Event Tech Solutions

As an employer branding consultant, I've collaborated on over 300 virtual internship program info sessions hosted by early career recruiting teams. Here's what stood out from the top performing events and what I recommend: 1. Audience Engagement Students already have to sit in hour long lectures, they don't want to do the same at your information sessions. Switch things up by asking questions in the chat throughout the session or having a live Q&A. 2. Clear call-to-action That can look like: →  Sharing a link to a resume drop/your talent community sign up page so they can submit interest → Collecting emails to send a post event email with more resources/information about your programs and how to apply →  Providing an unique application link that tracks that they applied after attending your event →  Sharing a link to your early careers page if your roles are currently live so they can apply 3. Early talent employee panels Attendees want to hear from your past interns and entry level employees about what life is like at your company. They trust that they're going to be honest/keep it real with them, can see themselves in their shoes, and it's someone they can reach out to post-event for more insights on how to apply. I've listened in on a few of these and employees always give the best application advice that you can't find online! Who better to attract Gen Z than Gen Z? 😉 Pro-tip You can repurpose the testimonials shared by the panelists into content for your social channels, quotes to include on your early career website, etc. 🔥 One of my formulas for a ✨ perfect ✨ virtual information sessions: 15 mins of a company/program overview hosted by the recruiters + 20 min employee panel + 10-15 for live audience Q&A/answering questions submitted from the event RSVP form 👀 Students, what do you wish to see more of at virtual information sessions for early career programs you're interested in? #earlycareerrecruiting #infosessions #earlycareer #internships #employerbranding

Too often, events and congresses are treated as standalone activations, disconnected from the larger engagement ecosystem. But in reality, they should be an integral part of a broader, data-driven engagement strategy, seamlessly integrated into systems like Veeva Systems, Salesforce, and omnichannel CRMs. How, you may ask: • If an HCP asks a specific question during a congress panel, that data should trigger tailored content recommendations in the CRM, instead of a generic post-event email. • Ensure that digestible short-form key learnings from live sessions flow into on-demand content libraries, allowing non-attendees to engage later. • A Veeva-integrated chatbot could automatically send relevant whitepapers, webinars, or advisory board invites based on what an HCP engaged with at the event. • A Salesforce-powered HCP journey map could ensure that a congress attendee automatically receives digital touchpoints (e.g., follow-up emails, LinkedIn discussions, or small-group webinars) aligned with their specific interests. • A company using Veeva Vault CRM (or other CRMs) + Events Management + Salesforce Einstein AI (or Copilot) can dynamically adjust post-event outreach strategy based on how an HCP interacted with content at the congress. • Sprinklr + Salesforce CDP for social listening enables Digital Opinion Leaders (DOL) Activation by tracking and analyzing post-event conversations across various social and digital platforms. The key takeaway is that events and congresses should be fully integrated within the CRM, digital engagement, and omnichannel ecosystem—ensuring that every interaction contributes to a seamless, long-term engagement strategy rather than just a single event touchpoint. Check the full episode with Pierre Metrailler at Onomi / SpotMe on demand: https://lnkd.in/dwg7BYiu And if you want to learn more about our expertise at The Palindromic across "Next-Gen CX Strategy" and "Expert Engagement & HCP360 Enablement" - drop me a note at claude.w@thepalindromic.com

