TWST Events | In Person and Virtual Event Technology Blog

What Can Go Wrong at an Analyst Day (And How to Prevent It)

Jennifer Rock — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Analyst days are high-visibility, high-stakes events.

For IR teams and the agencies supporting them, success is not measured by creativity or scale. It is measured by something much simpler: did everything run exactly as expected?

Because when something goes wrong, it is not just an operational issue. It reflects directly on the team that recommended the vendors, coordinated the event, and assured leadership that everything was under control.

The reality is that most issues do not come from major failures. They come from small details that were overlooked, miscommunicated, or underestimated.

The Most Common Points of Failure

One of the most common breakdowns happens before the event even begins: awareness and attendance.

If the event is not marketed effectively or attendees are not properly reminded, turnout can suffer. Even with a strong invite list, poor communication leads to low engagement.

Another frequent issue is timing and coordination.

Analyst days run on tight schedules. Presentations, transitions, and Q&A sessions are expected to move smoothly. When timing slips, it creates a ripple effect across the entire agenda.

Clarity of information is another overlooked risk.

Attendees need to know exactly what to expect: who is speaking, when sessions begin, and what the flow of the day looks like. If key details are not clear, it creates friction.

Finally, there is onsite support.

When something unexpected happens, and it always does, the difference between a minor hiccup and a visible issue comes down to how quickly it is handled. Without experienced onsite support, small problems escalate quickly.

Why These Issues Happen

Most of these problems are not caused by lack of effort. They are caused by fragmentation.

Multiple vendors, unclear ownership, and gaps in communication create situations where no one is fully accountable for the overall experience. Each piece may function independently, but the execution does not feel cohesive.

For IR analysts and agency professionals, this creates real risk. Even when the issue originates elsewhere, it is their recommendation that is questioned.

How to Prevent It

The most effective analyst days are built on a simple principle: control the details before they become problems.

That starts well before the event itself. Clear communication, consistent reminders, and thoughtful outreach help ensure strong attendance and set expectations early.

It also requires complete visibility into the event experience. A centralized portal should give attendees everything they need in one place: the agenda, speaker details, timing, and logistics like meals or session formats.

After the event, that same experience should extend to follow-ups, transcripts, and replays, ensuring continued engagement beyond the day itself.

Equally important is having the right support onsite. Experienced event teams anticipate issues, manage timing, and respond quickly.

This is where working with a single, experienced partner can make a meaningful difference. Platforms like TWST Events are built specifically for analyst days, combining event technology with hands-on support. Unlike software-only solutions, TWST provides both the platform and experienced onsite teams, ensuring every detail is covered.

What This Really Comes Down To

For those managing analyst days, the goal is not to impress. It is to deliver an event that feels controlled, polished, and predictable.

Because when everything runs smoothly, no one notices the execution.

But when something goes wrong, everyone does.

The teams that consistently deliver successful analyst days are not doing more. They are doing the fundamentals exceptionally well.

They work with trusted partners, use systems that reduce risk, and ensure nothing is left to chance.

And in an environment where your reputation is tied to every detail, that level of control makes all the difference.

Operational Metrics Every Event COO Should Be Tracking in 2026

Jennifer Rock — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For years, conferences were judged by a simple metric: attendance. How many people registered? How large was the audience? Did the exhibit hall sell out?

Those numbers still matter. But in 2026, they are no longer enough.

The most successful B2B conferences are increasingly run like operating platforms rather than gatherings. Event COOs are now responsible not only for logistics and production but for designing systems that generate measurable value for participants, sponsors, and the broader industry ecosystem.

To do that effectively, leaders are shifting toward a new set of operational indicators. Among the most important are meeting volume, cost per attendee, and operational efficiency—metrics that reveal whether an event is actually creating outcomes rather than simply attracting a crowd.

Meetings Are Becoming the Core Metric

For most professionals attending a conference, the real value rarely comes from sitting in a session. It comes from the conversations that happen between those sessions.

Because of this, leading conferences increasingly treat structured meetings as a central performance metric. Instead of asking how many people attended, event operators are asking how many meaningful interactions occurred.

Many high-performing B2B conferences now incorporate matchmaking platforms, curated networking sessions, or scheduled meeting programs that facilitate thousands of one-to-one conversations during the event. These meetings often lead to partnerships, supplier relationships, investment discussions, or strategic collaborations.

Meeting density—the number of meetings per attendee—has therefore become a powerful indicator of value creation. A conference with 600 participants but several thousand structured meetings may generate far more business outcomes than a larger event where networking happens randomly.

In this model, the conference becomes less of a presentation venue and more of a business development platform.

Cost Per Attendee Reveals Operational Discipline

While meetings measure value creation, cost per attendee reflects operational discipline.

Producing a modern conference involves significant investment. Venue contracts, staging, marketing, staffing, travel logistics, and technology platforms can quickly expand operational budgets. Without clear performance metrics, those costs can grow faster than the value delivered to participants.

Cost per attendee provides a simple way to track efficiency. More advanced event operators refine the metric further by analyzing cost per engaged attendee or cost per facilitated meeting. These numbers help event leaders understand how effectively operational spending translates into participant outcomes.

Two conferences may attract similar audiences but operate with dramatically different efficiency depending on how resources are allocated. In an environment where budgets are tightening and expectations are rising, operational discipline is becoming a competitive advantage.

Key Operational Metrics Event COOs Are Tracking

To manage modern conferences more strategically, many event operators are monitoring a set of core performance indicators:

Meeting volume and meeting density to measure interaction and partnership potential
Cost per attendee and cost per engaged attendee to track operational efficiency
Registration-to-attendance conversion rates to evaluate marketing effectiveness
Session utilization and engagement levels to assess programming alignment
Sponsor and exhibitor ROI metrics, including meetings delivered and leads generated

Together, these metrics provide a clearer picture of how effectively the event ecosystem is functioning.

Measuring the Event Value Stack

To interpret these indicators more effectively, many conferences are beginning to think in terms of what could be called an Event Value Stack.

Attendance forms the base of the stack, determining the size and diversity of the ecosystem present at the event. But attendance alone only creates potential value.

The next layer is engagement—session participation, networking activity, and use of event platforms. From engagement emerge meetings, the structured interactions where real outcomes begin to take shape.

Those meetings can lead to partnerships, supplier relationships, research collaborations, and investment conversations that extend far beyond the conference itself. At the top of the stack sits economic impact: sponsorship value, deals initiated during the event, and long-term industry collaborations.

Viewed through this framework, conferences function less like traditional events and more like marketplaces where ideas, capital, and partnerships converge.

The New Role of the Event COO

As conferences evolve into complex platforms for collaboration and commerce, the responsibilities of event leadership are expanding.

Today’s Event COO must think less like a meeting planner and more like the operator of a dynamic marketplace. Their focus is no longer simply filling rooms but designing systems that generate connections, partnerships, and measurable outcomes.

Attendance will always matter. But in the next generation of B2B events, success will increasingly be measured by a different question:

How much value did the event create for every person who attended?

Measuring Investor Engagement When Feedback Is Hard to Get

Jennifer Rock — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Corporate Access leaders are expected to prove value in an environment where direct feedback is rare.

You’re responsible for connecting corporate management teams with institutional investors, driving revenue from those interactions, and ensuring the program is viewed as high quality, both internally and externally. Yet the buy-side rarely offers explicit insight into which meetings mattered or why.

This is not a gap in execution. It’s the nature of working with sophisticated investors who are selective, discreet, and careful about what they reveal.

The challenge for Corporate Access leadership is clear: how do you measure engagement and quality without relying on investor commentary?

Why Feedback Isn’t the Right Metric

Traditional feedback mechanisms — surveys, follow-ups, informal check-ins — offer limited value at the senior level. Response rates are low, answers are vague, and the most important insights are often withheld.

At the same time, leadership still expects clear answers:

Are we delivering value?
Are the right investors engaged?
Is Corporate Access supporting revenue and firm reputation?

To answer those questions, feedback alone is insufficient. What matters more are observable engagement signals.

What Engagement Looks Like in Practice

Investors don’t need to say much for their behavior to be revealing.

Start with who shows up. Senior decision-makers, especially portfolio managers, remain one of the clearest indicators of value, particularly when they continue to attend over time. Seniority matters, both to corporates and internally.

Then there’s selectivity. Oversubscribed meetings, tough scheduling choices, and follow-up requests all speak volumes. When investors make room for certain companies under tight constraints, that scarcity reflects real interest.

Some sell-side firms take this a step further by introducing selectivity themselves. By asking investors to rank their meeting requests and being explicit that scheduling will be guided by those rankings, true priorities surface quickly. Investors may request broadly, but when trade-offs are real, preferences become honest. Over time, those ranking patterns become a clear, behavior-based indicator of engagement, often more meaningful than any post-event commentary.

How investors engage in the meeting also matters. Time spent, participation in the discussion, and continued interaction after events often say more than a survey ever could. Much of this is already visible through standard event and meeting workflows, increasingly captured through platforms such as MeetMax, without adding friction for investors.

Finally, repeat engagement tells a longer-term story. Investors who consistently make time for the same management teams across quarters signal relevance and trust, whether or not they ever articulate it directly.

Making Value Clear Internally

For senior Corporate Access leaders, measurement is not about reporting more data. It’s about telling a clearer story.

There is a material difference between reporting activity volume and demonstrating that meetings consistently include senior investors, lead to continued engagement, and align with revenue-generating relationships.

When engagement is framed this way, Corporate Access moves from a scheduling function to a strategic one. It becomes easier to defend investment, set priorities, and align with Sales, Research, and senior management expectations.

What This Really Comes Down To

Corporate Access will always be relationship-driven. Judgment, trust, and experience remain central to success. But leadership today requires more than intuition. It requires the ability to explain why certain interactions matter, even when investors never say so explicitly.

The teams that succeed are not chasing feedback. They’re paying attention to behavior, patterns, and outcomes and using those signals to demonstrate real value. When that happens, Corporate Access is no longer seen as a cost of doing business. It’s recognized for what it is: a critical driver of relationships, relevance, and revenue.

Turning Thought Leadership Into Leads

Jennifer Rock — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

For professional services firms, thought leadership isn’t a campaign—it’s how expertise becomes visible, trusted, and relevant to clients. Webinars, client briefings, and educational sessions are often the primary way firms demonstrate perspective and stay connected to the market.

Yet many marketing leaders find that even strong thought leadership doesn’t always translate into meaningful follow-up or new business. The issue is rarely content quality. More often, it’s how that content is framed, delivered, and carried forward after the event.

This guide outlines practical ways professional services marketers can strengthen the connection between thought leadership and lead generation without adding complexity or overwhelming small teams.

Start With the Question the Audience Is Already Asking

The most effective thought leadership begins with a clear understanding of the audience’s priorities. Too often, webinars are built around what a partner wants to present, rather than the question a client is trying to answer.

Successful programs tend to start one step earlier, asking: What decision is our audience facing right now? What uncertainty or change is driving that decision? When a session is framed around a real business question, it attracts attendees who are already engaged and sets up more natural, relevant follow-up.

As one professional services marketing director put it,

“When we started framing webinars around client questions instead of practice updates, the conversations after the event became much easier.”

This approach also simplifies presenter preparation. With a clearly defined purpose, speakers are less likely to drift off-message or make last-minute changes that complicate execution.

Consistency Builds Credibility Over Time

Thought leadership carries more weight when it feels deliberate and consistent. Audiences notice when webinars vary widely in look, structure, or quality and inconsistency can subtly undermine the firm’s credibility.

Consistency doesn’t require a production studio or elaborate setup. It’s about repeatable standards: clear branding, predictable formats, and a professional experience from registration through replay. Over time, this consistency builds trust not just with audiences, but internally with partners who rely on marketing to make them look prepared and polished.

One marketing lead at a consulting firm described it simply:

“Once partners knew what to expect from our webinars, they stopped worrying about logistics and focused on the content. That was a turning point for us.”

Engagement Tells You More Than Attendance Ever Will

Registration numbers are easy to track, but they rarely tell the full story. Engagement is how long someone stays, whether they ask questions, or if they return to watch a replay and often provides much stronger signals of interest.

A smaller audience that stays engaged throughout a session can be far more valuable than a large group that drops off early. Designing webinars to encourage interaction through Q&A, shared materials, or follow-up touchpoints helps surface those signals.

For marketing teams, engagement data adds nuance. It allows them to brief partners with context, not just names, and helps business development teams prioritize outreach based on demonstrated interest rather than assumptions.

Measurement Turns Thought Leadership Into Insight

One of the most common gaps in webinar programs is what happens after the event ends. Without clear visibility into attendee behavior, it’s difficult to assess impact or improve future sessions.

When marketers can see who attended live, who watched the replay, and which topics generated the most interaction, thought leadership becomes easier to evaluate and refine. This information also helps justify ongoing investment in educational webinars and gives internal stakeholders a clearer picture of what’s resonating with the market.

Importantly, this doesn’t require complex analytics. It requires clean, accessible data that can be shared with partners and business development teams in a way that’s easy to understand and act on.

Make Follow-Up Feel Natural, Not Forced

The transition from thought leadership to lead generation depends largely on follow-up that feels relevant and timely. The most effective outreach references the specific topic discussed and acknowledges how the attendee engaged, rather than restarting the conversation from scratch.

When follow-up is informed by engagement, not just attendance, it feels less like a sales touch and more like a continuation of the discussion. This makes partners more comfortable reaching out and increases the likelihood that conversations move forward.

Process and Tools

As thought leadership programs mature, many firms look for ways to reduce friction, especially when marketing teams are small. Managing registration, reminders, delivery, replay, and reporting across multiple systems can make even well-designed programs harder to sustain.

Some firms address this by consolidating workflows into a single platform such as MeetMax Webinars that supports consistency and visibility across the entire webinar lifecycle. When the mechanics are reliable, marketing teams can focus more on content quality, presenter readiness, and audience relevance.

Why This Matters Now

As audiences become more selective about where they spend their time, the most effective thought leadership will be intentional, well-run, and easy to engage with. Firms that treat webinars as part of a broader conversation, not a standalone event, will be better positioned to stay relevant and top of mind. This is where tools like MeetMax Webinars quietly matter, providing the structure that keeps programs consistent, measurable, and easy to engage with.

