Event technology has become one of the most unwieldy parts of event planning. From overly expensive solutions, to technology that doesn’t deliver on its promises, it’s hard to figure out what will actually work for your event. 

That is why we sat down with Map Your Show to ask them how to sift through the clutter and find out exactly what time- and money-strapped solutions are available to event planners.

 

Focus on what matters

When it comes to event technology, one key question to ask yourself is, "Will your attendees use it?" Focus on the technologies that are easy to use and create the best experience for your attendees. 

Justin Post at Map Your Show says, “The most loyal attendees and exhibitors will keep coming back to your event no matter how hard your website is to navigate or how difficult it is to plan for their trip, but paying attention to what your exhibitors, attendees, and even your meeting staff is interacting with is important. The design, implementation and practicality of various software programs isn’t something to be discarded anymore.

Before releasing your software to your attendees, consider having a select group of trusted people to test drive the technology to see if it really helps. This can provide you a lot of insight, save you the headaches and make it less likely for you to lose attendees while they try to figure out how to use the technology.

 

Everything in one place

Would you want to use multiple software programs for planning your meeting? Do you think your attendees want to use multiple platforms and sources to register for an event? The answer is obvious. A streamlined approach is best. 

And that is something Map Your Show excels at. “It’s easy to access abstract grades, room scheduling, make booth adjustments, communicate with exhibitors, or even export reports to outside vendors – all from one place.” 

Not only will it make your life easier, but it’s great for your attendees. “Viewing all of the content a meeting has to offer – exhibition floor, educational/social sessions, new products, personal appointments – gives attendees an efficient, holistic approach to attending an event.”

So look for the options that streamline the process and puts everything in one place, rather than making yourself and your attendees chase down information in a variety of different platforms. 

Avoid One and Done

So many "next-level" technologies have been touted one year only to disappear the next. It's time to stop investing in programs that are here today and gone tomorrow.

The easiest way to avoid that? Don’t feel like you have to be an early adopter, and don’t buy into the hype around any technology. Justin says, “Maintain both a healthy skepticism and realistic expectation when implementing something new at an event.”

Look for companies that have the event industry knowledge, experience, and expertise, but also responds to those ever-changing technology updates. A company like Map Your Show has done an excellent job of balancing rapid and ever-changing updates to the software landscape while simultaneously ensuring new technologies have real-world business applications. There's a reason why the team has been working together in the industry for over a decade. 

How are you making event technology work for your event?