Fact: Most attendees don’t enjoy your “networking” events. Fact: Networking is one of the top reasons for attending an in-person event. Can we acknowledge that most attendees are not extreme extroverts? So why are we still hosting networking events where we effectively “dump” 100s of people into a room together for a few hours, hoping for the best and callingl it “networking”? As someone who attends events mainly with the goal of meeting up with my existing network and growing it, proactive networking with people I don’t know (especially solo) is something I dread. If you recognise that many people attending want to network but don’t feel comfortable in environments where they have to proactively approach strangers, it is possible to deliver a far better experience. So, let's take a look at activity-based, interactive networking. These activities will need capacity caps… but from my perspective as an attendee, at least, a more intimate environment makes for better networking. I’ve heard of some incredible networking initiatives recently, including: ➡️ Puppy Networking What a great idea for networking. An activity that will get people smiling and bonding, is great for socialising puppies, too, and also allows ample opportunity to chat. ➡️ Barista Workshops Teaching all those coffee lovers how to make barista-style coffee and getting to know each other whilst enjoying their own creations afterwards is a fab idea for activity networking. ➡️ Braindates Interest-based discussions that involve having deeper conversations with other attendees and learning at the same time. A truly great way to bring people with shared interests together and create meaningful connections. A couple of other suggestions: - Give your standard networking drinks an upgrade by adding an interactive activity such as a mixologist class, a murder mystery theme like “Imposter”, or some other team-based activity. And remember, there’s literally no excuse not to include as many non-alcoholic options as you have alcoholic so that everyone feels comfortable. - Find and give roles to “super connectors” at your networking events. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Phil Mershon - he’s an advocate for better networking and integrating these talented people at your events (and the author of a great new book called Unforgettable - the Art and Science of Creating Memorable Experiences). I know that upgrading your networking events will take a lot of effort, but if it means that a bigger proportion of your attendees leave your event not only satisfied but having created some lifelong connections - it’s worth it, right? Do you have any creative ideas for networking, or have you had a positive networking experience at an event? I’d love to hear them! 👇 #networking #events #eventmarketing #eventprofs I

📊 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 Traditional head counts are being revolutionised by technology that measures what matters: genuine engagement and emotional response. The transformation is happening through innovative measurement tech that captures real-time crowd dynamics and individual experiences. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: ✦ Biometric Engagement • Heart rate variation patterns reveal peak moments • Galvanic skin response tracks emotional intensity • Average engagement time: 47 minutes vs 18 minutes traditional ✦ Kinetic Surface Analytics • Smart floors measuring crowd flow patterns • Heat mapping of high-engagement zones • 34% more accurate space utilisation ✦ Crowd Flow Intelligence • Real-time density mapping • Predictive bottleneck prevention • 23% improved crowd distribution ✦ Experience Intensity Tracking • Sonic resonance measurement • Group synchronisation patterns • 3.2× more accurate than traditional satisfaction surveys 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Tomorrowland's Tech Evolution Case Study: The world's leading electronic music festival transformed measurement across 400,000 attendees: • Bracelet-based crowd tracking reduced congestion by 52% • Smart-surface implementation across 7 stages improved flow efficiency by 93% • AI-powered heat mapping revealed 3.1× higher engagement in optimised zones → Result: Record-breaking NPS score of 92, up from 76 previous year 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘅: 1. Smart surfaces for movement patterns 2. Biometric wearables for engagement 3. AI-powered crowd flow optimisation When we move beyond simple headcount's to understanding the collective heartbeat of an event, we transform from counting attendance to creating resonance. 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Which emerging technology excites you most for measuring event success? Share your thoughts below 👇 #EventTech #FestivalInnovation #EventAnalytics #LiveEvents

See One. Do One. Teach One. I was watching Grey’s Anatomy (don't judge) when a line jumped out at me: “See one. Do one. Teach one.” It was Dr. Webber's mantra for medical training: observe a skill, try it yourself, then pass it on. It's also the perfect blueprint for event engagement. Most events get stuck at “see one.” Attendees listen to keynotes, sit through panels, watch demos. They see a lot, but if that’s where it ends, the knowledge fades almost instantly. The next level is “do one.” Give attendees space to try what they’ve learned, through hands-on workshops, scenario labs, role plays, or even a 10-minute exercise in the room. This helps the ideas move from theory into muscle memory. But then there's “teach one.” Create moments for attendees to share their perspective. Whether it’s a micro-discussion at their table, a peer-to-peer breakout, or a post-session “lightning share” where they explain what they learned to someone else. When people teach, they anchor the learning in their own words, and engagement skyrockets. What if designing events around this mantra could transform attendees into contributors? They stop being passive listeners and start being co-creators of the experience. Maybe that's what engagement is meant to be, after all. 