The Best Tech for Road Shows & Investor Days

Jennifer Rock — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

For more than 25 years, TWST has been at the center of connecting investors and companies through seamless meeting management and professional webcasting. We’ve arranged countless 1:1 investor meetings and delivered high-quality virtual and hybrid events for some of the most recognized names in finance and technology. Now, we’re bringing that same expertise to Investor Relations teams with MeetMax, a platform that brings together roadshows, investor days, and self-managed webinars in one place.

MeetMax was built for Investor Relations professionals who demand precision, flexibility, and data they can trust. Platform companies already know and use our tools because they work across multiple event types, from virtual conferences and analyst days to in-person roadshows. With deep CRM integration, advanced branding capabilities, and a team of seasoned event professionals behind the scenes, MeetMax makes it easy to execute flawlessly while maintaining full control of your message and your data.

Why Investor Relations Teams Should Consider Using MeetMax

In the world of Investor Relations, every touchpoint matters. The way you deliver your message through a roadshow, investor day, or webinar all reflects your company’s credibility and professionalism. That’s where MeetMax stands apart.

Built for both scale and precision, MeetMax allows IR teams to manage logistics, host secure presentations, and capture engagement insights from every investor interaction. With CRM integration and advanced data tracking, you’ll have a complete picture of every investor’s journey, from who attended, how they engaged, to what follow-ups are needed. This level of visibility helps IR teams strengthen relationships, measure ROI, and make smarter strategic decisions.

What the Best Tech in Roadshows and Investor Days Really Means

The best technology doesn’t just simplify logistics, it enhances your communication. MeetMax combines digital tools, software, and secure hosting capabilities that empower IR teams to organize, present, and analyze events efficiently. From interactive Q&A sessions and hybrid streaming to fully branded presentation environments, it ensures your event not only runs smoothly but looks exceptional.

And because every company’s needs are different, MeetMax offers flexibility in how much support you use. Our white-glove service team can assist with setup, production, and execution. You also have the option to manage events independently with our self-service tools. Either way, you have access to the same proven technology trusted by leading platform companies.

Beyond Meetings: The Power of Presentation & Webcast Data

MeetMax brings all your event needs into one secure, intuitive platform, from pre-registration and scheduling to hosting and post-event reporting. You can run self-managed webinars, set up complex multi-day investor events, or organize hybrid roadshows with ease.

With MeetMax Self-Managed Analyst Webinars, IR teams can create, schedule, and launch professional-grade events quickly, without relying on technicians or outside vendors. Built-in livestream capabilities, CRM-verified access, and accurate data tracking ensure that every presentation is compliant, secure, and reliable. Whether managing a one-off session or a full series, everything from registrations, communications, and analytics lives in one place.

MeetMax doesn’t just simplify event management, it elevates it. Its advanced branding tools make every event look polished and professional, while our team of IR event specialists stands ready to provide as much or as little help as you need. From analyst days to investor presentations, we bring the technology, service, and experience that ensure your message is delivered flawlessly.

The Result: Confident, Connected, and Data-Driven Investor Engagement

For Investor Relations teams, MeetMax delivers more than technology, it delivers confidence. Backed by TWST’s decades of experience and a reputation for precision, MeetMax helps you manage events that run seamlessly, look exceptional, and capture every important investor touchpoint.

Whether you’re running your first self-managed webinar or executing a high-profile investor day, MeetMax provides the platform, expertise, and support to make every event a success.

How AI Turns Corporate Access Touchpoints into Lasting Business Advantages

Jennifer Rock — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

From Experimentation to Strategic Integration

Across the sell side, brokerage firms are moving beyond “testing” AI tools and toward structured plans for embedding them into their core business processes and client value proposition. What began as pilots in data analysis or content drafting is now becoming part of strategic roadmaps: firms are actively mapping where AI can boost efficiency, sharpen insights, and differentiate their offering.

For Corporate Access leaders, the question is shifting from “Should we use AI?” to “How can AI amplify the unique value we deliver to investors and issuers?”

Proprietary AI Models as Competitive Assets

Forward-thinking firms are building proprietary AI models to power high-value workflows—drafting research, placing offerings, managing trades, generating tailored investment ideas, and even optimally allocating corporate access meetings.

Proprietary models matter because they protect a firm’s unique offering and differentiation. If every competitor can license the same public models, the edge disappears. That’s why firms are aggressively seeking to train AI on proprietary data; turning their own intellectual property and client interaction records into fuel for smarter, more predictive systems.

Corporate Access Data: An Untapped Differentiator

Email threads and research consumption patterns are obvious starting points for proprietary data sets. But one of the richest, least-tapped data sources is sitting inside Corporate Access: event and meeting data.

Every investor-company meeting captures information that uniquely reflects client priorities, decision-maker influence, and engagement patterns—insights that rarely appear in other datasets. Structured and analyzed properly, this intelligence can improve how meetings are allocated, how follow-ups are tailored, and how the value of Corporate Access is demonstrated internally and externally.

Beyond Meetings: The Power of Presentation & Webcast Data

The scope of Corporate Access data is far wider than who walks into the meeting room. Presentation attendance, webcast participation, replay data, and virtual Q&A activity offer a continuous signal of investor interest, sector focus, and emerging themes, often in real time.

When captured and fed into proprietary AI models, this engagement layer can help brokerage firms forecast demand, spot cross-sell opportunities, and curate higher-quality, higher-revenue access events. For a leader in this industry, it means AI doesn’t just streamline logistics, it turns every touchpoint into a strategic asset that compounds in value over time.

The bottom line is: Brokerage firms that connect the dots between AI strategy, proprietary data, and Corporate Access touchpoints set themselves up for more than operational gains; they’re building durable competitive advantages that protect relationships, drive revenue, and position their teams as indispensable in a rapidly changing market.

3 Ways to Keep Your Event Sponsors Happy (And Get More!)

Jennifer Rock — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Want happier sponsors — and the kind that come back year after year? It starts with showing them real value; it’s more than just booth space and a logo on a sign. You need to give them lead data, visibility, and ways to actively engage with attendees.

After an event, Sponsors want to know what they actually got for their money — not vague impressions. That means hard numbers: lead counts, a list of who came to their sessions, and who stuck around, as well as data on who engaged with them in a number of places.

An event planner needs to think of lead data as a GOAL - not just a lucky outcome of an event. This means three things - plan for it, measure it, and brag about it.

1. Plan your touchpoint program

Touchpoints are ways attendees can engage with sponsors - either online or onsite - expressing interest that becomes a lead for the sponsor.

Provide breakout slots to sponsors, track who comes, provide on-demand webcast viewing after the event - and you are creating leads The more touchpoints they have, the more leads they generate and the more value they’ll see.

Speaking slots are the easiest, fastest way to double or triple the number of leads a sponsor receives from your event. Give sponsors a chance to speak, because even a 15-minute breakout session can massively expand their reach beyond booth traffic. And once they’re on stage, you can track who came, and who was engaged. If you webcast sponsor sessions - a new audience can visit post-event and create more leads watching replays.

Another program that will generate leads is a 1x1 meeting program. Allowing attendees to request meetings with sponsors prior to the event - is a far more reliable source of leads than hoping they show up at the booth to be scanned there. Plus the meetings are far and away the most valuable form of engagement.

Other touchpoints occur online - before and during the event. Allowing attendees to view the profile of a sponsor - that is an action suggesting interest. Allowing attendees to send messages through the platform - another source of engagement.

Providing an array of touchpoints gives sponsors the richest set of leads - easily ranked by how many touchpoints each attendee engaged with.

2. Track and measure everything

There is no point in spending money creating touchpoint programs if you don’t then measure the outcomes and serve the results as leads.

Session and breakout attendance can be tracked with RFID very cost effectively. Webcast session viewing is tracked via the event platform (if you have the right platform), Requests, meetings, messages and profile viewing can all be tracked in your event platform.

You can focus your budget on just tracking the activities involving sponsors if your budget is limited. RFID tracking for 2 breakout rooms is very affordable - as is webcasting those breakout sessions. These are examples of CREATING touchpoints for sponsors - not simply letting chance dictate the outcomes - and then ruthlesslessly MEASURING them so that you get the maximum credit for the leads generated.

For those touchpoints that Sponsors are responsible for, don’t leave sponsors to figure things out on their own. Walk them through the tools — from lead capture and messaging and meeting scheduling. Make sure they understand how to use them to get the most out of the event. The easier you make it for them to connect with attendees, the better results they’ll get. And the more they’ll credit you for the outcome.

3. Follow Up and Tie Results to Renewals

Post-event, get feedback and send results quickly. Make sure Sponsors know not just what happened - but how well it worked. Show them the value you helped deliver, and offer a compelling reason to return next year.

Did their speaking slot lead to high engagement? Show the data.

Did their messages convert into meetings? Prove it.

When you help them connect the dots, you make renewals a no-brainer.

The more you help your Sponsors turn presence into performance, the more valuable your event becomes and the more likely they are to return, invest more, and spread the word.

Stop Guessing- 3 Ways Event Data Drives Real ROI

Rachel Hornstein — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Events are a major investment, and proving their value is no longer optional—it’s essential. Too often, event success is measured in anecdotes rather than analytics. Instead of relying on gut feelings, leverage real-time data to assess ROI and make informed decisions, optimizing future returns.

Here are three ways that event data verifies your ROI:

1. Know Who's Really Engaged: Real-Time Tracking with RFID

Understanding attendee behavior at events is critical. But how do you know where attendees are spending their time? The answer is RFID tracking. See who's hitting your sponsor booths, which sessions are packed, and where the networking hotspots are.

What it means: No more guessing. You get concrete data on attendee movement.
Why it matters: You know what matters to your attendees now and you can optimize your event: create more of what attendees want (sessions and panels), adjust staffing needs, and maximize sponsor visibility.
Real ROI: Prove sponsor value with hard data. Show them exactly who they connected with.

2. Prove Event Success: Data-Driven Sponsor Reports

Sponsors expect clear, quantifiable results so give them engagement reports that validate their investment.

What it means: Detailed engagement reports include webcast views, session attendance, lead gen – the works.
Why it matters: Show sponsors the tangible results of their investment. That means sponsorship renewals and upsells become easier for you.
Real ROI: Increased sponsor satisfaction and retention means more money for your event in the future.

3. Turn Data into Dollars: Sales & Marketing Goldmine

Your event should be a lead-generating machine.

What it means:Lead tracking. Collect attendee info, identify quality prospects, and feed your sales pipeline.
Why it matters: Targeted follow-up. Personalized marketing campaigns. More qualified leads.
Real ROI: Increased sales conversions. Faster deal closures.

Data is the Bottom Line

Data is your secret weapon. Stop running events blind. Use the tools at your disposal to track, analyze, and optimize. TWST Events gives you the data you need to prove your event's worth. Stop guessing, start knowing.

Key Takeaways from TWST User Group Day NYC

Rachel Hornstein — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

What happens when the biggest names in investor events come together to share insights, explore new tech, and build valuable connections? You get game-changing conversations, amazing contacts, and a room buzzing with shared knowledge and learnings.

The TWST User Group Day in NYC was all that—an exclusive gathering of top firms and thought leaders, shaping the future of events.

Who was in the room? A lineup of industry leaders, including Jeffries, Evercore ISI, Leerink Partners, Artisan Partners, Balyasny Asset Management, Singletrack, Guggenheim Securities, ROTH, R2CW, CorpAxe, and B Squared Printing.

What were the hottest topics? Panelists shared their expertise on:

Virtual vs. In-Person Event Dynamics: Leaders from Evercore ISI and Leerink Partners shared their insights on best ways to navigate the landscape of event formats.
The Onsite Experience: Panelists from B Squared Printing, Guggenheim Securities, R2CW, and ROTH shared how to create impactful in-person experiences.
All Things Data: Data-driven decision-making was discussed by Artisan Partners, Balyasny Asset Management, CorpAxe, Jefferies, and Singletrack, sharing the power of data to optimize event ROI.

Standout Moments & Takeaways

Attendees didn’t just hear about innovative event solutions—they saw them in action. RFID tracking, lead capture, and attendance management tools showcased the power of seamless event execution.

President and CEO, Andy Pickup, demonstrated the latest integration between MeetMax and Corpaxe. This workshop showcased how the two platforms streamline meeting synchronization, boosting efficiency and revenue capture.

TWST’s badging express solution was a crowd favorite, effectively eliminating long check-in lines and setting a new standard for frictionless event entry.

Another highlight was the seamless integration of virtual panelists via SummitCast, which allowed remote participants to engage in real-time with the in-person audience.

If you want to watch the recordings of the sessions, click here and register.

A Networking Experience Like No Other

Beyond the panels and demos, the event fostered real connections so attendees walked away with valuable new contacts and fresh perspectives.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

A special shoutout to Singletrack and The Westin for their generous support in making this event possible. Their dedication to elevating industry events played a key role in creating an exceptional experience for all attendees.

Don’t Miss Out Next Year!

If you weren’t in the room this time, make sure you are next year. Stay in the loop:

Subscribe to our newsletter for industry trends and event updates.
Follow us on LinkedIn to be part of the ongoing conversation.
Contact us to explore how TWST can help you maximize your event strategy.

The Power of Hosting Your Own User Event

Rachel Hornstein — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In 2024, we took a step back to reflect on how events impacted our results and revenues, and we realized something important: hosting our own events has been a huge advantage for us.

Why? Because it put us in the driver’s seat: not only did we control every detail—including the event’s goals, opportunities, and the overall ecosystem— but it also got us the best results.

While attending and exhibiting at external events was less expensive, and provided valuable insights into industry trends and approaches, the trade-off was a lack of control over critical factors that can impact outcomes.

Hosting your own event allows you to control the entire ecosystem. You can set the tone, shape the agenda, and design an experience tailored to your goals. Beyond that, hosting your own event creates the opportunity to grow the influence of the event itself, by including others and inviting partners: collaborators, industry leaders, and influencers. It’s a way to create and grow a community and drive shared success.

Hosting vs. Attending: Finding the Right Balance

Hosting gives you control, while attending lets you relax more and focus on networking. There can be advantages to both. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Pros & Cons

Pros: If you host your own event, you have control over location, branding, agenda, and attendee experience. You can tailor the event to your specific goals and target audience. You can even offset the cost by introducing sponsorship from fellow vendors in the ecosystem.

