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Jill Stone

Your Meeting Matchmaker Fairy Godmother

The Meeting Planner Technology Report

in: Meeting Planning Experience Meeting Planning Services Technology

I have written about the important technologies available to today’s meeting planner. It is astounding the amount of information that can be found right at our fingertips. Here is a nice checklist for you on what you need to be aware of, working on and considering.

  •  Social Media. Are you on it and active? If not, why not? This is how business is done at this time. The younger you are the more likely you are to communicate via social media platforms and texting than by the traditional voice phone call. If you or your company is behind, then by all means get going! Need help? Make your mark on social media by hiring a professional. My favorite is 100th Monkey Media!
  • Web sites are great, but if they are not being updated, then they may not ever be found. This can easily be remedied by adding a blog to your website, and making sure to update that blog at least once week.  Also, utilize your social media to continually point people to your website. Watch out for this new trend – websites being built into Facebook Fan Pages (you heard it here first).
  • Speaking of web sites, do you have a mobile web site? If not, you probably should. Talk to your web site developer about adding in the line of code necessary in order to make your site mobile-phone friendly. This is how most people now access the web! Meet them where they are. For more info, click here.
  • QR Codes are everywhere and can be used in so many interesting ways. Use them on all print materials to enhance the information, a QR code outside a meeting room can contain the schedule and information about the speakers, a QR Code on your business card or tradeshow booth can contain your contact information.  You can make them in your sleep! Apps are available for your smart phones or try an online generator like Kaywa.
  • Make your life easier with technology (of course your most helpful value add site selection manager can also make your life quite a bit easier, like um, me for example [Symbol]). Check out these sites for amazing tools:
  • Floorplan Genie is free and makes planning and managing your tradeshow space a breeze.
  • Mobile Apps for Meetings has attracted a number of options. For a full list go here.
  • For those that cannot make it to your event but still wish to “attend,” offer them a way to check out the talks and workshops at Livestream.
  • Don’t forget Twitter! Check out my earlier blog to see how to use Twitter to enhance your event.
  • While at your conference, make sure to record some testimonials and upload them to a YouTube channel.  It is very easy to create your own channel, just check out Ehow to learn how.

And BTW, if you are not providing free wifi to your attendees, they will be less than pleased. As well, make sure it is easy to access. This is good business.

What new and interesting technological nuggets have you uncovered as of late? Please share it with us!

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