People register, but never show up to your webinar. Here’s why (and how to fix it) Most webinars have a live attendance problem. Registrants sign up eagerly. Then life gets busy. Emails are missed, reminders ignored, and your attendance rate suffers. After hosting hundreds of webinars, here’s what I found genuinely works: 1/ Timing is everything Schedule webinars midweek (Tuesday to Thursday) if your audience works standard hours. Avoid Mondays and Friday afternoons; they’re notoriously poor for attendance. Then, automate your reminders: - 1 email one day before - 1 email four hours before - 1 email 10 minutes before Emails help, but SMS reminders drive attendance even higher. Set them up if you can. It’s worth it. 2/ Offer something exclusive Your audience needs a reason to attend live instead of watching the replay. Provide downloadable templates, checklists, or guides only for live attendees. Make these bonuses clearly time-sensitive. People will rearrange their schedules if they see real value in showing up live. Oh, and never mention there will be a recording available. 3/ Promote smarter 🟠 Tease your webinar with short clips of past sessions. Share quick insights or exciting moments that build curiosity. Share behind the scenes of you preparing for the webinar. 4/ Be specific about live benefits Tell your audience exactly what they’ll miss if they don’t join live: - “Live Q&A with industry experts” - “Real-time feedback on your challenges” - “Networking with peers” Repeat these points in every reminder. Repetition helps because people skim emails, and they don’t read them carefully. 5/ Showcase your expertise Your credibility sells the webinar. Briefly mention achievements relevant to the topic: - “This helped me grow revenue by 230% last year.” - “Sarah has trained 300 sales leaders in 2024 alone.” Real results build trust. 6/ Optimize for mobile Choose a webinar platform with strong mobile support. Don't forget to clearly instruct attendees to download the required apps ahead of time. Use these tips to get more attendees showing up live. They’ve worked consistently for my webinars. Reshare ♻ to help others do better webinars. PS: I share daily webinars, marketing and AI tips at Jakub Michalski

Here is how you should use event apps to drive engagement. See, a branded app is a time saver. It can simplify finding the right people, setting up appointments, scanning badges, enabling live chats, and capturing leads. Event apps, done well, can shorten the time to value for attendees - which is why they're a must-have, especially for large conferences. HOWEVER, launching a mobile app only doesn't mean an increase in engagement. First, a mobile app isn’t adopted until the merits are sold to an audience. The biggest mistake I've seen is planners assuming people will download the app and innately know all the benefits. There will be plenty of first-timers. Thus, you need to intentionally market the mobile app hard to your audience. It’s also important to realize that you need a certain critical mass to have adopted the app to reap the networking benefits. If less than 20% of attendees have the app on their phones, you’ll have a hard time driving engagement through it. Therefore, it’s wise to keep tracking downloads too. The best channels to promote an app that we’ve seen include:  ✅ Post-registration confirmation emails  ✅ Dedicated pre-event email campaigns  ✅ Social posts with promo videos  ✅ Prominent flex banners at the event itself And no - your callouts shouldn't just say "Download here." You need to explicitly brief what the app will do for attendees. But the tech piece is only part of the engagement puzzle. Other areas that need attention: 👉 Market your event to the right ICP audiences. Having focused attendees builds stronger networking circles (better than just high numbers). 👉  Create dedicated onsite spaces where like-minded attendees can converge and have downtime to naturally chat. It’s hard to connect when you just have an auditorium or lobby to play with. 👉 Use highly readable badges with "interests" clearly printed to spark conversations. 👉 Realize several introverts won't directly approach others. Teach them to use the live chat to create soft intros that can warm into coordinated onsite meetups. 👉 Collect "interested in" info during registration. Surface that on attendee app profiles as icebreakers. Highlight that in your pre-event collateral. 👉 Don't overload the agenda - schedule enough buffer time for attendees to explore and make new connections organically. 👉 Use timely push notifications to surveys and polls connected with a speaker topic that just wrapped up to get people to participate. In other words, event apps aren’t plug-n-play engagement drivers. Instead, plan the ideal attendee experience and leverage the app to facilitate and accelerate that journey.