Cons: Hosting requires an investment of time, resources, and planning. Audience-wise - you are more limited to existing customers and prospects who are familiar with you already. Fewer opportunities to meet brand new prospects.

Check Out the TWST User Day 2025!

What are the features of the TWST NYC User Day?

We get to pick the location. New York City - walking distance from our office.
We get to invite our existing customers - something that is often missing from 3rd party events.
We set the agenda - 3 panel sessions, involving partners and clients, that discuss topics we know to be relevant to our users.
We display our services - tables and areas devoted to seeing and touching our services with a focus on new ones.
We choose the other vendors and partners - we do not invite competitors, but we invite key players in the ecosystem that supports our mutual client base - providing some offsetting revenue, and making the event even more valuable for the Clients.
We don’t have to deal with competitors

Mark your calendars for TWST User Group Day on January 30th, 2025, in NYC! This is your chance to connect with fellow TWST users, learn from industry experts, and discover how to maximize the value of our platform. It's the perfect opportunity to network, learn, and grow your business.

It’s also a great way to see how we’ve created our own, custom event. Is this something of interest to you in the future?

Mastering 1x1 Meetings- The Power of Table Talks

Rachel Hornstein — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In our previous blogs, we explored various models for structuring 1x1 meetings, from anonymous requests and manual scheduling to automated matchmaking. Today, we'll delve into a unique approach: Table Talks.

How Does it Work?

Self-Nominated Topics: Attendees and vendors suggest topics they're passionate about or have expertise in.

Open Registration: Participants can sign up for Table Talks that interest them, creating dynamic discussions.

Facilitated Discussions: Each Table Talk is led by a knowledgeable individual who guides the conversation and ensures everyone participates.

Benefits of Table Talks

Open Dialogue: Table Talks foster open and collaborative discussions, allowing attendees to share ideas and experiences.

Knowledge Sharing: Participants can learn from experts and peers, gaining valuable insights and perspectives.

Community Building: This format encourages a sense of community and facilitates networking opportunities.

User Generated Content: Have attendees help build your program, that you can then market to prospective attendees.

Ideal Use Cases

Professional Conferences: Table Talks are ideal for conferences attended by professionals in fields like law, consulting, or business.

Industry-Specific Events: This format can be used to explore emerging trends, discuss best practices, and share industry insights.

Peer-to-Peer Learning: Table Talks provide an excellent platform for knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning.

By incorporating Table Talks into your event, you can create a more engaging and collaborative experience for your attendees. This format empowers participants to take the initiative, shaping the agenda and driving the conversation.

Through exploring various models for 1x1 meetings, from anonymous requests and manual scheduling to automated matchmaking and Table Talks, we've gained valuable insights into the art of creating effective networking opportunities. To dive deeper into these strategies and learn more about how to optimize your 1x1 meetings, download our comprehensive ebook, "Best Practices for 1x1 Meeting Programs."

Mastering 1x1 Meetings- Profile-Based Matchmaking

Rachel Hornstein — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In our previous blogs, we explored the benefits of anonymous requests and manual scheduling for 1x1 meetings. Today, we'll delve into a more concierged approach: Profile-Based Matchmaking.

How Does it Work?

Detailed Profiles: Attendees and vendors create comprehensive profiles outlining their interests, goals, and areas of expertise.

No Active Requests: Attendees don't need to actively request meetings, which simplifies the process.

Automated Matchmaking: The system analyzes these profiles and matches participants based on compatibility and mutual interests.

Benefits of Profile-Based Matchmaking

Efficiency: This approach streamlines the scheduling process, saving time for both attendees and organizers.

Data-Driven Matchmaking: By leveraging powerful algorithms, the system can identify optimal matches based on detailed profiles.

Reduced Attendee Burden: Attendees don't need to spend time researching potential meeting partners or making requests.

Ideal Use Cases

MeetMax offers a suite of tools to address these challenges, including:

Round-Robin Events: Where all vendors meet all buyers, profile-based matchmaking ensures efficient and effective connections.

Business Discovery Events: This approach is ideal for introducing new vendors to institutional buyers, facilitating strategic partnerships.

Large-Scale Events: For larger events with numerous attendees and diverse interests, automated matchmaking can help manage the complexity.

By leveraging the power of data and automation, no-request, profile-based matchmaking can significantly enhance the effectiveness of 1x1 meetings.

In our next blog, we'll explore Table Talks, which work well when there is no clear buyer-seller divide between attendees, and where meetings are more about information exchange than sales.

Mastering 1x1 Meetings- The Power of Attendee Choice

Rachel Hornstein — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In our previous blog, we discussed the benefits of anonymous requests and manual scheduling for 1x1 meetings. Today, we'll explore another approach, which places greater emphasis on attendee choice: End-Users Choose Their Own Meetings.

How Does it Work?

Profile Creation: Attendees and vendors create detailed profiles that describe their interests, goals, and areas of expertise.

Partner Search: Using these profiles, attendees can filter and research potential meeting partners.

Meeting Selection: Meeting Selection: Attendees choose which meetings to accept and use a drag-and-drop calendar to schedule convenient times.

Benefits of Attendee-Driven Meetings

Greater Control: Attendees have more autonomy in selecting meetings that align with their specific interests and event goals.

Personalized Networking: By completing their profiles, attendees can connect with key, targeted individuals of their choice.

Easier for the host: By leaving all meeting scheduling to attendees - the host is not required to spend a lot of time administering it.

Challenges and Considerations

Lack of Engagement: Some attendees may not be proactive in filling in their information, so they will miss important opportunities.

Over-Aggressive Vendors: Vendors who are overly aggressive in requesting meetings may annoy some attendees.

Mitigating Challenges with MeetMax

MeetMax offers a suite of tools to address these challenges, including:

Request Rules: Established rules governing who can request meetings from whom.

Request Limits: Set limits on the number of meeting requests an attendee can receive.

Calendar Tools: Easy-to-use tools for scheduling and managing meetings.

Calendar Tools: Easy-to-use tools for scheduling and managing meetings.

Tracking Stats: Hosts can monitor attendees making too many requests, or those not responding to meeting requests - and email follow ups.

Ideal Use Cases

MeetMax offers a suite of tools to address these challenges, including:

Events with a Diverse Audience: Where it would be hard for the host to predict who would want to meet with whom.

Limited Host Engagement: Where the host prefers to have a limited role in the meeting schedule - and leave it to the attendees.

Conclusion

By leveraging the power of attendee choice and addressing potential challenges, you can create a more engaging and effective 1x1 meeting experience.

Mastering 1x1 Meetings - The Efficiency of Anonymous Requests and Automated Scheduling

Rachel Hornstein — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Building upon our previous discussion of manual scheduling for 1x1 meetings, let's explore another effective approach: anonymous requests and automated scheduling.

This method offers a streamlined and efficient way to connect attendees at your events and avoids some of the manual work necessary in other methods.

How Does it Work?

Anonymous Requests:: Attendees submit their meeting requests without revealing their identity to potential meeting partners. This ensures privacy and encourages open participation.
Automated Scheduling:: The system prioritizes mutual requests first, then key participants while scheduling meetings automatically. This eliminates the time-consuming task of manual coordination - and builds you a complete program schedule in minutes.
Opt-outs:: Attendees can avoid meetings they don't want by opting out of specific counterparts..

Benefits of Anonymous Requests and Automated Scheduling

Easy for Attendees:: They make their requests and they are done. They do not have to think about or act on requests made to them - they come in one time and are done.
Control:: Attendees get control over who they meet with to a significant degree, and hosts the ability to allocate meetings fairly while minimizing their workload.

Comparing Manual and Automated Scheduling

While manual scheduling offers greater flexibility, automated scheduling can be particularly beneficial for larger events or those with limited event planning resources. By automating the process, hosts can focus on other aspects of the event, such as content and logistics.

Ideal Use Cases

Hosted-Buyer Events:: Whether standalone or part of a trade show, automated scheduling is a popular choice.
Business Connection Events:: Industry-specific events centered on a meetings program can benefit from this efficient approach.

A Powerful Tool for a Streamlined Process

This approach allows hosts to allocate meetings evenly - with a guaranteed number of 1x1 meetings for all who participate. This ensures that everyone receives equal opportunities to engage, fostering a more inclusive and balanced event experience. Whether you're hosting a large-scale conference or a more intimate gathering, consider implementing anonymous requests and automated scheduling to maximize efficiency and satisfaction.

For a more in-depth look at this approach and four other innovative strategies for structuring 1x1 meeting programs, download our comprehensive eBook. This guide is packed with insights and best practices to help you maximize the value of your event's one-to-one meetings.

Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we'll explore another 1x1 meeting program option that balances attendee choice with organizer oversight.

Mastering 1x1 Meetings- The Control and Precision of Anonymous Requests and Manual Scheduling

Rachel Hornstein — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In our previous blog, we emphasized the importance of one-to-one meetings in creating successful events for sponsors and exhibitors, as well as attendees. Meeting programs are essential for creating business connections, facilitating business deals, and taking the first step to build win-win relationships.

The design of a 1x1 meeting program is crucial, by ensuring that the right people connect in a structured and meaningful way.

In this post, we’re discussing the first of five distinct approaches to setting up how 1x1 meetings work. This first option we call "Anonymous Requests - Manual Scheduling."

This model offers a high degree of control for event organizers, because it involves “meticulous matchmaking” based on detailed attendee profiles and their event objectives. It allows the participants to offer guidance as to who they would like to meet - but leaves all the decision making to the 1x1 coordinator.

Who Uses It

Investor Conferences: When the host has a business interest in allocating meetings a specific way - and where target companies are often over-subscribed with interest, and meetings have to be rationed carefully.
High-value Hosted Buyer Events: If the Buyers are VIPs, and their interests need to be carefully curated to provide the best possible meeting experience.

How it Works

Attendee Input: Attendees submit meeting requests without knowing who else has expressed interest. They may rank, or provide extra color with their requests.
Centralized Scheduling: The event host, or a designated team, carefully reviews all requests and manually schedules meetings among attendees.

Key Benefits

Precision and Control: This method is about careful planning to ensure each pairing is optimal.
Flexibility: Because this method involves a lot of manual work, event organizers can accommodate last-minute changes or special requests.
Prioritization: Organizers can prioritize specific meetings for key stakeholders, to ensure sponsors and exhibitors make the exact connections they want during the event.

A Powerful Tool for Investor Conferences:

Imagine you’re heading up a growing tech startup, and attending a major investor conference. You’re eager to connect with potential investors who share your vision, who can provide valuable funding. With hundreds of investors and companies competing for attention, making the right connections is crucial.

The "Anonymous Requests - Manual Scheduling" approach enables conference organizers to leverage their expertise of all the attendees, to optimize start-up/VC Fund pairings. They can prioritize key connections and adjust to last-minute changes.

For a more in-depth look at this approach and four other innovative strategies for structuring 1x1 meeting programs, download our free ebook. This guide is packed with insights and best practices to help you maximize the value of your event's one-to-one meetings.

Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we'll explore another 1x1 meeting program option that balances attendee choice with organizer oversight.

How to Decide on the Best 1x1 Meeting Program for Your Next Event

Rachel Hornstein — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One-to-one meetings are the heartbeat of successful events because that’s where connection (and business!) happens. Attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors meet, exchange valuable information, and start to build lasting relationships. This is where deals are struck, partnerships are formed, and business truly gets done.

For that reason, the opportunity to have these personalized 1x1 meetings is a major draw for attendees and sponsors, increasing overall event value and (ROI). They make all the difference between hoping to meet the right people, and actually meeting the right people.

But how do you design a 1x1 meeting program that makes these great connections and maximizes value for everyone involved?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. The ideal 1x1 program depends on several key factors:

1. Your Priorities

What are your goals for the event? Are you trying to do business yourself? Or is your goal to ensure that your sponsors meet the right people?

The best way to start is to know what YOUR goals are, as the event organizer. Once you’re clear on these, and you know what “success” looks like for this event, you go to the next step.

2. Meeting Objectives

What will your meeting participants want to accomplish themselves? Here are some ways to think about this: Are your participants wanting to sign a lot of big deals? Or do they want a conversation?

The nature of the expected transactions will influence your program design. For example, if the objective for your meetings is to create high-value deals, moderated meetings with a clear agenda might be ideal. For smaller transactions or general networking, unmoderated meetings can foster organic conversation.

Are connections and information exchange the primary objectives? If so, consider table talks or facilitated group discussions, fostering broader networking opportunities.

3. Industry and Event Type

Understanding your industry's typical interaction style can help tailor the program. Consider the formality of your event and the usual pace of deals within your industry.

4. Participant Motivation

Are your attendees naturally proactive about scheduling meetings? Or do they need encouragement and guidance? Understanding their level of engagement helps shape the program's structure.

5 Options for Effective 1x1 Meeting Programs

Here at TWST Events, we recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for 1x1 meetings, so we offer a wide variety of program options. You get to design the program that fits your specific event goals and audience needs.

In our upcoming blog series, we'll delve into these 5 meeting program options, exploring their strengths and best practices.

Can't wait? Download our free ebook to see all of the meeting program options. You’ll get examples of when to use each meeting format, and insights by industry that you can use to create your next 1x1 meeting program.

Stay tuned for the next installments in our series, where we'll unlock the secrets to crafting a 1x1 program that elevates your event and creates valuable connections!

How to Unlock the Potential of Virtual Roadshows

Andrew Pickup — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

What is a Roadshow?

A Roadshow is a series of meetings made in various locations with potential investors, clients, or stakeholders. Traditionally, Roadshows involve traveling to different cities to meet face-to-face with these groups, showcasing your company's strategies, products, or financial outlook.

The Challenges of Physical Roadshows

Physical Roadshows, taking place in specific cities, are becoming more challenging to schedule.

For example, with the shift to remote work, many professionals who should be in Chicago are working from Florida. Others are only in the Chicago office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, protecting those days for in-person collaboration with colleagues.

The current state of inconsistent work-from-home vs. return-to-office practices can often mean organizations are going on expensive Road Show trips that have limited opportunities for in-person meetings.

