It’s all about meeting the right people

The pain of networking at Business event

A well-known business saying claims: “Your net worth is only as good as your network”. It is a well-known fact that the majority of guests attending conferences and trade shows hope to establish new and relevant business contacts. A study of over 7000 respondent conducted by the Experience Institute in collaboration with the International Association of Exhibitions and Events and the Professional Convention Management Association showed that 3 out of 4 attendees named networking as a key motivation to attend conferences and exhibitions. Networking is not only about who you want to meet. Conferences and exhibitions are also an excellent way for people to meet you. Whether you are a CEO of a multinational company or a second year grad student, you may meet someone at a meal, in the exhibition hall or anywhere else and within a few minutes forge ties with someone that could dramatically impact your professional career. This is especially important when you are looking for clients, associates or even job opportunities. Conferences are a way to get your name and your work out there as you begin to build your network, Event organizers know that networking is a major reason why potential attendees register and attend. Good conferences and exhibitions organizers structure opportunities for attendees to mix and mingle, form new contacts and strengthen existing (sometime email or phone based) relationships. Over coffee breaks, lunch or cocktail, attendees may connect with the perfect provider or prospect. At a breakout session, conference attendees may find themselves sitting next to potential new customers or strategic partners. If they do not attend, the biggest competitor may very well be sitting in his seat.

In One Word: Frustration.

Imagine the feeling of paying the registration fee of a conference or a trade show, clearing your schedule, booking flights and hotel- all with the hope that attending the event would prove instrumental in propelling your business forward. You’re smart so you try to setup some meetings with business partner who maybe attending. On the first day, you show up all dressed up to the registration area, where you are proudly presented with your freshly printed name tag. The tag has your name, title and company name. You think to yourself “the tag will do the work” Or so you hope. You walk into the venue overwhelmed by thousands of other attendees- all wearing a similar name tag. You do your best to elegantly read some name tags and approach some people awkwardly engaging in a conversation with them- not knowing who they are and how relevant they could be to your business. Three days later, you are on an airport bench waiting for your flight home while thinking to yourself: “All that money and time spent, thousands of people around me, I must have walked by many potential customers or partners, I may even sat with them during lunch or they were standing behind me in the breakout session and I don’t know who they are”. The frustration could not be bigger.

Event Apps to the Rescue.

Event organizers are not blind to this issue. When promoting their event, the organizers focus on networking opportunities as a key selling point. In recent years, event organizers have begun featuring new tools to improve attendees’ ROI. A starting point involved providing detailed information on exhibitors and facilitating exhibition route planning. Another step forward was featuring platforms that allowed attendees to express interest in certain companies and occasionally request to schedule a meeting with them. The next step involved releasing the list of registered attendees before the event, thereby allowing people to research and request to schedule a meeting in designated "meeting zones”. These pre-event tools offered some improvement but the feeling of missed opportunities shared by many attendees was still prevalent. To better tackle this challenge, event organizers turned to event apps in the hopes that these apps could help attendees network during the event. Event apps are fast becoming a standard in any event regardless of size. Most event apps still feature static data about the event venue (maps), exhibitors list and information, lectures schedule and speaker’s bios. Recently, an increasing number of apps are trying to help attendees communicate and connect to each other. To accomplish this, the event apps feature discussion groups or bulletin boards where attendees can register and post their thoughts and comments. Other apps offer some basic forms of communication between attendees based on the lists of registered attendees. These tools resulted in some improvement but did not achieve a real breakthrough in addressing the attendees’ networking challenges.

There Must Be a Better Way. There Is.

To crack this challenge and maximize the networking potential any event could deliver to its attendees, what you need is to facilitate real-time, relevant face to face encounters. Let’s break this down: allowing people to communicate by email before the event is of limited value. Letting people reach out to someone who has registered but may be attending on a different day- again, limited value. Reaching out to someone who is attending but is across the campus, three halls away is still problematic. What you want to achieve is location awareness between attendees (aka proximity sensing). Reaching out to someone who is now 10 or 40 feet from you- bingo! Proximity sensing facilitates real-time interactions, dramatically increasing the chance that both attendees will actually meet right there and then. Now for the relevance. Reaching out to other attendees hoping they are the right person is like winning the lottery. You need a match engine that works in the background that constantly searches the right people based on specific profile characteristics. You need this engine to let you know exactly when the right person is near you, that allows you to view their profile and decide if you want to approach. The combination of profile relevance and contact proximity is what is missing in today’s networking solutions. A recently launched service from Check Mate Technologies provides just that: proximity-based networking solution that only requires attendees to download the event app and bring their phone. Check is out. This is the next big thing in event technology.