🚀 The Era of One-Size-Fits-All Events Is Over. Stop Doing It. Personalization isn't a single action, it's a series of intentional, strategic choices that come together to make every attendee feel genuinely valued. We’re not just organizing events anymore — we’re crafting journeys. 🧭 In today’s marketplace, attendees expect more than just a badge and a schedule. They want curated content, meaningful connections, and real-time relevance that makes them feel seen. That’s where hyper-personalization comes in. And no, it’s not just using someone’s name in an email. It’s about using data and technology to design experiences that feel custom-built for each person. 🧠📊 As an event marketer, I’m all in on data-driven strategy. This is where we move beyond logistics and design every touchpoint to be personal, memorable, and valuable. Here's some ways that can look like across the attendee journey: Before the Event: 🎯 Targeted Invitations & Content: Use behavioral data to send invites that speak directly to someone's interests. A marketer might get a blog post on campaign strategy, while a developer receives a product case study. 📝 Dynamic Registration: Ask tailored questions based on the attendee’s role or industry to build rich attendee profiles from the start. During the Event: 🤖 AI-Powered Agendas & Recommendations: Event apps can recommend sessions, speakers, and exhibitors based on real-time behavior, interests, and profiles — reducing decision fatigue and maximizing impact. 🤝 Smart Networking: Go beyond job titles. Use AI to match attendees with shared goals, values, or expertise for deeper, more meaningful conversations. 🎉 Personalized On-Site Experiences: Greet attendees by name on welcome screens, print session tracks on badges, or use RFID to tailor in-person interactions. 📽️ Customized Content Delivery: Make booth visits unforgettable. When someone scans their badge, show a video personalized to their company, role, or industry — turning a quick interaction into a memorable moment. 🧢 Personalized Swag: Skip the generic t-shirt. Offer attendees the ability to choose colors, styles, or even print their name on a water bottle or notebook. After the Event 📬 Tailored Follow-Up: Instead of a generic “thanks for coming,” send curated content based on sessions they attended, people they connected with, and their unique interests. 📚 Personalized Content Hubs: Create a portal where attendees can revisit the event — with homepages tailored to their track, interests, or role. 📊 Custom Surveys: Don’t ask vague questions. Personalize post-event feedback forms to reflect their specific journey. 🤔 What's one thing you're doing to add a touch of personalization to your events? Or, as an attendee, what's a personalization strategy that has truly impressed you? Let's share some ideas in the comments! #EventProfs #EventMarketing #HyperPersonalization #EventTech #ExperienceDesign #EventStrategy #PersonalizedExperiences

Personalizing every attendee experience at scale is no longer optional; it’s expected. Managing who sees what on your event app (web and mobile) shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. It needs to be tailored to attendees’ roles, needs, and preferences. With Zuddl’s revamped Access Controls, event teams now have a streamlined, granular way to ensure the right people see the right content and engagement options. Start simple with role-based access: define what attendees, speakers, and sponsors can see or do across your event. Need finer control? Create custom groups based on ticket type, registration flow, or audience segment, and tailor what each group can access—sessions, days, venues, and engagement tools—all from a single dashboard. Why you’ll love it: 👉🏼 Deliver personalized attendee experiences by showing only relevant content to each group. 👉🏼 Save hours of time otherwise spent on session-by-session access configuration. 👉🏼 Gate premium or VIP-only sessions to add exclusivity. 👉🏼 Stay compliant with access and data protection standards. 👉🏼 Unlock granular insights by audience type and access level. Check out the video below to see this in action.