The Virtual Roadshow

Many companies have realized the limitations of the physical roadshow and have turned to the virtual option. A virtual roadshow can involve meetings with targets - wherever they are in the country. It costs less to conduct. It’s easier for the target to accept - because they will not need to commit to being in the office. The Roadshow host can start the day with a management presentation to set the stage - that attendees can watch or not at their discretion.

Virtual Roadshows are very popular.

How to do a Virtual Roadshow:

A lot of Roadshows are done solely using Zoom or Meet or Teams.They have a kind of homemade-looking charm.

Lack of Polish: In-house production doesn’t always have the professional polish and technical expertise needed to truly impress investors.
Overworked Teams: If you’re reliant on internal resources, your already-busy staff lacks the bandwidth for a flawless virtual roadshow - on top of their regular duties.
Subpar Results: DIY roadshows often fall short of their potential. Limited technical capabilities and a lack of experience can lead to underwhelming presentations, and missed meetings.
Reporting: Reports on participation, presentations views, pre-registrants and actual attendees, can be completely DIY and hard to integrate into existing CRMs or dataflows.

There is a better way though - if presentation and impression are important.

The TWST Events Method

A Virtual Roadshow on our platform MeetMax offers a highly professional alternative that doesn't look like a DIY effort and creates an impressive result for investors. Here's how we can help your current DIY practice:

Professionally Branded: We create high-quality branded landing pages for your roadshow - so it’s clear to visitors that its YOUR event - not Zoom’s or Microsoft’s.
1x1 Meetings: Meetings are easily scheduled, immediately set to a virtual meeting ID, easily distributed to participants, and part of the normal reporting process.
Optional Webinars: Host webinars that your accounts can watch live or replay later
All in One Platform: All registration, attendance, webinar viewing, and meeting data are all in one place to keep it simple
Expert Tech Support: Our team of experienced professionals handles all technical aspects, ensuring a smooth and seamless event for you and your investors

Why Choose TWST Events?

TWST Events has been powering financial conferences for 20 years. We understand that one size doesn't fit all. That's why we offer a variety of virtual roadshow options that you can choose from to fit your specific requirements. Our experience and expertise ensure that your Virtual Roadshow will be smooth and effective.

Special Offer

If you've never tried our Virtual Roadshows, we want to offer you the first one at no cost. This is a perfect opportunity to experience the difference and see how it stacks up against your current methods. Click here for the offer.

Beyond the Recycling Bin

Andrew Pickup — Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

For the event industry, sustainability is no longer just a buzzword—it's a responsibility. Event planners are now faced with new challenges:

Corporate Travel Restrictions: Today, as corporate travel practices face intense scrutiny, securing approval for sending multiple employees to events is more challenging.
Sustainability Scrutiny: Events are now evaluated based on their comprehensive environmental impact. Token claims about environmental neutrality are more likely to draw scorn than appreciation. Events involve a lot of air travel and there is no getting around it.

These two challenges are a real issue for Event Planners, but that does not have to mean defensiveness. Event planners should pivot towards environmental arguments that embrace sustainability while maximizing efficiency. Here's how:

The real offset for B2B events: Business events are a meeting marketplace - concentrating hundreds, possibly thousands, of business engagements into a specific time and place. A well-run event can save 5 business trips in the future by eliminating the need for separate trips to see a single client. By allowing attendees to interact with all their clients in one location and avoid future travel, the net environmental impact from the event can be positive.

To be credible - we would suggest actually running a proper 1x1 meetings program - so that there is evidence to point to. MeetMax was just used in April for an event with over 16,000 individual meetings. That’s a lot of business travel saved.

Embrace Virtual Technology: Increasingly there will be attendees who simply cannot attend because of corporate travel restrictions. These attendees should be embraced rather than badgered. Any event that claims environmental sensitivity, without offering any kind virtual experience to attendees can be rightly accused of hypocrisy. Virtual booths don’t work - we know this - but virtual keynotes and breakouts work fine. And so do virtual 1x1 meeting programs.

Incorporate some webcasting and a well-run hybrid meeting program and you have yourself a credible virtual experience. Your overall attendee number will rise. Leads from virtual breakout views, and extra 1x1 meetings will delight your sponsors and exhibitors.

The bottom line: Sustainability isn't about feeling good, it's about doing good. By strategically positioning your event towards reducing travel to individual locations, you can make a real difference. That is something to boast about.

Ready to transform your event strategy for a greener future? At TWST Events, we specialize in crafting focused, results-oriented events that minimize environmental impact, including virtual breakouts and 1x1 virtual meetings. Let's chat about how we can help you achieve your sustainability goals.

Maximizing Sponsor ROI with Shared Interest Tables

Andrew Pickup — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

“Shared Interest” Tables are another tool for increasing Sponsor ROI.

Everyone who runs events spends a lot of time focusing on their Sponsors, for a good reason: they support the financials of an event.

But not enough time and thought is given to HOW to take care of them? Sponsors don’t decide to be involved in an event so they can hand out swag, or talk over people while they try and eat lunch. They want qualified business leads.

The problem is that traditional event formats just aren't addressing this; they’re not taking care of their valuable Sponsors.

Here is a new tool for Sponsors: Shared Interest Tables. A curated session, on a topic of interest to buyers, and hosted by the Sponsor - that attendees can voluntarily join. Talking to someone who's genuinely interested in what you offer or do. That's the magic of Shared Interest Breakouts.

Here's how it works:

Talk to your sponsor and find out what 1 or 2 topics they would like to host a Shared Interest Table on. Keep it to 10 seats/people. Maybe add a giveaway item or incentive for attendees to come. Pick good times, when they won’t be missing key sessions.
Market the Shared Interest tables to the Attendees in their general registration process - along with 1x1 meetings and general sessions.
Attendees sign up for the tables that interest them, and these meeting times are automatically put on their schedule, so they don’t forget.
And, just in case, text alerts will remind them 10 minutes before.

Think about it: as a Sponsor, would you rather stand by your booth for 4 hours - not knowing who on the floor you should be talking to? Or would you rather have a focused conversation set up for you, with a group that’s there and ready to hear about your expertise? Shared Interest Tables are all about quality, not quantity.

So, how do you get started with Shared Interest Tables?

Easy. Contact TWST Events. We'll help you craft the perfect sessions that generate the leads you crave, for both sponsors and attendees. No more throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks. We'll make sure your sponsors’ messages connect with the right people. Let's ditch the fluff and focus on what matters: real connections and real results - and real ROI for Sponsors.

Beyond the Stage- Maximizing Event Value through Attendee Tracking

Andrew Pickup — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to the value of conferences and events, forget about dazzling presentations, flashy slides, and charismatic speakers. The real value lies not in what is presented, but in knowing who showed up. The speaker and their content is almost certainly available on their website or on YouTube.

But what your attendees’ current interests are; what they are currently researching; what topics they will give 30 minutes of their time to - those are secrets locked inside your attendees’ heads - and are only revealed by what they choose to do onsite. Those secrets are worth a lot.

Here’s why:

1.Business Intelligence: The true goldmine for event organizers is in the data itself of who attended and what they liked. Understanding the behavior of attendees, and therefore their interests, provides the most valuable business intelligence. It helps companies tailor their products, services, and marketing strategies to better meet the needs of their audience. It allows for next steps meetings with product specialists in their areas of interest.

2. Lead Generation: Sponsors always want to speak - but only by tracking attendance can you convert that desire to a measurable benefit. Tracking breakout session attendance can literally triple the leads that a sponsor obtains - versus just exhibiting. And these new leads have been educated and qualified from the session material they heard - there is already a point of connection that can be taken forward into the sales process. Tracking session attendance allows businesses to follow up effectively, nurture relationships, and convert leads into customers.

The value of conferences and events extends far beyond what is showcased on stage. It's about the connections made, the insights gained, and the opportunities uncovered through attendee tracking. So, the next time you organize or attend an event, remember: it's not all about the presentations—it's about who came.

Prioritize attendee tracking; it's a powerful tool for driving business growth, enhancing professional development, and fostering meaningful connections. Attendee tracking is easier than you think using RFID technology. Get in touch with us here at TWST Events if you want to learn more.

Balancing Act- Navigating Business and Pleasure in Event Planning

Andrew Pickup — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Freeman 2024 Trends Report raised the eternal question, “Why do attendees come to your event?”. Their answer of Experience, Learning, Networking, Commerce - we think misses a couple of key developments in the Events World - and ultimately misses a key framing for the question.

First development- learning is less valuable than it used to be. Unless a breakout session provides new information - then the information probably exists on YouTube or a website that is a search away. There are very notable exceptions to this - continuing education where credits are earned by attendance, or financial market related sessions where new news is priceless. But generally speaking - learning is less a reason to come than it used to be. To go even further - the value of presentations is NOT in what is presented. It’s in knowing who came.

Second development - virtual conferences work well for lots of situations. An interested participant can remotely view presentations without ever seeing O’Hare airport on a stormy April evening. Down-to-business 1x1 meetings with customers or vendors - those can be done remotely as well. Not as good as in-person - but pretty good all the same. And one day - not here yet, but coming soon - are the dreaded Corporate Travel Restrictions. For money and sustainability reasons - pick the 6 business trips you want to take this year. The rest you can do remotely.

Lastly, the framing that we think explains a lot of why people come to events onsite - as opposed to remotely - is the distinction between Business and Pleasure. Experiences designed to please - from fancy baristas to entertainment events to celebrity keynotes - are magnets for the event. Networking with old friends is a major reason to attend in person rather than remotely. A well-chosen and vibrant destination city only adds to the overall allure. But truthfully - none of this adds a penny to the Attendee’s boss’s P&L. ALL of those expenditures go to please the Attendee personally. What the boss wants is business networking. Nothing else.

So - what are the lessons of this framing?

1. Spend some time and money on experiential indulgence - and make a virtue of it. Brand the experiences with your own assets and encourage sharing the experiences on social media to spread your brand. The pleasure seeking that brings attendees onsite can become a marketing tool for you.

2. Virtualize parts of your event. It's not as hard as you think. Sessions can be webcast live, and virtual networking meetings can be scheduled for the day AFTER your onsite event wraps up. Charge for the remote experience and make extra revenue. Sponsors and Exhibitors will be delighted to get even more meetings when they get back to the office. Not all attendees are pleasure-seeking and not all will be able to travel. Work with them.

3. Have a real business meetings program onsite. When Attendees ask their bosses for approval to come - it cannot be just fun, fun, fun. Or the answer will be no,no,no. Nothing gets the bosses thumbs-up faster than a properly moderated and well-run 1x1 meeting program. Not some half-hearted effort - but a well thought-out program.

4. The bulk of your session program is not going to attract people onsite. Start to think of the agenda as a lead generating tool. Choose speakers who are interesting for sure - but prioritize those who will value knowing who attended their session. That is more valuable than the content.

In summary - spend your money where it makes a difference. Branded experiences for the fun-loving, and a serious meetings program for their bosses. This will maximize their likelihood of coming in person. Sessions are for leads - not for learning. And accept the fact that part of your constituency - and probably a growing part - either cannot or will not come. But you don’t want to lose them as a part of your event - they are trackable session watchers and meeting partners. So virtualize it.

Get in touch with us here at TWST Events . if you want to chat.

3 Key Ways to Navigate the Stress of Event Planning

Rachel Hornstein — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Event professionals are experts in the stresses of event planning - from dealing with last-minute changes and late-night demands, to the added stress of facility and vendor snafus.

A recent Skift Meetings article, "Stress at an All-Time High in Events," sheds light on the increasing workload faced by event professionals, with a staggering 61% reporting the shouldering of additional responsibilities within their roles.

At TWST Events, we understand how difficult this can be and we are constantly mindful of trying to ease these types of burdens on event planners.

Why the Surge in Stress?

Several factors contribute to the current spike in stress levels among event professionals. In particular, the complex nature of events, with numerous technologies and moving parts, can feel overwhelming.

Expectations from management are on the rise as well, making it even harder and stressful for event planners to keep up. Team size has not risen to meet these extra demands - often leaving resources stretched thin.

Our Suggestions: Streamline Processes for Success

At TWST Events, we know that the key to managing this type of stress is to streamline processes, so that you, as an event professional, can focus on what truly matters for the success of an event. To help, here are 3 steps to think about:

1. Fewer Vendors Means Fewer Problems

To alleviate the burden on event professionals, we recommend evaluating how many platforms you are using for your event, and consolidating. By consolidating vendors, you can minimize the complexity of coordination and communication, streamlining the logistical process. This allows you to concentrate on essential tasks.

As exhibitors ourselves at events - we have experienced situations where registration, 1x1 meetings, badging, and lead tracking and mobile app were on 5 separate platforms. This is insane. Stressful to coordinate, confusing for attendees (more questions and complaints to deal with), and a total waste of your time and resources.

TWST Events is dedicated to allowing you to deal with one event producer - who can handle all your issues, and a broad platform that serves all your functional needs.

2. Focus on Key Elements

It always helps to be able to mindfully focus on the really important things - and allow secondary issues to take a back seat. We know there are two key factors.

Immediate factors that will keep your Attendee and Senior Management calm.

Lines at the badge desk
Well-functioning AV with a team you trust
Some kind of visual wow-factor when attendees arrive

Business factors that will keep your Exhibitors and Stakeholders happy

Attendee tracking (in-person or virtually) that will provide real data for your management, speakers and exhibitors
A moderated one-on-one meeting program that is by far the most important source of value to speakers and exhibitors
Including a virtual element to extend reach and maximize your audience to raise the significance level for your even

These elements help you maximize the value of your event by expanding your reach, facilitating meaningful connections, and showing that your attendees appreciated the various programs you offered.

3. Extra Help with Event Services

Consider getting temporary help with some of those key factors we talked about above so your team doesn’t have to do everything.

Your 1-on-1 Meeting Program can be entirely managed- saving you time and providing better service to your attendees. The onsite badge desk can be entirely supervised by a small team focussed on the task of keeping lines short. All aspects of attendee tracking - from RFID to lead-tracking apps for exhibitors - can be staffed by temporary help dedicated to the task.

These are projects that our Event Services team at TWST Events love to help with. From meticulous planning and execution to post-event analysis, our team is dedicated to giving you the “extra hands'' you need to make ends meet.

Stress is not good. It doesn’t make for a better event, and it does lead to a longer career. But you have ways of dealing with it - and hopefully this article suggests a couple of ways forward. Get in touch with us here at TWST Events . if you want to chat about any of these.

