A summer love story by Marybeth Cahill, Sr. Project Manager, Duuzra
I’m standing in the back of the ballroom listening to the closing speaker’s final remarks, when it hits me. This is it. Everything I’ve put into this program is coming to an end.
The thought of it brings a calming peacefulness over me. The last few days of this symposium were anything but easy, but as we all know nothing good ever comes easy. Although the topics at discussion are not my forte, it’s the engagement and participation from the attendees that really gave this program some spunk. The program’s app was a complete success, attendees could not get enough. They were enthralled with how accessible the information and interaction was; they were mesmerized. One might even say they loved it. Polling with the most eccentric music with the collaboration from AV, hotspot results that made them question the sanity of their peers, and word clouds that brought both laughter and curiosity. The quiz and final leaderboard displaying who would own bragging rights on the shuttle back to the airport. The platform I had used over the past few days had everyone clicking and connecting sparking new relationships faster than I ever thought. It was the ultimate event experience I created, and I didn’t want it to end.
Suddenly I’m transported to the opening beach scene of the 1978 smash film Grease where Danny and Sandy are realizing their hours are numbered and I’m quickly realizing I’m in the same boat as them. All that hard work has come down to this moment where it will all end. The app I designed, built, tested, and delivered will be shelved never to be looked at again. But what if it didn’t have to end? What if this experience can live on instead of being that summer memory that I’d regret not ever getting more time with? And so, I did just that.
The love story continues with our on-demand features long after the event ended. Just like Danny and Sandy rekindled at Rydell High, now attendees can relive those magical moments at a time that works for with a seamless login process slicker than Greased Lightning itself.
With the click of a magic link, there was no option for anyone to be a Beauty School Dropout and miss out on what the versatile on-demand platform had to offer. I made sure everyone had access to download articles and view missed presentations from the breakouts. An always challenging part of being onsite is not being able to be in two places at once – in this case, in two breakouts at once. I also added more content and allowed viewers to tap into recorded sessions separated by chapters and auto-timed pop-ups for an interactive experience. Further, they were able browse speaker bios, revisit polls and their results, and complete feedback forms. Needless to say, I wasn’t leaving anyone Stranded at the Drive-In.
Ok, I’ll admit it. I’ve gotten a little carried away with the Grease references here. That last one was a stretch, but by now you must have concluded that the benefits of On-Demand will have you Hopelessly Devoted to this process. Bringing attendees back to a central location to summarize the event is what keeps the spark alive. The attendee networking went beyond the reception and meal breaks. Attendees came to the platform to re-engage, connect on the direct messaging and social walls. Most importantly, we gave them the opportunity to sign up for future programs by simply adding the registration flyers and links to the platform. There are Worse Things You Could Do than not have this all-in-one solution in the palm of your hands.
By now I guess you are asking yourself, was the juice worth the squeeze? How can I as an event professional also benefit from this and what’s in it for me? Well, you’ll be surprised. Let’s start with the insightful data. From click rates to browsing data, get the details on which content was frequently browsed and downloaded. Instant notifications keep you updated with the latest action performed on the platform. Stay updated when actions are completed or when content is viewed. These notifications are sent directly to your inbox to continuously remind you of how beneficial (and easy!) hosting an on-demand platform can be. Don’t forget the survey data and feedback that drives future enhancements and program improvements. And lastly, this solution will ultimately increase the returning attendee rate. With all these benefits, who wouldn’t be singing “You’re the One that I Want, ooh, ooh, oohh” by now?
In all seriousness, they say all good things must come to an end, but not in this case. The cycle continues with keeping attendees informed of what’s next in our event lineup. I’m given the option to repurpose the platform for future events or create a series of platforms that best fits my marketing strategy. It may not transport me to a place where I’m in the high school parking lot singing “rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong” or waving to my friends flying away in a convertible car, but it certainly made me feel that way.