As technology continues to become more advanced and intuitive, there are several tools corporate event planners looking to impress attendees can implement at their next gathering.
Tysons, Virginia-based Cvent, a company that provides software solutions for event management and hospitality, lists several technological trends gaining traction among planners.
Of course, artificial intelligence is among the top technologies impacting the way people plan events. AI chatbots are becoming increasingly prevalent because of their ability to enhance the event experience, according to Maggie Lancashire, product marketer at Cvent.
AI chatbots can let attendees ask questions about an event or organization, provide recommendations for local attractions and activities, and let them know more about event speakers.
“This technology can serve as an additional means of communication with attendees, improving engagement and creating a more personalized experience,” said Lancashire.
Also increasing in popularity is the use of Synthesia AI, a tool that can help event planners transform text into video content, avatars and voiceovers.
Synthesia AI can help event planners save money on costly video production. The tool can be used to create personalized event invitation emails, create educational videos and more.
Augmented and virtual reality are also gaining popularity among corporate event planners. Platforms including ENGAGE XR and Virbela allow planners to build virtual spaces that create immersive, memorable experiences for guests.
“These technologies can be used in many ways, including enhancing branding, increasing engagement and adding a ‘wow’ factor to any event,” said Lancashire.
Modern technology is being used to address the difficult task of tracking an attendee’s experience. Lancashire lists the platform Zenus AI as a good way to capture the overall “happiness sentiment” at an event.
Instead of using surveys or walking around an event, planners can rely on Zenus’ “ethical facial analysis” to gather information about attendees. Zenus does this without collecting personal data.
Along with tracking attendees’ sentiments, Zenus can understand traffic flow at events, track engagement within different areas of a venue, and control access to different areas based on each person’s profile and permissions.
“Use this tool to measure impressions, demographics, positive sentiment and more,” said Lancashire.
Nonprofit events
On the nonprofit side of corporate event planning, organizations like After Breast Cancer Diagnosis are using technology to strengthen relationships with donors and maximize limited manpower.
ABCD hosts an annual gala that attracts hundreds of attendees and garners hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations.
When Ashley Kopca, director of corporate partnerships and events at ABCD, began working for the nonprofit, the entire event planning process was “very manual.”
“If we did a raffle, or if we did ticket sales, it was all like piecemeal,” said Kopca. “It was just me sending emails or checks. It was a lot to manage, especially as a nonprofit. We’re a very small team, so I’m doing it all by myself.”
While attending another corporate event, she began to familiarize herself with some of the technologies available for planners.
ABCD utilizes GiveSmart, a platform that bills itself as an all-in-one fundraising tool. The software allows organizations to create an event landing page, sell tickets and sponsorships, run silent auctions, sell branded merchandise, and more.
The GiveSmart app also integrates with the ABCD donor customer relationship management system, making it easier to improve relationships with stakeholders.
This new way to give is important for attracting younger attendees and the next generation of donors to ABCD events, Kopca explained.
“It’s kind of a weird market. It’s not quite old school and you do have a lot of newer donors. They want you to meet them where they’re at,” said Kopca. “You have to evolve as an organization.”
While technology is useful on-site, it can also help organizations debrief and make sense of their data post-event. ABCD is considering different ways that artificial intelligence can improve the efficiency of its operations.
“We’re just scratching the surface,” said Kopca. “We’re looking at how we can use AI to discover (data) patterns that we’re not seeing as humans.”
Over time, ABCD will need to find the right balance of integrating new technologies while still maintaining a personal relationship with each of its donors.
“With technology, it’s about how you use it as supplement,” said Kopka. “You don’t want it to replace the relationship with your donor or your community, because you still need that personal connection.”