Top 3 Tips to Make Your Events Indispensable

Rachel Hornstein — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

As we approach the end of the year, it's a good time to reflect on what went well and what may need improvement from the past 12 months of events.

What went well? What didn’t? What were you able to accomplish? And what would you like to try?

The goal is to make your events integral to your company’s marketing and sales successes in 2024. On our part, we’re delving deep into these questions during our upcoming TWST Events User Group Day in February, to share our insights with those looking to grow.

Here are three key ways to elevate your events' impact in the coming year.

1. Strengthen Your Brand Identity On-site

There's no better way to maximize the value of your event than by tracking and showing your sponsors the specific offerings that resonated most with your attendees. Additionally, you can show speakers who attended their sessions and exhibitors who came to their booth by utilizing attendee tracking. This can be a game-changer when it comes to maximizing the potential revenues of your event because this is data that has real value.

2. Empower Sales with Integrated Data

In the data-driven world of sales, your event can be a goldmine of insights. Today's most successful event planners utilize data, collected from attendee interactions, feedback, and behaviors, to tailor their sales approach.

This can mean tracking which sessions garnered the most interest, understanding attendee networking patterns, or analyzing post-event feedback for sales leads.

Today’s in-depth reporting capabilities allow you to measure and quantify your event’s ROI in real-time, and make intelligent improvements to future processes. By integrating this data into your CRM system, every sales call can be informed and targeted, making them significantly more effective. The key is to transition from a broad-brush approach to a focused, data-informed strategy.

3. Leave the Hotel: Reallocate Your Budget for Greater Impact

Moving your event out of the traditional hotel setting opens up a realm of possibilities. It’s no secret that hotels have cornered the market in hosting events and meetings, but with rising prices, keeping the status quo may be taking away budget from adding elements to your events that truly matter.

Consider investing in elements that truly enhance the attendee experience. This could be:

high-quality content
innovative technology
unique venues that align more closely with your brand identity

The savings from hotel costs can be redirected to create a truly memorable experience for attendees, which can also deliver a higher ROI. Think about what elements of your event resonate most with your audience and invest there

Thoughtful Event Planning Creates Success

Making your events indispensable to your company's marketing and sales teams’ success isn't about grand gestures, but rather strategic, thoughtful planning. It's about ensuring that every element of your event, from the location, to the data, to the experience itself, works in harmony to strengthen your brand and create amazing experiences.

For those interested in exploring these topics further with industry thought leaders, join us at the TWST Events User Group Day on February 1st, 2024 in NYC. Register Here .

This day promises to share a treasure trove of insights and strategies for making your next event. In addition to our panels, we'll feature product demos, consultations, and opportunities to connect with TWST experts on various topics, including new badging services, branding tools from PlanetAV, RFID/lead tracking equipment and data, and much more!

Level Up Your 2024 Event Engagement with Gamification

Sarah Welsh — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In the ever-evolving landscape of event planning, engagement is the key to creating memorable and impactful experiences. TWST Events is at the forefront of introducing innovative solutions, and our MeetMax Games division is a testament to this commitment.

Event planners looking to succeed in 2024 are looking at interactive group games, designed for both virtual and in-person meetings and events. The core idea? To bring fun and competition together, boosting interaction, networking, and overall engagement.

This approach, known as gamification, is not just a fleeting trend; it’s a proven method to enhance attendee involvement and satisfaction. If you’re looking to top the charts of meetings and events interactivity next year, gamification could be the answer you’re looking for.

What is Gamification in Event Tech?

Gamification means adding game-like elements such as

point scoring
competition with peers
No need for multiple sets of equipment for printing and scanning
set rules of play

It takes the essence of what makes games enjoyable and applies it to event activities. And Meetmax Games does this for you, effortlessly. It takes the mundane tasks of networking and supercharges it into a fun group activity.

MeetMax Games are tailored for your event's unique needs, whether it’s a large conference, a small team meeting, or a virtual networking session, these games break the ice, encourage interaction, and stimulate networking amongst participants.

Types of games range from trivia challenges, to puzzles, team-building activities, and others that foster collaboration and camaraderie among attendees. The result is a more lively, interactive, and memorable event experience that leaves a lasting impression.

Why Incorporate Gamification at Your Event?

The answer lies in the human psychology of engagement. People are naturally inclined towards competition, achievement, and social interaction – elements that are at the core of gamification.

By integrating these elements into your event, you not only enhance attendee engagement but also create an environment where meaningful connections and interactions can occur.

In a digital age, where virtual events have become a norm, the importance of focusing on interactivity is magnified. While virtual events are convenient and expand audiences, they can lack the personal touch and the spontaneous interactions inherent in in-person events.

A gamified approach bridges this gap by providing fun-filled experiences that replicate the organic interactions of physical events.

Networking Games Facilitate Meaningful Interactions

Incorporating MeetMax Games into your event is a seamless process. Our team at TWST Events works closely with you to understand your event's objectives, the demographic of your attendees, and the level of interaction you aim to achieve. This tailored approach ensures that the games selected align perfectly with your event’s theme and goals.

At TWST Events, we believe in the power of innovation to create unforgettable event experiences. MeetMax Games is a reflection of this belief, offering a unique and effective solution to the age-old challenge of attendee engagement.

If you’re ready to take your event to the next level, MeetMax Games is the partner you’ve been searching for. Experience the magic of gamification and set your event apart with MeetMax Games. Contact TWST Events to find out more.

The 3 Secret Ingredients for a Successful Conference

Sarah Welsh — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

There is an eternally growing list of ways you can spend money on your events. Facilities, marketing, star speakers, fancy receptions, and exotic locations. But what can you do to MAKE more money - to grow the revenue and profitability of your events? That’s a more challenging task. Here are 3 ways.

1. Attendee Tracking

2. The Virtual Component

The pandemic showed us that expanding your universe beyond those who can attend in person provides an amazing value to your event. It does not need to be complex. Webcasting your conference keynotes live will increase audience reach and engagement. Providing a rich profile for exhibitors and sponsors allows for research and engagement prior to, and after the event. All the while building more touch points and more leads for exhibitors and speakers that directly turns into revenue.

3. One-on-one Meeting Programs

A well-moderated one-on-one meeting program allows your sponsors and exhibitors to meet exactly the prospects they are looking for. And they are willing to pay for such an experience - unlike an unmoderated program which can be just an exercise in frustration. Fostering meaningful connections between attendees, speakers, and sponsors elevates your conference to a new level.

These three secret ingredients—attendee tracking, the virtual component, and moderated one-on-one meeting programs—hold the key to executing a profitable event. They empower you to maximize the value of your event, expand your reach, and create meaningful connections that leave a lasting impact on your attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

Ready to take your conference to the next level? Contact TWST Events today and discover how these secret ingredients can transform your event into a resounding success. Let's create unforgettable experiences together!

Raising the Bar- Event Branding

Andrew Pickup — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

On-site branding statements are really raising the bar for everyone

The current resurgence of in-person events is welcome, and there's an undeniable magic in being face-to-face with people. And we at TWST Events are seeing a much more intense effort directed at making events unforgettable.

One of the most impactful ways we’ve seen this lately is the strategic use of branded signage on a new scale. It feels like the events industry is ready to raise its game.

The Power and Impact of Exciting Branded Signage

Imagine walking into a conference venue and being greeted by a towering, freestanding sign with your host's branding. It’s not just their name, but stunning imagery in a photograph or piece of artwork. The visual impact is instant and striking.

The impact on the attendee is emotional. Whatever the size and nature of the event itself, repeated engagement with physical icons for the brand creates a sense of awe, of expectation, of significance for that event.

Branded signage doesn't just display your logo; it captures the essence of your event's identity and theme. It elevates the event in the mind of the attendee. It carries the implicit message - “we think this event is important and you will too”.

Reusable Signage: A Smart Investment

In the pursuit of sustainability and cost-effectiveness, beautifully designed, reusable branded signage is a game-changer.

By eliminating specific event dates from the signage, you can create versatile assets that can be reused across multiple occasions. This not only saves resources but also fosters a sense of familiarity for attendees who recognize your branding from previous events.

Also, consider incorporating multimedia elements into your signage. Backlit signs and Gobo projector lights can create a dynamic play of light and shadow, casting an engaging atmosphere throughout the venue.

These signs not only enhance your brand's visibility but also engage attendees on a multi-sensory level, leaving a lasting impression that extends beyond the event itself.

The Logistics Advantage

Event logistics can be daunting, but with proper transportation and storage, your reusable signage becomes a strategic asset. Ask your AV company if they will store, transport and set up your signage. They are the ones bringing a truck to the location.

As we embark on a new era of in-person events, the impact of effective branding cannot be overstated. Branded signage has the potential to transform your event from ordinary to extraordinary. If you have questions on how to get started, contact us at TWST Events AV and we can help!

Summer Fatigue? 5 Tips to Stay Energized

Claire Heger — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Event planning can be both exhilarating and exhausting. What can go wrong, usually does go wrong. The continued pressure to deliver flawless experiences can lead to burnout and fatigue.

How does your team respond to and mitigate stress?

To ensure you stay energized, inspired, and on top of your game, we've compiled 5 strategies for your well-being.

1. Acknowledge and Understand Fatigue

Identify stress triggers and effective coping mechanisms. Long working hours, tight deadlines, and the need to juggle multiple tasks can take a toll on mental and physical well-being.

By acknowledging the reality of fatigue, you can begin to address the issue proactively.

2. The Importance of Self-Care

Amid the hustle, it's easy to neglect self-care. However, taking care of yourself is essential to maintain creativity and focus.

A quick walk or a power nap can do wonders for your energy levels. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup, so prioritize your well-being.

3. Learn from Past Experiences

Reflect on moments of stress and analyze the sources of stress. Is it worst the night before the event? Is it because of too little staffing on the floor? Focus on what leads to the most stressful situations and find successful mitigation strategies.

Identifying your successes and challenges can lead to valuable insights that will streamline your future planning and help you avoid recreating your stressful situations again and again.

4. Embrace Technology and Automation

Take advantage of event management tools and automation to simplify processes and save time. Technology can handle repetitive tasks, leaving you with more time to focus on the more fun, creative, and strategic aspects of event planning. And the joy of meeting people!

5. Leverage Support

You don't have to go it alone. Build a strong event team, or connect with fellow event planners and industry professionals, to get emotional support. Share experiences, exchange ideas, and gain fresh perspectives for successful event planning.

Remember, taking care of yourself is not a luxury; it's an essential ingredient for successful event planning and execution.

If you need additional support, talk to TWST Events! We have an entire team of knowledgeable people who can advise you and help you create the experiences you want. We’re committed to help you run the most impactful events.

Top 3 Secrets to Boost Event ROI

Claire Heger — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Conferences and events have become more than just a gathering of industry professionals. They have evolved into a powerful platform where valuable connections are made, deals are sealed, and businesses thrive.

But maximizing the return on investment (ROI) from these events can be challenging. You’re often jerry-rigging the data from unrelated event tech tools and juggling different reporting formats from multiple vendors.

As event planners ourselves, we’ve been there. Now we’re sharing our top 3 secrets to increase event ROI:

1. Make Your Exhibitor’s Connections Count

Connecting your exhibitors and sponsors with the right prospects is crucial and the challenge lies in finding and engaging them with the best target professionals.

Gone are the days when exhibitors and sponsors expect the right prospect to stop by their booth. Today, it’s imperative for your sponsors and exhibitors that they arrive with a schedule of set appointments with vetted buyers.

If they think they’ve made the right connections, exhibitors walk away from the event feeling satisfied, knowing that they've started the conversation with new valuable prospects. And if some of those prospects close, they’re bound to be back next year.

2. Break the Barriers of Physical Limitations

Don't let geographical boundaries limit the reach and impact of your events. Leverage the power of integrated webcasting and virtual event platforms to unlock new possibilities:

Seamlessly extend your audience beyond physical limitations.
Captivate a global audience and tap into new markets.
Enhance flexibility for attendees by providing on-demand access to event content, accommodating diverse schedules and time zones.

Your event tech should seamlessly integrate a webcasting and virtual event platform with your in-person event, ensuring a cohesive experience for all attendees. In turn, you can amplify your return on investment (ROI) by reaching a larger audience and maximizing event participation.

3. Tailor Tech Solutions for Your Success

No two events are alike, and your requirements are as unique as your event itself. You need customized technology solutions that not only meet your goals and budget but also make your life easier.

Imagine partnering with a team of experienced event professionals who will be your right-hand support. They will:

Work closely with you, streamlining operations and cutting down setup costs.
Assist with managing data migration.
Ensure you invest wisely and avoid unnecessary expenses.

At the end of the day, we know you want to wow your attendees and make your event memorable. With this tailored approach, you can confidently focus on creating an unforgettable event experience that leaves a lasting impact.

By implementing these three strategies, you are sure to increase your event ROI. And TWST Events is dedicated to providing you with the tools and support needed to simplify the complexities of event planning, saving you time, money, and stress. Contact us to learn more.

The View From The Booth

Andrew Pickup — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

As a vendor of software and services for Event Hosts - our perspective is mostly driven by our clients’ points of view. This Spring, we took part in two industry events as an Exhibitor, and this gave us a chance to live the “Exhibitor Experience” ourselves.

Like any Exhibitor, our goal was simply to find good leads. Seeing what worked and what failed gave us a wonderful insight into what our customers’ customers (exhibitors and sponsors) go through.

A few observations.

Confusion before the event

One of the events we went to chose to use different platforms for registration, badging, lead tracking and 1x1 Meetings. We were constantly confused.

We are registered on this platform with this link - but not that one. The name in this platform is wrong - but you have to edit it in that platform. In one case we had the wrong LeadTracker App because even the host was confused which one to use.

And all the emails we received were fragmented, and from many different senders, and on narrow topics. We found ourselves wading through them all to find the one we were looking for. Oof.

Free to attend? Uh oh!

Free to attend is a double-edged sword. There are no obstacles for people to register off a slick marketing campaign. But signing up is a long way from booking a flight and a hotel room.

The number of attendees who actually showed up was a fraction of the meaty attendee list we were shown on the platform before the event. This is very frustrating for an exhibitor.

What’s the answer? Well..

