Northstar

FEATURE | INNOVATIONS 46 Jul-Aug 2017 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS • MCMAG-ASIA.COM 8 Intelligent use of show data. Underlying the signicance of many of the innovations on our list is data and our access to it. Getting that data and knowing what to do with it is fast becoming one of the most important aspects of the planner job description. It's key to understanding customers and proving the value of events. Intelligent use of data gleaned from trade- show exhibitions traditionally has been one of the greatest challenges, which means it's now fertile ground for new innovation. The ability to get real-time data and take action on it during a trade show is a game changer. Next-generation lead-retrieval platforms such as Momencio are leading that charge, providing context around a scanned badge and potential lead, and allowing salespeople to immediately build a relationship with that person. When a badge is scanned into the Momencio platform, the interaction is immediately visible in a real-time dashboard in an iPad app. Salespeople can track engagement and follow-up with each lead and track visitation numbers throughout the day, from the show oor. Follow-ups are automated, prompt and delivered directly through the platform – which means business cards needn't pile up and no booth interaction will be forgotten. 9 Fueling engagement with social media. Social media for marketing is one thing, but once on-site, social media should fuel face-to-face engagement, not detract from it by burying attendee faces in their phones. Companies like EventsTag and SocialPoint create physical meeting points that draw attendees via social media channels. In the best cases, they convert virtual interaction into face-to-face engagement. Social hubs and walls display an event's social media posts in a central, visible location, serving as both news feed and meeting place. SocialPoint adds an element of competition to many of its solutions, drawing attendees to displays with leaderboards and trivia games. EventsTag also oers hardware such as Polaroid and postcard printers, where Instagram posts and tweets can be printed or even mailed. Social media participants who engage at an event are more likely to continue their conversations once the show ends, via Instagram, Twitter and more. That may be more valuable than any number of traded business cards. 10 Virtual interactions. Our business depends on human interaction, and it's worth reminding ourselves that a lower-tech, more personalised approach can easily upstage ashier technology. While $30,000 telepresence rooms and VR site visits have their place, sometimes the best innovations are simply ways that make it easier to interact with people and destinations from afar. Georama is an excellent example, a real- time virtual-tour platform that facilitates destination research, site inspections, tours and eld trips from anywhere, on virtually any device. Planners schedule and pay online for a virtual tour, and in return they get a live video exploration, from a knowledgeable guide, at the agreed time. Whether a walk-through of the Anaheim Marriott or a guided tour of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, a live guide can answer questions as the tour progresses. Venues and destinations also can license the technology to oer such tours. All in the wrist: Disney's MagicBand is used for cashless payment and much more.

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