Planning the perfect event that drives engagement and revenue is a dream for many. But what if we told you this dream can come true with just a few adjustments to your planning? Sounds intriguing, right?
Problems like poor audience engagement, crowd management, and staff training are bound to happen. It is how you deal with them that matters the most. In this blog, we will explain how emerging technologies like AR, VR, AI, IoT, and robotics can make your events memorable and unique, and how 360BrightMedia helps event managers do so.
Common Event Management Challenges and Their Solutions
1. Capturing Audience Attention and Driving Engagement
Capturing audience attention and effectively engaging with them is something even seasoned event managers struggle with. With constant dopamine hits from mobile phones and social media, the audience’s attention span has shortened over the years. This leads to passive engagement and poor brand recall. To counter this problem, organisers need to adapt their marketing efforts to shorter and more robust mediums. The key is to ensure the audience is actively engaging with your content and not being passive onlookers.
Solution:
- AR/VR Games: AR/VR games can help to create interactive zones that offer a much-needed break. This allows visitors to refresh their minds for further engagement.
- AI Photo Booths: With AI photo booths and smart filters, audiences can create shareable moments, thus actively participating in the event.
- Xylobands: Xylobands have LEDs with synchronised light that can be operated with radio frequency. They create visual spectacle capturing audience attention.
2. Creating Unique & Shareable Experiences
Let’s be real for a moment; everyone is referring to the same playbook while planning their corporate events. As a result, most business events have the same look and feel, with some minor changes like the colour palette or branding. With a dozen events happening every month, it becomes difficult to stay unique.
Solution:
- AI-powered Filters: AI photo filters offer hyper-personalised images. Taking inspiration from the ChatGPT-Ghibli trend, organisers can push attendees to share these photos on social platforms.
- AR Photo Walls/Holograms: AR photo walls and holograms are a rare sight at business events. They can be used to wow attendees while also incorporating brand icons.
- Robots: Robots can be used to welcome guests or even serve snacks, making events Instagrammable by design.
3. Managing Large Crowds Seamlessly
Managing large crowds is one of the most difficult aspects of event management. Large crowds in a limited space can quickly get out of hand, leading to bottlenecks. Without proper navigation, some areas can get overcrowded, while some areas do not get enough engagement. Overcrowded areas are also a health and safety hazard, which could lead to legal liabilities and reputation damage.
Solution:
- IoT-enabled Smart Badges: IoT wearables can be utilised to track movement and guide traffic flow.
- RFID Tags: RFID Tags cut out long queues for entry and payments, reducing bottlenecks and improving visitor experience.
- AR-enabled Maps: AR maps offer real-time indoor navigation that can be accessed through the visitor’s phone or wall displays.
4. Collecting Data and Tracking Impact
Events are one of the best sources of getting unadulterated first-hand audience data. This data helps you learn about your audience’s behaviour and improve marketing. However, inefficient data collection, privacy compliance, and data overload can hinder data collection and analysis. In addition, collecting unactionable data and without clear goals can lead to negative results.
Solution:
- AI Analytics: With the help of equipment like AI photo booths and video booths, stakeholders can measure engagement heatmaps in real time.
- QR Scanned Surveys: Organisers can strategically place QR scanners that lead to a survey. This reduces manual labour and human errors. Surveys can also be directly sent to the user’s phone through collected emails.
5. Training Volunteers & Staff Effectively
Event volunteers may not always have the necessary training, skills, or commitment to perform their tasks effectively and efficiently. On the other hand, staff training programmes can be outdated and inadequate, leading to knowledge gaps and inconsistent productivity. Due to these problems, event management have a hard time ensuring everything is going smoothly.
Solution:
VR Training Simulators: VR training simulators are one of the best tools for a hands-on training experience. It allows volunteers and staff to rehearse real-world scenarios like guest interactions, emergencies, or logistics before the event in an immersive experience.
6. Ensuring Real-Time Problem Solving
Event managers usually operate under strict timelines and objectives. When unexpected issues arise, they are not prepared to deal with them right then and there. These issues can range from lighting and sound malfunctions to overcrowding. Delays in communication and unavailability of authorised personnel when issues arise contribute to delays in problem-solving. This ultimately leads to attendee dissatisfaction, a drop in staff morale, and financial consequences.
Solution:
- IoT Sensors: IoT sensors can be implemented for real-time monitoring of indoor temperature, lighting, and crowd density. This can alert volunteers and event staff in case of an emergency for instant resolution.
- Robot Messengers: Robot messengers can provide instant support and reach places of crisis when volunteers are unavailable.
7. Delivering Lasting Impressions Post-Event
Once the event is over, you need your audience to remember your brand and its USP for successfully converting them. However, once the event is done, engagement can significantly drop due to no brand recall. Without lasting impressions or follow-ups, your event efforts won’t lead to fruition.
Solution:
- VR Booths: VR booths can be utilised for creating gamified product demos or immersive brand storytelling. A storied experience is much more memorable.
- Automated Follow-ups: Setting automated follow-ups through emails collected from robots, booths, and other methods can keep your brand fresh in audiences’ minds. 80% of sales typically require an average of 5 follow-up calls after the initial meeting.
Conclusion
Problems like event engagement, crowd management, and real-time problem solving are extremely common. Effectively managing these problems is necessary for ensuring a better event experience, engagement, and RoI. Advanced tech like VR, AR, AI, and robots are amongst the leading solutions for addressing these problems. You can rent these equipment by partnering with a reputed event tech solution company.
360BrightMedia has been a pioneer and a leader in event technology, helping brands across the country. From better engagement to brand recall, we are at the forefront of making every aspect of event marketing better. So what’s the wait? If you too want to ensure a smooth and successful event experience, give us a call today.
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