If you make an event hybrid - do hybrid properly

Do a nice job of webcasting the keynote sessions, both live and for replays. And the replays should be available right after the sessions, when online attendees are there, not days later.

Tell the Speaker who is listening to which session. We were a Speaker at one of these shows and would have loved to have known who listened to our session, and for how long. Those listeners are great leads and would have gone a long way to make up for low attendance onsite. But it was not to be.

It was the same with the meetings. We had quite a few meeting no-shows: people who just never came to the event. Those meetings could have been moved to a few days later and a zoom session.

ALL our leads came through meetings…

Speaking of meetings, both of these events had a meetings program. One was a big program for everyone, nothing managed or moderated, and the other was a small hosted-buyer affair for 20 vendors and 20 buyers. .

For a faster way of tracking and comparing attendee interests, you can use AI matchmaking for more personalized solutions. Since AI matchmaking uses deep learning algorithms, it will be easier to analyze thousands or even millions of data to get the best recommendations in a matter of seconds.

The small program generated six or so really good meetings with great prospects and we had a really good time talking through their events and how we could help. The large one was a mess: lots of requests we made were never answered, and lots of requests were received, but mostly from firms that wanted to sell to us, not buy!

Done well, a meeting program is a fantastic resource for a vendor. Done poorly it can be a time waster.

…not the booth

At both events, very, very little came in from the booth itself. For products that are touchy-feely like food, gadgetry, clothing, furnishings, machinery, booths are great, and they get good traffic.

That’s not us. For our business, software and services, the booth adds very little. The meetings are everything.

These were our observations, and they will directly impact how we do other shows in future. We’d would love to hear from anyone who has recent direct experience of attending shows themselves, as an exhibitor. Do any of these observations resonate with you? What did we miss?

Top 10 Event Connection Metrics To Help You Succeed

Sarah Welsh — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Every professional knows that having strong connections is the foundation of good business relations. As such, many companies find it beneficial to host their own networking events to have a more strategic approach when building relationships. With a successful networking event, efficient business matchmaking is more achievable, allowing professionals to foster collaborative efforts and recognize mutually beneficial business opportunities.

While thorough planning is important for your event to succeed, you should also be aware of the metrics you need to track, so you’ll know which areas to adjust or improve on. If you’re ready to elevate your strategy, here are 10 event connection metrics that can catapult your networking event to success:

1. Users With Meetings

This metric refers to the number of attendees who booked for your event. To measure this metric, you need to know how many of the active and new users of your platform have booked meetings.

If the booking percentage is high, then you’re on the right track with your event planning and execution strategy. However, if the booking percentage is low, try to identify which areas of your networking strategy can be improved. Review the various stages of your event planning approach and see if you need to promote your platform more, change the format, or revisit your main goals for a clearer direction.

2. Number of Meetings

More meetings mean that more people who attend get to network. This allows for more relationships to be fostered, and greater opportunities can be realized.

It’s important to note, however, that the quality of each meeting is equally crucial. There’s no point in hosting 50 or 100 networking events when those are not the attendees’ goals or there’s little chance of them converting into buyers or partners in the long run. Alongside the number of meetings, be sure to make each one a high-quality experience.

3. Number of Meetings per Attendee

Having at least one valuable meeting per attendee can translate into high returns and great satisfaction for those who booked for your event. Since the quality of your event is paramount, take advantage of event matchmaking tools to track this particular metric.

With an event matchmaking tool, you can see how many users have created a profile, what interests them, and what primary intention they have for attending your networking event. The best thing about event matchmaking tools is that they can quickly and easily analyze multiple data points and connect the users that match with your event’s goals.

4. Attendee Interests

Further to what your attendees are interested in, it’s important to define them under specific categories. Think of it this way: if you run an online store and want to find out how many people are more interested in ceramic plates compared to porcelain plates, you need to have both subcategories present the more general “plates” category — unless you want to sift through your data manually. Similarly, if you’re hosting a networking event for people in the technology field, you’d want to see whether they’re more interested in SaaS, cybersecurity, user experience and user interface design, or others.

5. Intent Data

Aside from attendee interests, their intention for booking your event should also be measured. This metric will let you know what they’re trying to achieve by attending. With this data, not only will you gain valuable insight into what attendees are looking for, but you also gain a competitive edge over contenders that lack crucial event matchmaking tools. Additionally, you can adjust and refine how you’ll approach your event strategy, which can result in higher quality meetings attended by those who can share mutually beneficial opportunities.

6. Engagement Before the Event

How your event is received even before it begins is just as important as its reception during the event proper itself. By tracking pre-engagement metrics, you can see whether or not your marketing approach was a success. It can also help you set benchmarks for future events and determine what events are most anticipated by your audience.

Pre-engagement can include engagement on social media platforms, subscriber and follower counts, or relevant mentions.

7. Engagement During the Event

Tracking how well the event itself went is perhaps the most important metric you need to measure. Ideally, you want attendees to have a great time and stay during the entire duration of the event. It’s similar to having your own website or blog; the longer people stay on your site or read your blog, the more value they find in it.

Since you’re hosting a networking event, a high number of attendees staying longer can mean a greater chance of fostering connections with the right people or businesses. If attendees start dropping off midway, it might mean your event didn’t match with their expectations. In this case, review which areas you need to improve, so there would be higher engagement in future events.

8. Engagement Post-Event

Measuring metrics doesn’t end when the event ends. You still need to track post-event engagement to see whether audience feedback is positive. Here, you’ll be able to see how their experience was and how likely they are to recommend your event or attend similar ones in the future. Moreover, you can track whether people became more curious about your services if there’s an increase in search traffic for your brand.

9. Speaker Feedback

Speakers are essential in keeping everyone engaged during the event. Through a simple survey, you can see which speakers kept your audience engaged and which ones they’d like to host future events.

On the other hand, you can also ask speakers which parts of the event helped them perform well, which caused some difficulties, and what challenges they had when engaging with your audience.

10. Cost per Attendee

In organizing future events, it’s important to know whether the money you put into planning,marketing, and executing the event translated into new attendees or connections. In calculating your event’s return on investment, you’ll be able to review how effective your event was and how much you need to spend on future events.

Stay on Track

Knowing these 10 important metrics for tracking your event connection’s success will let you craft a fine-tuned strategy and result in more business opportunities through networking. Don’t forget to take advantage of technology, so you can make tracking easier and more efficient.

References:

https://www.brella.io/blog/event-networking-metrics-to-track
https://www.eventdex.com/blog/event-networking-metrics-to-measure-event-success/
https://spotme.com/blog/event-metrics-template/
https://wearesparks.com/blog/4-metrics-matter-event-measurement
https://www.airmeet.com/hub/blog/virtual-event-metrics-to-measure-the-roi-and-success-of- virtual-events/
https://www.bizbash.com/industry-insiders/article/21533014/hubilo-5-key-metrics-to-help-measure-the-success-of-your-events-attendee-engagement
https://www.cvent.com/en/blog/events/knowing-the-right-metrics-to-gauge-event-success
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/blog/how-to-organise-networking-event-ds00/
https://hbr.org/2019/01/how-to-plan-your-own-networking-event-and-invite-the-right-people
https://blog.b2match.com/business-matchmaking-explained
https://www.brella.io/blog/10-reasons-why-you-need-an-event-matchmaking-service

Is Your Onsite Event Check-in and Badging Flawless?

Claire Heger — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Never underestimate the value of a smooth check-in and badging process. Check-in and badging is where attendees get their first impression of your event. Don’t let all your hard work result in a poor first experience; because their first impression is what they will remember. Here’s how to ensure the process is flawless.

Badge printing made easy - for you and your attendees

Onsite badge printing can create a better event experience for you and your attendees. When you print badges onsite, there’s no late-night pre-printing, no badge stuffing sessions, no alphabetizing, and fewer hold-ups in line. It's a relief for you and your staff.

Even better, it allows your team to step away from the registration table to engage with attendees. And your attendees enjoy a fast, easy, and uncomplicated process. Here are some tips to ensure your onsite badging process runs flawlessly.

Hire a technology expert

Technology is always changing and typically, for the better. Is your onsite badging team a group of skilled technicians who are versed in the latest technology? An experienced team is equipped to predict, prevent, and quickly address potential roadblocks and technical issues that you can’t always predict.

In fact, our seasoned badge technicians are the most popular people with our clients. It makes sense, since they’re on the front lines with the event team, and they understand the importance of being meticulous and precise when it comes to badging and registration information.

Take advantage of the data opportunity

When presenters and sponsors choose to participate in your event, they expect data so they can get their return-on-investment (ROI) from participating, and can measure their results. As the meeting host, you also expect meaningful data to help you measure your ROI.

Badges are key to the data; they help you to know what your attendees are doing. This is vital business intelligence for you to determine what sessions are popular and what sessions, or exhibitors, get visited.

A sophisticated badging provider adds QR Code or RFID tracking technology to your event badge (and they present cost-effective solutions). This is the technology that will show you all the data you need to create that ROI.

A sponsorship and branding opportunity

The event badge is the one of the first things attendees look at when speaking to other attendees, so a badge or lanyard sponsor becomes “front of mind” throughout the entire event.

Sponsors look for visibility and access to leads, and securing sponsorship dollars is a strategic and collaborative journey of relationship development. Badges present a great opportunity to secure event sponsorship with high visibility.

Badging might not be the most glamorous package, but we know how valuable the first impression is for your attendees partners (and how valuable conference badge data is for you).

Are you losing your badging provider?

We understand there has been a shakeout in the badging software area. TWST Events is proud to maintain a great product with robust software and hardware. We provide the onsite equipment you need to print badges. And, prior to the event, we work with you on the badge layout design and how many badge stations you need.

Interested to learn more about how to get your ROI on badging? Contact us!

7 Top Do's and Don’ts for a Successful Analyst Day Webcast

Claire Heger — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

When produced properly, an Investor Day (or Analyst Day) is an extremely valuable investor relations tool. Typically, an investor day is a public meeting where company executives and VIPs update current and potential investors on the health and direction of the company, along with current projects they may be working on.

One of your first decisions when planning an Investor Relations day is choosing the event format and vendors. For example, will the event be streamed as a video or audio webcast? Will it be hosted virtually? Will it be entirely pre-recorded? Or be a combination of these formats?

Some events last several hours, so it may be valuable for stakeholders to watch relevant bits and pieces, a replay, or even read a transcript. For example, did you know that 72% of investors viewing the presentation via a webcast page prefer a webcast that provides a live video stream, including slides and live Q&A?

In 2022, SummitCast, a division of TWST Events, hosted over 230 Investor/Analyst Days. Here are our best practices, including our top do’s and dont’s for a successful event webcast.

1. Don't assume you can wait until the last minute - reach out to a webcast provider early.

Your tech provider can provide valuable knowledge and insight into what makes a successful analyst day.
It’s never too early to organize technology. The earlier in the planning, the more options you’ll have on the event day.

2. Do engage management and presenters early.

Schedule a tech test session with your provider.
Schedule and run at least two dry-run sessions with your presentation team.

3. Don’t miss your test sessions!

If you don’t allocate ample preparation time, you won’t see problems before they happen. What happens if something goes wrong? Will you have troubleshooting steps handy?

4. Do market the event.

Send out save the dates.
Drive interest and attendance.
Send out formal invitations to your list of invitees.
Issue a pre-event press release.
Issue a post-event press release highlighting key points, participants, strategy, and long-term targets.

5. Do engage management and presenters early.

During the presentation rehearsal, provide your presenters with questions (including some challenging ones), so they can practice giving sufficient and transparent answers.
Prepare some questions in advance (in case you need to fill in time).

6. Do create holding slides.

When waiting for the event to start or as the event closes, your webcast vendor can stream these holding slides, which can host pertinent information such as event title, presenter details, or company information.
In case of technical difficulties during the event, have a slide ready explaining to the audience that you are working swiftly to solve the problem.

7. Don't engage management and presenters early.

SummitCast, a division of TWST Events, prides itself on its level of white glove service!
Our team can be your go-to for any questions you may have along the way. We are highly responsive and provide quick turnaround times.
From start to finish, we will assist with pre-event planning, live production, and post-event questions.

Following these seven tips will lead your company to a successful Investor event. Our team can provide strategic and logistical planning to ensure the success of your company’s event webcast. Contact us to learn more about webcasting your next event.

What is a Hosted Buyer Program?

Claire Heger — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

If you’re an event organizer, you’re probably wondering how you can make your trade shows and exhibitions more exciting for your guests while getting the most out of your investment. You may find the best results using hosted buyer programs.

People typically come to trade shows and other B2B events as a regular attendee, but other times, they could be part of a hosted buyer program. Organizers for these events will usually host buyers by being a sponsor for their accommodation, travel, transfers, meals, and the whole bespoke experience. In other words, a hosted buyer is someone who gets incentives to come to an event to attend meetings with suppliers.

All this effort goes into setting up pre-arranged appointments between suppliers and exhibitors. All hosted buyers are pre-qualified depending on their spending power and decision-making within an organization. They have only one goal, which is to find the best suppliers to provide you with the best business solutions.

Meeting with them can give you a great opportunity to win new businesses without the need to go through the traditional way of searching, nurturing, then converting leads.

What is a Hosted Buyer Program?

A hosted buyer program supports businesses by securing appointments between interested sellers and pre-qualified buyers. While the exhibitors and suppliers maximize their potential sales, buyers can make well-informed purchase decisions.

This system allows for a highly targeted environment for business, and at the same time, it connects key industry players with the top business leaders.

What’s so Special About Them?

There are many benefits to organizing a hosted-buyer program, such as its ability to create plenty of business deals in a short amount of time. Furthermore, everything will already be on the table according to your pre-defined criteria, including:

Purchasing power
Annual budgets
Decision making
The number of events

Both buyers and suppliers can get access to priceless networking opportunities as well as direct business results without having to filter needs and go on endless meetings. Other advantages to these programs are:

Sellers can measure ROI using clear terms since sales can be traced back to their pre-booked appointments.
All matchmaking is guaranteed to be high-quality and the sellers will have increased sales potential.
There is ample time for sellers and buyers to research one another before the event. They have the opportunity to provide feedback for growth and a more effective meeting.
Attendees won’t have to listen to a constant bombardment of messages, emails, and sales pitches. The fixed schedules can free up some time to engage in training sessions and knowledge-sharing.

