How digital technology affects the event management industry

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There have been many important developments in event management in recent years. Those who plan and run events like conferences, exhibitions, and parties have a difficult job that requires multitasking, focus and fantastic organisational skills. The advent of the internet has simplified basic tasks, like buying exhibition equipment, but technology has benefited the industry in less obvious ways than online shopping and easy access to equipment. In this article, we will talk through some ways in which technology has improved the event management industry.

Going mobile

Gone are the days where every event you attend required you to print or pay postage for your ticket. Advances in mobile technologies mean tickets can be displayed on any device. This means less paper is wasted and the whole purchasing process is more convenient, secure and easier to organise. In addition, mobiles can now be used by customers to book events online or download an event’s mobile app. Plus, for those running events, mobiles can be used to check guests in to the event, as well as access important information whilst on the move.

Fraud prevention

Reselling and scalping tickets is often an issue for events managers. People are keen to save money where possible and buy tickets last minute. But, these unregulated transactions can often be fraudulent with many customers ending up with fake tickets. However, with the introduction of the internet and price comparison sites, fraud can be more easily avoided. Websites like www.tickx.co.uk offer users a hassle-free way to quickly weigh up different buying options, find the best ticket prices and purchase them from reputable online vendors.

Understanding your audience with data

Digital event registration also means that it is now easier than ever for event managers and marketers to gather data on their attendees. In the past, issues like people buying several tickets on behalf of others meant that it was hard to find accurate data. Now, tickets are more easily attributed to individual attendees. This means companies can find out details like age, gender, location, ethnicity and much more about everyone who attends their events.

All this data can produce some powerful insights. Firstly, it allows for a greater understanding of attendees and is very helpful for learning what makes different people buy tickets.

The data is also a vital tool for marketers and advertisers. They can use the knowledge about attendees to identify gaps in the market, tailor marketing messaging and imagery and reach audiences that previously they had not thought to target. For marketers, there are lots of ways to find and use audience data. For example, most email marketing and social media platforms have built-in analytics. Records, like the details of who clicked on what link, can be associated with an individual customer’s records on the company’s database. This means every instance where someone on your database showed an interest in a specific topic or product online can be documented. Using this information you can discover who the best prospects are for selling tickets for any event you are planning.

A glimpse at the future

Virtual Reality (VR) is the latest tool to be adopted by companies looking for something impressive, engaging and futuristic. VR offers a highly interactive experience that allows people to virtually attend events or view event spaces from the comfort of their own home. As this technology continues to progress, it presents the whole industry with more opportunities to make every event experience more personalised and exciting.

As you can see, the event management industry has been hugely affected by the arrival of new technologies, just like many other industries. But this is just the beginning. What new developments will the future hold? Will technology continue to improve event management? For now, we’ll have to wait and see.

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