The Advantages of Face-to-Face Networking

Let’s face it, we live in a digital world, and in many ways, technology has revolutionized the business world. From Skype meetings to webinars, video conferencing to screen shares, business has changed. Social networking via platforms like LinkedIn, connect us with our contacts. Business communication is easy now in a way that we could only imagine two decades ago. Yet while technology has its advantages, it also has its perils. After all, the hallmark of a busy professional is a lack of time. It makes eliminating business travel one of the great temptations technology offers. When we're busy, networking with new and existing clients via tech seems like a no-brainer. But statistics show that face-to-face communication holds immense power. For example, consider the recent infographic posted by billionaire Richard Branson. He advised that to 72% of people, a person's handshake helps them form a strong impression of that person. Moreover, 95% of people feel that face-to-face meetings are vital to business relationships. Those are some pretty good reasons to perfect your face-to-face networking skills. So what other advantages are there to face-to-face communication?

Advantages of Face-to-Face Networking

Show, Don’t Tell

One of the most important aspects of in-person meetings is being able to show people who you are. Often we come across as being quite different online. Personal interaction gives you the power to control the impression you make. And when dealing with an important contact, that control can make all the difference. Consider this: how often have you read someone’s blog online and formed an impression of them? Only later to see them in an interview or meet them in person and realize your impression was all wrong? As business professionals, our personalities are one of our biggest assets. Meeting our connections face-to-face is essential to unleashing our personal power. It’s an advantage you don’t have if you only network online.

Body Language

Body language is key to understanding others. It's also vital to communicating a clear personal message. Verbal and written communication is vital. Yet body language helps us to pick up on non-verbal queues. It lets us ‘read between the lines’ when connecting with others. By using the power of body language to understand others, you build a presence in their minds You become real to them. Body language is an essential communication tool, one that can define you. Engaging face-to-face, build depth and character. You're not just one of many vague online connections.

Building Relationships

So what is this all leading up to? Ultimately, face-to-face networking helps us build solid relationships with a human connection. Building a meaningful connection through typed messages alone is difficult. That goes without saying. Sure, you can use grammar and punctuation to get your tone across. But you’re never going to be as vivacious or seem as energetic via messaging as you are in person.

Networking at Conferences and Exhibitions

Face-to-face networking is one of the most powerful ways to maximize your personality. It's vital to connecting with potential contacts. Which means that conferences and exhibitions offer a gold mine of opportunity. Used well, these events are an effective tool for exponential growth. They provide a wealth of opportunity to make both personal and professional connections. The good news? With the use of event apps, you can optimize your event networking. You can connect with the right people ahead of time. You can plan your priorities and set up meetings. Are you an event coordinator? Use an event app to help with face-to-face networking. Consider supplying an app so your attendees can maximize the value of their time spent at your event By helping your attendees to connect in a meaningful way, you’ll provide incredible value. And that means your events will be popular year after year.

Event statistics and the power of data

In this age of Big Data in which we live, the ability to track users’ location, collect and analyze information and draw insights have transformed almost every aspect of our lives. From digital online marketing, to air travel to personalized digital health- the power of data is a force driving almost any consumer service. Although the event industry has been lagging in adopting information technologies and has been slow to evolve in comparison with other industries, this however is changing. Gone are the days where knowing how many people registered or arrived at an event was considered “data analytics”. Competitive pressure from all industry stake holders is pushing the industry forward. The race to seek and present true ROI to sponsors, exhibitors and attendees is spurring the collection of data that can be used to demonstrate and justify to potential stakeholders the e business motivation in investing time and money in a business event The need to collect granular data on the user level means that you need to observe how and where attendees are spending their time at the event venue, not as an individuals, but as grouped data. As an event organizer, the sooner you know this the better you can react. Not just to improve the next event- but to respond during the event. Yes, real-time or near real time data has even greater value than just aggregated data after the event is over. Before we discuss the enabling technology that allows event big data collection and analysis, let’s put tech-talk aside and concentrate on the data you want to collect and how to best use it.