Conclusion

Hosted buyer programs help buyers cut through the usual process of sorting out leads by networking with handpicked sellers as a result of rigorous research. The idea of organizing these kinds of events can bring all kinds of businesses together. Contact TWST Events to find out how to create or manage a hosted buyer program.

RFID Attendance Tracking - Cost Effective Strategies

Andrew Pickup — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

When presenters and sponsors choose to participate and spend thousands of dollars on your event, they expect data so they can measure results. And as a host, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, you expect data to measure results as well. With virtual events, this data is readily available through an event platform like MeetMax. On-site, RFID is really the only way to gather attendance tracking data on a large scale.

Manual QR scanning is fine for rooms with 1 or 2 sessions, or for lead tracking at a booth. But it is intrusive and unreliable for large-scale tracking. RFID is the only technology able to reliably capture session attendance on a large scale - whether for sharing with presenters, determining CEU credits, or simply understanding what attendees value most.

What RFID tracking delivers is close to real-time information about who attended each session and how long they were there. When done well, it does so in a passive, unobtrusive manner that is almost invisible to attendees.

We’ve heard from many event professionals that they would love to implement this technology but struggle to make it cost-effective. And we completely understand this dilemma. Here are our top 3 tips to make RFID more affordable and ensure operations run smoothly.

1. Share the Costs

There are many creative ways to share the costs of RFID with speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors. Because this data is invaluable to them as well as you.

A speaker wants to know who is in their audience to build relationships that could lead to a sale. At investor conferences, presenters want to know who attends because these are potential investors in their firm.

You can fit RFID into your budget by offering to share the RFID insights and data as lead data with your presenters at a cost to them.

2. Badge Printing

Your badge design can make a big difference in your overall costs in supporting RFID.

TWST Events keeps this very simple. Card badges with embedded RFID tags are only fractionally more expensive than ordinary stock, and by printing the badge and encoding the tag simultaneously - we help you save a lot of money on badging.

Badge stock is affordable
Badge printing is fast, with short lines and no increase in stations
No need for multiple sets of equipment for printing and scanning
No manual steps, so no human error

The result is elegant but affordable badges - whatever color and design you want - but with the key Attendee data buried in the RFID tag.

3. Easy-to-Deploy Scanning Equipment

At TWST Events, we use floor mats as entry scanners - so discreet that attendees take no notice of them. No intimidating arch trusses. Exit scanners are a combination of mats and a few simple tripod antennas.

Ahead of time, we will go over the floor plan with you - to understand traffic patterns and develop a layout scheme for scanners. This allows us to set up and deploy the scanners rapidly onsite. This keeps your labor costs manageable.

RFID is a wonderful technology that allows on-site events to get back to the same level of attendee data that hosts enjoyed with virtual events. At TWST Events, we have been working on the service for many years - and have rigorously tested a variety of equipment, and ways of deploying. We have settled on one that is simple, discreet, easy to deploy - and most importantly, affordable. Contact TWST Events to find out more.

Industry Inside Scoop - What We Heard and What's Changing in 2023

Claire Heger — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

We heard common themes from event professionals and exhibitors at IAEE’s Expo! Expo! in Louisville last month. Here's an inside look at our biggest takeaways and what to expect from the industry in 2023.

Trouble from recent mergers and acquisitions:

People recognize the power of a one-stop-shop event tech platform, so we’ve seen event tech companies merging or acquiring tech tools over the past few years. But these new, larger entities are a double-edged sword.

On the plus side, these technologies come together to create multi-feature platforms. The advancements arm meeting planners with the resources and flexibility to deliver whatever event format is best for that day.

On the negative side, event organizers said this hurts their user experience because they aren’t getting the tech support they need. Also, the merged technologies aren’t yet compatible or don’t communicate with one another.

For these reasons, event hosts are now opting for in-house developed event tech that is integrated properly and provides a higher level of customer support.

AV issues and challenges:

We know many AV techs were let go during COVID. What we heard is that the rapid return to in-person events reveals the challenges of re-staffing. Organizers claimed they are constantly dealing with less experienced staff and teams.

AV is not an area where you want to settle for less than the best because of all the problems that can occur. Event hosts trust their AV techs to predict, prevent, and swiftly address potential roadblocks and technical issues that can arise. The inexperienced staff shows through, resulting in event glitches, downtime, and embarrassing situations.

The treasure troves of attendance tracking and RFID:

As event hosts transition back to in-person events, they don't want to lose the treasure trove of data they were able to capture with virtual events. Is that even possible? And how do you use that information to enhance the overall attendee experience?

What we heard the most: How can I affordably capture this data?

Attendance tracking and RFID badge technology empower hosts to record, with great precision, which sessions and meetings are best attended, how long people stay, and other nuggets of valuable data. This means event professionals can get a complete picture of how an event did, down to the level of each attendee (if desired). And it doesn’t have to break the budget. Many providers, like TWST Events, puts business intelligence in your hands with customizable and cost-effective packages. Make more informed decisions for the future, based on what worked (and what didn't).

Face-to-face events are back (but theres's a catch):

It’s clear from the tremendous outpouring of people that industry professionals want to be together again, in person. Our team agrees, being in the booth and meeting attendees in-person is the best way to create connections and meet potential new business. And it's a joy and now “a treat” to see others in person. Live events are now and will continue to be, undeniably powerful.

But there’s a catch…attendees won’t spend their time to fly across the country for an event without experience. With the rise of digital content, people can watch, read, and review content from anywhere. They can’t get those memorable experiential moments watching from their desk at home. Attendees want someothing to talk about and post about. It’s what will get them to come back year after year.

Virtual components are here to stay:

There will continue to be health and safety constraints at live events, as well as budget constraints and issues for certain individuals to be able to travel (such as parents with young children). If nothing else, the pandemic taught us that we could take advantage of being online to attend, if we can’t be there in person. And it can expand the potential reach of an organization outside of a city, region, or country.

Guests still want the option to engage with potential buyers, build connections with industry peers, and get CEU credits online. We heard it time and time again, there is exhaustion in watching content online. But you are limiting your audience and potential revenue if you eliminate virtual events components. It doesn’t have to be complex, as long as your incorporate interaction between attendees and the speaker.

In fact, we heard from other event professionals that you should NOT try to emulate the in-person experience through a virtual format. They should be two different products with two different price points. You don’t want your in-person attendees to thin kthey can get the same experience without traveling.

1-to-1 Meeting Programs:

Multiple event hosts and organizers mentioned needing event technology that is flexible and customizable enough to support a wide variety of events, from annual association meetings to educational programs to trade shows. 1-to-1 meetings ensure that sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees can meet the people they most want to see. But too often, they feel locked to one format that does not fit all.

Is there anything in the market to ensure people meet 1-to-1 with the people they most want to see? Yes! Look no further and schedule a demo with TWST Events - we can assist.

Must-Attend Conferences for Event Professionals in 2023

Claire Heger — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Are you an event pro searching for a growth path to reach new audiences? If you are, you need to be at industry conferences.

With so many options, it's often challenging to decide which one is the best fit for your organization. Here’s my list of the top 7 conferences every event pro should be at in 2023.

PCMA Convening Leaders

January 8-11 | Greater Columbus Convention Center | Columbus, OH

This event is leading business meetings into the future. Convening Leaders is an epic collaborative gathering focused on meeting the challenges of events of the future. This is a great opportunity to explore ground-shifting trends and their impact on your audience.

When you attend Convening Leaders, you will gain skill sets that deliver results.

Event Tech Live

April 25-27 | The Expo at World Market Center | Las Vegas, NV

Can’t travel? This is your chance to access the latest and greatest in event technology in a hybrid format. This show is dedicated to the advancement in event tech for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events.

Join a strong community of event professionals focused on learning and developing skills centered around the newest trends powering the best events.

MPI WEC

June 13-15 | Riviera Maya | Mexico

For over 50 years, MPI has been hosting event experts around the country and now they are going global. They’ve shifted their focus from content consumption to community collaboration and you’ll learn alongside experts in the industry. This is your portal to becoming one of those professionals.

WEC has a hosted buyer program for planners and suppliers to connect with potential partners passionate about bringing excitement and ROI to their events.

BizBash National

August 8-10 | Detroit, MI

Go to BizBash ready to set up meetings and meet with destinations and venues that are the perfect fit for your future meetings and conferences. Connect takes great care in matching you with the right partners to meet your objectives. Your prospective partners are highly vetted and only the best are granted access.

You won’t be disappointed when you meet your newest partners at BizBash in Detroit. Valuable meetings are surrounded by a series of general sessions and roundtables to complete your experience.

The Event Planner Expo

October 11-13 | New York, NY

This is the event of the year for Corporate Decision-Makers, Meeting Planners, and Marketing and PR Professionals. If you are involved in the events and hospitality industry, consider stopping by the show floor and checking out over 150 venue and event service booths to build your relationships with industry experts.

Build strategic partnerships for the upcoming year and skyrocket your business in the Big Apple.

IMEX America

October 17-19 | Mandalay Bay | Las Vegas, NV

Welcome to the largest trade show in the U.S. for the global meetings, events, and incentive travel industry. With over 2,200 exhibitors, you have endless opportunities to network with suppliers that make your event shine.

Best of all - it’s free to attend!

IAEE Annual Meeting and Expo! Expo!

December 5-7 | Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center | Dallas, TX

It’s the show for shows! IAEE is the leading trade association for exhibitors and their annual exhibition, Expo! Expo! paves your path to connecting with key players in the exhibitions industry.

If you produce a show, you have to be at this show. Go to check out the latest show management software and booth display tech, or learn the best practices to add an exhibition to your future event.

You’ve read about the best of the best. Your peers will be there. You should be too. Where are you going to be in 2023?

Productivity Secrets for Planning Events

Claire Heger — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret that planning an event takes a huge amount of time and effort. On top of deadlines, you need to be able to keep up with constant changes — not just in a specific event, but also with the changes happening in the entire event industry. With the advancement of technology, organizing and executing a successful event has become a little more complex.

Event planners need to manage a range of factors, from event planning to communications, data, metrics, and everything else that will lead to a fulfilling real-time experience for attendees, stakeholders, and sponsors.

With all this in mind, how can you achieve event productivity and stay on top of your game? Consider the following tips that can lead to more efficient event planning:

Keep Your Notes Organized

First things first — keep all your notes organized and in one place where you can easily access them. Over the course of planning for your event, you’ll definitely be going back to your notes, so make sure you have them all filed away and labeled properly.

Whether you use cloud solutions or an event management platform, make sure that your notes are in a place you can access anytime, anywhere. Additionally, make sure they’re arranged in such a way that can be easily searched through whenever you need to pull out specific information.

Create a Prioritization Sheet

Aside from keeping organized, successful and productive event planners must know which tasks or aspects of the event take top priority. To determine which things need to be done, you must first be clear about your event goals. Decide on the main objective for your event and use that as a guide when prioritizing tasks.

Once you have a solid vision for your event, prepare a structured list (with deadlines) that includes every step of the planning process, from coordinating with an event logo designer to finding sponsors. Then schedule each task based on the most important ones that need to be accomplished. Try not to base scheduling so much on urgency because every event planner knows that most — if not all — tasks tend to be urgent.

Tick off your checkboxes one at a time. Avoid the urge to multitask as you’ll be more prone to mistakes, which can cause even more delays.

Don’t Be Afraid To Delegate

Aside from multitasking, one of the biggest temptations for event planners is to do everything by themselves. You need to realize that you’re only one person, and no matter how hands-on you want to be, you’ll accomplish more tasks in a timely manner when you delegate the right tasks to the right people.

With proper delegation, you can be more productive while motivating your team to be more engaged and invested in their work. Be sure to provide clear guidelines and set expectations right off the bat.

Similarly, outsourcing quality freelancers allows you to leverage their expertise for your event. There are many talented individuals you can hire for things like event photography, website design and development, customer support, etc.

Whether you’re delegating or outsourcing, one important thing you need to remember is to allow these teams or individuals to work independently. There’s no point in getting their help if you constantly feel the need to look over their shoulder.

Leverage Automation

Taking advantage of event automation software is also a productive move. Small, repetitive tasks such as email marketing or registering attendees can be efficiently addressed by the right software platforms. Besides being time-savers, automation can also help attendees have a smoother, more convenient, and unified brand experience even before your event begins.

On your end, as an event planner, automation allows you to focus on the more vital features of your event, as well as aid in the decision-making process since these types of software can quickly deliver the reports and data you need to make necessary changes.

Make Networking a Habit

As mentioned, working all by yourself is counterproductive. As an event planner, networking then becomes crucial, so you can connect and develop relationships with key people who can contribute to the success of your current and future events. These key people can include vendors, venue managers, event planning clients, etc. — all of whom are important in various stages of your event planning process. For all you know, the next event you’re organizing needs to take place in the city where that venue manager you had coffee with last week is based.

Expect the Unexpected

While diligent and strategic planning is crucial to the success of your event, what sets apart efficient event planners is their ability to adjust to unforeseen situations. Remember that nothing goes 100% as planned, so expect the unexpected. When applying the event productivity tips discussed above, make sure to allot some extra time for last-minute changes and requests. This way, you can minimize mistakes and provide a great event experience for all your attendees.

Relieve some of the stress on your shoulders by contracting with an event team that consistently sees those unforeseen situations before they arise. We have the capabilities to pivot quickly when needed. Contact us to see how we can help to ensure everything goes as planned.

References

https://www.socialtables.com/blog/event-planning/productivity-tips/
https://attendease.com/5-event-planning-productivity-tips/
https://www.attendstar.com/blog/2017/10/24/productivity-tips-event-managers-prioritize/
https://www.bizzabo.com/blog/time-saving-event-planning-tips

Adapted and updated from Conference Scheduling Solutions, recently merged with TWST Events.

Top 5 Hotels for Your NYC event

Claire Heger — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Scouting out a new location for an investor conference? Look no further than the U.S. financial capital, New York City. While the thought of hosting a conference in "The City That Never Sleeps" may be overwhelming, with the endless list of hotels, dining, and activity options, we’re here to make it easy!

We’ve rounded up the top 3 hotel spaces that make a statement. This means you get to focus on connecting investors with key business partners. Book an event at any of these choices and you’re sure to impress your investors, presenting companies, and your senior management! Let us help you look good.

