart solutions on the mobile tech platform, a budding start-up or an established organization is desirous of a singular app that caters to multiple needs, that too efficiently. Efficiency matters, for it, paves way for reliability. In the world where cut-throat competition is the norm, reliable platforms lead the race – an undeniable mantra of the times. Start ahead – be a rabbit in this turtle race, by acknowledging what you desire from your app-making platform. Here are a few questions and the answer to all is the best event app that is the need of the hour. Meet the AIDA app maker – one platform that not only fulfils your needs but also destiny. Let’s delve into the heart of the topic, shall we? 

Effective and Engaging Event Apps

Designing an event app with AIDA ensures that you enhance your event experience to the next level. From showcasing event information like itinerary, speaker profiles, sponsors, et al, to driving optimum event interaction via push notifications, activity wall, and leader board, keeping your attendees engaged with AIDA’s offerings, paves way for an entirely new event eco-system. Catering to the needs of corporates, event managers, delegates, and exhibitors, features offered by AIDA help on creating detailed reports for in-depth analysis. Accessible, easy to design, and affordable – that’s everything you need in an event app, right there!

All-in-one Event Management

With AIDA, you get the privilege to create a custom branded event registration page. The branded and mobile responsive integrates seamlessly to adapt to your event by importing your guest list. You can not only access but also execute the aforementioned, within minutes. 20x faster on-site check-in makes the experience immensely personalized by displaying a personal message for every guest. Along with creating custom event badges, one can also track their guests with real-time live analytics.

Optimum Employee Experience

AIDA guarantees an exceptional employee experience. Create a more productive and happier workplace via an internal communications app that allows you to connect to your colleagues from anywhere. Transform the face of employee engagement with the aid of push notification, pulse surveys, employee recognition, and more. If employee satisfaction is your priority, then AIDA’s features offer you survey and analytics tools that help one measure performance, satisfaction, and sentiment.

With AIDA, you hold the potential to create apps that blend with your brand. The times call for brands to send out a message, and our platforms help you accomplish just the same. In layman terms, it’s very necessary to understand what aspects of a particular entity appeal to the masses in the best manner possible. One is uniqueness while the other is effectiveness. Every event app that you create with AIDA is unique, to say the least. The plethora of design and utility options that we offer, ensure that each app that originates from our platform, bears a distinct appeal that’s hard to miss. Here’s why you can sit back and relax, while AIDA does the job!

• Ease: You don’t have to be an IT-wiz to use AIDA to your benefit. Tell us what you want and within hours, your app will be published to the stores.

• Accessibility: When we say that with AIDA you design your event app, we don’t mean coding. No! All you have to do is – drag and drop elements on our mobile app builder and get going.

• Zero maintenance: You don’t have to manage your infrastructure – when it comes to getting you the app installs, our geniuses are always at play.

• Security: Your valuable data remain forever protected in our hands. We value our patrons to the core.

AIDA is the technology you can trust when it comes to developing your own Android and iOS event registration app. Leave the design, tech, and maintenance aspects to us, while you give wings to your ideas.

The recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has gripped the world in a mire of panic and uncertainty. While it is undeniable that this has disrupted daily life to a certain extent, it is unwise to give in to sheer alarm and obstruct everyday experiences altogether. The same is applicable for events – which are wonderful nexuses for interaction, business, and growth, carrying meaningful learning opportunities at every turn. It is understandable if attendees feel iffy about attending an event with a large gathering at this particular juncture – so what’s the solution?

Event Apps. With the world already on its way to embracing virtual realities, event apps emerge as the go-to solution in times of adversity. With adversity, comes hope – the hope to connect as human beings and forge genuine bonds that lead to extraordinary things, even during dark times. Virtual event technology is the future, allowing organizers to enhance and improve audience experiences, irrespective of geographical barriers and socio-cultural factors. Now, one can organize major conferences, seminars, and exhibitions with the touch of a button!

Why Event Apps Excel in the Virtual Realm

Over the last decade or so, event apps have evolved into a multifaceted tool for event organisers. Why? Event apps used for virtual events:

• Make events more productive by raising the ROI for all the stakeholders involved
• Grant valuable data that provide significant insights
• Allow attendees to filter their interests and navigate what’s relevant to them
• Act as a platform for broadcasting important event-related information
• Last-minutes alterations can be updated seamlessly and in real-time 
• Reduce carbon footprint and helps save paper, among other natural resources
• Allow organizers to sell advertising space, which is always a plus for sponsorships

Unmistakably, the ingenuity of event apps is not limited to the pointers above. You can use the app platform to promote the event effectively, with the help of in-app reminders, dedicated mail-outs, social media buzz, and so on. Event apps for virtual events can also be used to provide rewards to attendees in exchange for creating buzz prior to the said event.

Making the Best Out of Trying Times

Once organizers are able to master event app usage in a manner that is fruitful in a holistic manner, they can evoke an aspect of deeper engagement from attendees, garnering greater satisfaction levels. In the light of the Coronavirus outbreak, event organizers should try their optimum best to sustain the magic of events, without aggravating concerns in the minds of the masses. How can they do that? Here are some methods that work:

• Use digital media extensively. Make efficient use of videos, podcasts, live streams, documents, etc to convey important information relevant to the event. You can also broadcast sneak peek snippets of key speakers who will be presiding over the event. Set up virtual sessions, so that attendees can log in at an appointed time, which helps evoke a feeling of community, which is much needed during tough times.
• Highlight sponsors with product showcases. Make use of the event app to send in-app notifications and reminders to attendees, in order to highlight specific sponsors and exhibitors. Highlight the best product innovations from your event and showcase them with the help of the app.
• Live streams are the way to go. Run all of your virtual events through live streams – you can either use Facebook/Instagram LIVE, IGTV, or streaming channels such as Twitch. You can also add in-app questions and pose them to your audience, share your own thoughts, along with that of your speakers, add a poll, etc. These strategies will not only increase event reach but also bolster engagement at t5he same time.
• Run in-app contests for more engagement. You can do this by formulating a contest that is bound to bring in a certain amount of traction.  For instance, you can run a quiz, asking audiences to choose the right answer, on which, they receive a virtual reward of sorts. Activity walls can also be used to bring people together during difficult times.

Meanwhile, stay calm, be safe. Remember – there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.