As a seasoned industry professional, you have attended, organised and managed plenty of events. You know that innovation is key to a successful event. It only makes sense that you want to stay ahead of the curve.
However, you still have your boss to report to and sometimes convincing your boss (or client) that you need to invest in newer ways of making an event more interesting and engaging is a task that’s easier said than done.
With cutting-edge event technologies flooding the market, it is high time to try your hands at a few and take your events to the next level. Now, if you already know that investing in an event or conference app is the best move, you need to convince your boss the same.
Here are some steps that can help you get a better understanding of how to go about it.
Factors to emphasize when pitching an event app to decision makers:
The budget is not the end of it all
It is the budget that usually becomes an impediment in the process of adding or upgrading event technology. Your boss may be monitoring the event budget closely and decide that an app is unnecessary expense. This is where you have to explain that an app will ultimately improve the ROI of events.
This is because an app can pull event analytics out of the vague “feelings” category and can provide you with solid numbers. An app can capture all kinds of data like attendee activity, social media mentions, instant poll results and more. These data can not only help you understand whether the event was successful or not but also help you to improve attendee experience based in future events.
Carefully mapping event data can help you increase engagement, satisfaction, and sales, leading to an increased ROI.
Data-privacy should be considered
Your boss might be worried that by using an app may compromise their data security and attendee privacy. While it is a valid concern for enterprise level businesses, you can assure him/ her that there’s nothing to worry about by pitching an app that has completed SOC2 certification.
The completion of the SOC 2 Type II examination indicates that the app’s features are in line with the Trust Services Principles and Criteria of Security and Confidentiality. You can discuss this with your regulators too.
Redefining event branding
You may need to have detailed discussion sessions with your marketing team about the app and its marketing features. Ensure that your marketing team understands that the app isn’t generic. It is branded with logos and fitting colour schemes. The app’s platform can be used from months prior to create excitement and for months after the event to deliver consistent and satisfying user experiences.
Seemingly minor things like the app icon, opening screen, brand colours, and multiple other customised details can enable the app to brand the event in a way that truly fetches desired results.
Trying is believing
Even if you are convinced about the benefits of of an app, the decision makers may not really get it. players don’t really get it. Sometimes, seeing is believing. Consider if you can create an avenue where the decision maker can try some of the features of the app themselves.It goes without saying that having something tangible to try out can help significantly toward convincing the stakeholders.
Even if you are focusing on the decision-makers, include your entire marketing team in your outreach, since they need to know how the marketing strategy will be influenced by the app. As a refresher, our article on event marketing hacks for creating more visibility can be of much help to your Marketing team.
Personalise your approach based on who you are pitching to:
A lot depends on who your boss is. Pitching the event app solution will vary depending on who you are speaking to. The decision makers may include CEO, Marketing Head, Association President or client.
- A CEO is the most important of decision makers and is unlikely to get convinced unless solid results are presented to him or her. The best way to convince them about the benefits of an app is to clearly describe how the app can increase revenue and how it basically sells itself. Make sure you have case studies ready when you are approaching a CEO about an app.
- In comparison, the Marketing Head is much easier to deal with. They generally love tech and explaining how robust a solution the app really is will be enough.
- An Association President is a busy man/ woman to say the least. They have to juggle various events in a certain span of time apart from tending to the duties of an association president. When you are explaining the benefits of mobile apps for events to them, keep it short, simple and to the point.
- If your client is already aware of the benefits of an event app, you’re in luck. Otherwise, explain the features of the app that will assist them to achieve the objectives that are of utmost importance to them. After you have ensured that your client understands how investing in an app can be advantageous, proceed with the presentation of your ideas.
When you are explaining to your boss why it is important to invest in app right now, emphasise the points that appeals to him or her the most. Effective communication is more about speaking the same language than about heavy technicalities.
In case, your boss’ goals are bottom-line focused, explain exactly how the app can make event marketing and and management easier and also help to boost participation and revenue.
Discuss how an app can contribute real revenue weeks and months later. Prove that an app is now indispensable for proper event budgeting and planning. This way you can ensure that your events are making more than they are spending.
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