Lotte New York Palace

455 Madison Avenue

Our first stop is in the center of it all: Midtown Manhattan. Located between 50th and 51st on Madison Avenue, this iconic address is less than a 10-minute taxi ride, or a 15 min. subway ride, from Penn Station and just a few steps away from Grand Central Terminal. We think this is NYC’s premier space for meetings and events.

One of New York’s most iconic luxury hotels
- Business Insider

For an investor conference, we recommend either the Villard Ballroom on the 2nd floor or the Holmes I and/or Holmes II. All these rooms have ample space for social distance seating and there are plenty of extra rooms and foyer spaces for additional meetings if needed. With years of experience hosting clients at this hotel, we know the internet infrastructure and bandwidth capacity are tried and true.

Classic New York Luxury takes center stage at the Lotte New York Palace and is sure to leave a lasting impression on your attendees and sponsors.

Thompson Central Park New York

119 West 56th Street

Modern luxury takes precedence at Thompson Central Park New York. The newly renovated hotel is poised on the southern edge of Central Park (what some call Billionaire’s Row). It’s going to be hard to beat this location at 56th Street and 7th Ave. It's less than a 10-minute taxi ride or a 10-minute subway ride from NY Penn Station. And it’s just a quick taxi (or a brisk 10-minute walk) from Grand Central Terminal.

The Tansa 1 & 2 or Azekka rooms are perfect meeting and event spaces to accommodate your next investor conference. Or venture up to the large Penthouse room, an ideal space for breakfast or a luncheon. With the recent renovation, the internet infrastructure is dependable.

You (and your attendees) won’t be disappointed when you host your conference steps away from Central Park.

InterContinental New York Barclay

111 East 48th Street

Another iconic luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan earns a spot on our top 3 with its historic charm, modern splendor, grand event spaces, and impeccable service. The entire venue was renovated, starting in 2018, including the internet infrastructure. Located on 48th Street off Lexington Ave, it's a 12-minute taxi ride or an 18-minute subway ride from Penn Station, and just a 5 - 10 minute walk from Grand Central Terminal.

The Empire Ballroom I or II are our preferred choices of rooms, immediately left of the registration area, with other spaces available for meetings, including the Rockefeller, Morgan, Vanderbilt, and Astor Suites.

Book spacious and elegant spaces at the InterContinental that inspire action. It’s the perfect setting for your important investor meetings.

Need an event partner?

We’ve tested and vetted these venues many times with our AV team and webcasting team. Combine these impeccable spaces with our years of experiences, and your investor event is sure to run flawlessly. Schedule a chat today and see how we help you wow your guests.

5 Secrets to Hiring an AV Company for Events

Claire Heger — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Whether you’re planning an industry conference, virtual webinar, continuing education event, hybrid event, or anything in between, hiring the right audio-visual provider is vital to the success of your show. You must do your homework and research a company that facilitates all of your event needs while delivering successful results.

Finding the right provider can be difficult or overwhelming, but when you do, you’ll end up with a lifelong partner, advisor, and support team. You’ll want to stick with your AV team because dependability is everything.

For example, you don’t always have to use the in-house hotel provider. And rather than take chances, be sure to look at these 5 secrets to help you hire the best A/V company.

1. Always Hire an Expert

Technology is always changing and typically, for the better. Is your onsite AV team a group of skilled technicians who are versed in the latest technology? Do they have customer service skills to pin-point your needs and the best solutions without breaking the bank? An experienced team is equipped to predict, prevent, and swiftly address potential roadblocks and technical issues that you can’t predict.

An expert AV team is obsessed with details and knows the ins and out’s of the tech requirements for your event (while being able to work with curveballs thrown late in the game). That means you don’t have to worry and you have one less item on your long to-do list.

Once the equipment is in place, an expert AV team checks it each morning to ensure:

Microphones are tested and staged
Sound quality is perfected
TVs or projectors are on and functioning
The stage area looks clean and presentable
Every presentation is executed flawlessly

Everything is done efficiently so meetings and sessions start on time and your event schedule can carry on as planned. When you hire an expert, they do their job so you can focus on yours.

2. Know Their Reputation

It’s essential to know the details of the company’s reputation:

How many years have they been in the industry?
How many clients do they have?
How many projects have they done in the last 12 months?
There is enough power supply for the equipment being used
Have they worked with your type of event? Or is this their first time streaming a webcast?
Are they local or national
Do they have any referrals?

These are all important questions to ask when evaluating their reputation. Read reviews online or ask for references from previous clients who hosted events that look like yours.

(Hint: if they are hesitant to provide this, it may be a major red flag that there have been significant issues with former customers).

3. Know the Costs (and be aware of the hidden fees)

You don’t want to cut corners on an important event, but you also don’t want to go over budget. Here’s the good news: you don’t have to sacrifice quality, or get blind-sided by last-minute, unexpected costs if you thoroughly discuss your needs with your AV provider.

Expand on your vision and goals along with your budget with your AV company. Discuss what has or hasn't worked in the past. They should explain a cost-effective solution based on your needs.

Before signing a contract, know what’s included and ask about additional fees. Don’t get caught off guard because you overlooked the details and didn’t realize you signed off with the same AV company for 5 years. Here are some common AV fees to know: <

Cables - the more cables you use, the more it will cost.
Power - you need to ensure the venue has adequate power for the equipment being used. Do you need additional power? That comes at an additional cost.
Venue - many venues tack on fees for pretty much anything. Ask for reasons for different fees, and negotiate to eliminate unnecessary fees.
Labor - there will be costs to load in and load out, for staffed engineers and technicians.
Union Properties - there MAY be Unionized labor obligations when using a third-party A/V company. Be sure to provide your A/V company with an agenda and track/presentation room count so they can work with the Union accordingly and keep costs down

Believe it or not, most of the longest-living A/V partnerships start with clients reaching out to another provider and sharing quotes that they initially thought were too expensive or missing critical equipment.

4. Second-to-None Customer Service

Customer service is key. Pay attention to how you’re treated, starting with the first phone call or email interaction and eventually, when reviewing their initial quote. The right team is:

proactive and hands-on from start to finish.
able to answer your questions thoughtfully and respectfully
ensures you are satisfied with the budget and production plan

5. Consultation and Facility Walkthrough

Does your AV team work hand-in-hand with the venue coordinator, or other outside vendors, to ensure all of your requests have been fulfilled?

They should meet with you at the event location to shed light on their equipment, table layout, staging, decor, and much more. Yes, this includes knowing where the electrical outlets are located, too. They will also locate the loading dock, confirm if the venue is Union or non-Union, and map out registration.

The AV team should be detail-oriented from the start of planning through execution, and they should conduct an event follow-up to ensure you received extraordinary results.

Has your current AV team requested feedback on their past performance to enhance future events? Are there any small things that stood out which should be improved? Do you feel 100% comfortable with your and your attendee's experience?

Are you in good hands?

If any of these suggestions hit a nerve, it may be time to shop around. PlanetAV is the one-stop-shop show production company for any sized event. Located in East Rutherford, NJ, PlanetAV has been nationally servicing events for the last ten years and continues to expand its reach into Canada and beyond.

A well-discussed plan and budget will put you at ease and you’ll know that your event will take place as envisioned. PlanetAV offers top-tier equipment and production services in a variety of packages. Or you can receive customized options for the most cost-effective solution specific to your event (without compromising quality in equipment and service), that a typical A/V company can not provide.

Whether you’re planning a virtual conference, hybrid webinar, or an onsite event, deliver the highest quality technology experience while eliminating any possibility of last-minute errors. Our team breathes life back into your event and ensures it's the most modern and relaxed experience possible.

Your Trade Show is Doomed Without a 1x1 Meeting Program

Claire Heger — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Booths can be expensive and reliant on luck to generate leads: will the right people look at the booths? Will they stop by? Will you recognize them when you see them? An exhibitor might receive hundreds of visitors at their booth, but are they the high-quality leads they need?

Rather than take chances, here are the top three reasons a 1-on-1 meeting program can produce a better ROI for those attending or exhibiting at a trade show.

1. The magic of meeting in-person

Meeting in person is still SO important for conducting business. Human interaction is the best way to build trust and establish business relationships that last. The face-to-face environment provides a true sense of connection because we communicate more effectively when we read and can respond to non-verbal cues:

Facial expressions
Tone of voice
Eye contact
Gestures
Posture

A firm handshake and steady eye contact can forge the foundation for a conversation, guide responses, and lead to more meaningful dialogue.

But drawn-out conversations with the wrong target market won’t meet the strategic goals of attending. Exhibitors and sponsors alike need to talk to the right people.

2. Get the right people to your booth

Exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees can better maximize their time on the show floor by having those meaningful face-to-face meetings. How? By guaranteeing the right people arrive at the right booth at the right time.

With a 1x1 meeting program, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees:

see who’s attending
make meeting requests
confirm appointments

leading up to the show. They decide who they want to meet with and a match-making program automatically fills thousands of schedule requests in seconds. If you’ve been doing these programs manually, this reduces your pre-event work stress and saves hours (if not days) of time.

Participants show up with a personalized agenda, packed with pre-scheduled appointments, knowing they will be seeing people who match their predetermined criteria for the best target market.

Who are the best people to meet at an event? Those who are:

Decision makers
Have purchasing power
Have budget

Giving exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees a results-focused reason to attend strengthens their desire to attend. And ensuring that they speak to their ideal match buyers can solidify their decision to attend, sponsor, or exhibit.

3. Reduce time to close and accelerate the sales pipeline

A 1-on-1 meeting program can increase lead volume and quality, but this is only the start. Implementing a lead-capture and retrieval system for your exhibitors and sponsors helps them maximize the value of your trade show or conference. Exhibitors who can collect leads immediately and follow up will be able to capitalize on their new connections.

Capturing this data is as easy as scanning badges, taking notes, and ensuring these leads meet your sales criteria on event day. All the data is also easy to access after the show. This helps exhibitors and sponsors better understand the event traffic, and helps them turn leads into sales. The lead-capture software also helps trace closed business back to the pre-booked appointments, to measure event ROI.

Become the “Go To” Event

Connecting attendees with exhibitors and sponsors can help make your event the best “go to market” decision. A 1:1 meeting program is the best way to establish meaningful relationships, make the most of an event, and take business to new heights. Exhibitors and sponsors will be happy to attend, year after year, when provided with this platform.

MeetMax Conference Software is the tool to help you create this type of targeted 1x1 program. In fact, it can be your overall Event Tech Platform, including flexible registration and payment options, floor plan management, and attendance tracking.

Thousands of meeting requests can be filled via programming and automation, and attendees have the flexibility to make and confirm their own appointments, too. Whether it’s a professional partnering event, a hosted buyer program, or a B2B exchange, a single software platform saves time and delivers the best conference and meeting program.

Don't Pick a Conference Destination No One Likes

Claire Heger — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Conference location can be a key driver of attendance and attendee satisfaction. Your best attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors are all looking for a direct flight, they want to go to a good climate, and they want it to be easy to get to from the airport. These days, people are also looking for public transportation options and local activities.

As more people blend work-travel with family time and leisure vacations, location will be one of the more critical decisions in the event planning process. With this in mind, here are the top 5 cities, in no particular order, to host a conference in the U.S. that you may not have thought about recently.

Atlanta, GA

Airport to downtown: 16 minutes

No one likes long flights and layovers and Atlanta is one of the country’s most accessible cities, with a highly efficient airport. In fact, 80% of the U.S. population is within a two-hour flight of Atlanta!

Not only does Atlanta have convenient transportation, great weather, and plenty of delicious dining, the city is also home to state-of-the-art convention venues. From the grand Georgia World Congress Center, with 1.4 million sq feet of exhibit space, to one of the many hotels in the Atlanta metro area, there is a venue for your event, large or small.

Take advantage of the 24 hotels with over 10,000 rooms within the convention and entertainment district, and give attendees easy access to attractions and great dining within a few minute’s walk.

Phoenix, Arizona

Airport to downtown: 5 minutes

Are you planning a conference in the middle of winter? Replace chilly temps with sunny skies and give attendees an escape from snowy and icy weather. With an average temperature of 72 degrees in February, attendees have endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors in Phoenix.

The recently renovated Phoenix Convention Center, a 900,000 square-foot venue, is located in the downtown area. With a walkable downtown and a new light rail system, attendees can get anywhere in the city with ease.

Between modern meeting facilities, flavorful cuisine, and stunning mountain backdrops, Phoenix is an ideal meeting and event destination.

Washington, D.C.

Airport to downtown: 15 minutes

With its historical appeal, unique meeting and event venues, diverse culture, and world-renowned dining, event attendees can visit and explore the nation’s capital. Event experiences in D.C. are truly unique.

Host your event in the National Space Museum, Museum of Natural History, or the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Organize tours to the White House, National Mall, and the United States Capital. Make your event memorable by placing it in the most iconic city in the U.S.

Washington, D.C. is also an industry-knowledge hub. It offers unmatched access to federal government and policy leaders, which can add value to your event and take your conference program to the next level.

Make history with your event in Washington, D.C.

Nashville, Tennessee

Airport to downtown: 19 minutes

Welcome to Music City! Nashville has a rich musical history and diverse scenery, making it home to an exceptional balance of entertainment, restaurants, attractions, and event spaces.

There are plenty of options for your next event, whether you are looking for an intimate space, a historic estate, or a large convention center.

Attendees can dive into music history and the creative culture of local Nashville neighborhoods, exploring the culinary scene and tasting Nashville specialties like hot chicken and barbeque.

There is always something going on and the music never stops in Nashville!

Denver, Colorado

Airport to downtown: 20 minutes

How does 300 days of sunshine sound? You are almost guaranteed blue skies and an exciting adventure when you host your next event in Denver, a vibrant and growing city located at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

Denver has a sizzling culinary reputation and is America’s #1 craft beer city. It offers more than 12,000 hotel rooms in the downtown area (with thousands more under construction). Attendees can explore Denver’s trendy neighborhoods and head to the mountains afterward, extending their conference trip with a scenic getaway.

Denver offers nonstop flights from more than 200 domestic and international cities and a low-cost, light rail train makes getting from the airport to downtown quick and easy.

Attendee satisfaction will skyrocket when you host an event in the Mile High City.