User Attendance in HD

Answering the when and where as users move throughout the venue during an event is paramount. Knowing when exactly a user first arrives at the event is also key. It is the starting point to the event journey. After spending so much on event promotion to attract potential attendees and converting them to registered attendees- detecting their arrival is like having them step into you store. Arrival time is an important data point that can be used to size and configure the reception and registration teams. Speed of registration is an important factor on attendee satisfaction. The goal is to get them checked-in and on their way to the conference or exhibition as soon as possible. Measuring the length of the check- in process will help asses and affect attendee’s experience. Moreover, knowing there’s a problem in real time, can help address the issue there and then, and not just at the next event. Having an attendee show up at the event is of course a big step in the “event funnel” – but by no means your goal. It is what happens next: between venue arrival and departure where the real valuable data is at. If you know nothing about what happened with your attendees during this time- you’re behind in the game. Tracking where your attendees visited, how much time they spent, and what were they doing is the Holy Grail of event data. Obtaining this information will put you ahead in the game, not only with your direct competition but with your customers, exhibitors and attendees. Now let’s dive deeper. General traffic flow and heat maps are important tools that show where most of the people go and when they do it. It will tell you also where people are not going, which is equally important when talking to exhibitors to whom you’ve sold specific locations on the exhibitions floor. The ability to view this data can help understand the following: are attendees not reaching certain exhibitors booths, or do they pass by, and decide not to enter. The first case maybe a straightforward positioning issue on the floor, where visitors are drawn to more popular or inviting booths, and cut straight to them, while completely skipping certain areas or aisles. The second case, where visitors pass by an exhibitor’s booth, but skip it to enter the next one, is a totally different situation in which the problem may be with the specific booth design or the attitude of exhibitor´s personnel. Imagine having to face an important exhibitor who has paid a considerable amount of money for space and prime location on the floor, when they complain of disappointing traffic to their booth. Now imagine learning this on day one of a four-day event, when this information can be used to help the exhibitor increase the number of visitors to their booth. Answering the when and where as users move throughout the venue during an event is paramount. Knowing when exactly a user first arrives at the event is also key. It is the starting point to the event journey. After spending so much on event promotion to attract potential attendees and converting them to registered attendees- detecting their arrival is like having them step into you store. Arrival time is an important data point that can be used to size and configure the reception and registration teams. Speed of registration is an important factor on attendee satisfaction. The goal is to get them checked-in and on their way to the conference or exhibition as soon as possible. Measuring the length of the check- in process will help asses and affect attendee’s experience. Moreover, knowing there’s a problem in real time, can help address the issue there and then, and not just at the next event. Having an attendee show up at the event is of course a big step in the “event funnel” – but by no means your goal. It is what happens next: between venue arrival and departure where the real valuable data is at. If you know nothing about what happened with your attendees during this time- you’re behind in the game. Tracking where your attendees visited, how much time they spent, and what were they doing is the Holy Grail of event data. Obtaining this information will put you ahead in the game, not only with your direct competition but with your customers, exhibitors and attendees. Now let’s dive deeper. General traffic flow and heat maps are important tools that show where most of the people go and when they do it. It will tell you also where people are not going, which is equally important when talking to exhibitors to whom you’ve sold specific locations on the exhibitions floor. The ability to view this data can help understand the following: are attendees not reaching certain exhibitors booths, or do they pass by, and decide not to enter. The first case maybe a straightforward positioning issue on the floor, where visitors are drawn to more popular or inviting booths, and cut straight to them, while completely skipping certain areas or aisles. The second case, where visitors pass by an exhibitor’s booth, but skip it to enter the next one, is a totally different situation in which the problem may be with the specific booth design or the attitude of exhibitor´s personnel. Imagine having to face an important exhibitor who has paid a considerable amount of money for space and prime location on the floor, when they complain of disappointing traffic to their booth. Now imagine learning this on day one of a four-day event, when this information can be used to help the exhibitor increase the number of visitors to their booth.

Go Beyond Where and When. Understand What.

Individual attendee tracking can allow a deeper analysis of visitors’ behavior and own ROI. In many events, attendees pay a considerable admission fee, and spend valuable time attending. Taking into account travel time, business people sometimes spend a whole week attending a major conference or trade show. Their dissatisfaction will result in decreased attendance in next year’s conference or exhibition. What if you could generate a report for each user that breaks down lectures attended, booth visited, time spent on each- and even time spent meeting other people face to face. Now you can. Technology today allows it, and offering these services transforms attendees into satisfied visitors who will return next year and spread the word to more colleagues

Now for the HOW

To enable the level of data visibility event organizers can obtain, you need to adopt and put technology to use. Whether it’s smart badges, RFID or Bluetooth transmitters and receivers, Beacons and more- the age of IoT (the Internet of Things) is upon us. Various solutions exist that will bring you a step closer to event data availability. User experience and privacy issues must always be considered when implementing such solutions. And yes, there’s the issue of added cost and some logistics and setup. Among the different solutions out there, one solution stands out in its simplicity and robustness. Check Mate Technologies Ltd has released an app for both Android and iOS. This app could be offered stand alone, or integrated into any other event app (or event platform for that matter). The beauty is that the Check Mate app offers attendees an event networking functionality between all event attendees with no other requirement but the app. This unparalleled level of networking provides all attendees the value they seek, but all the while enabling event organizers, exhibitors and sponsors to get the data that they so desperately seek. Check it out. It just might be the next big thing

Dr. Aric Katz Summarized CV

Dr. Aric Katz (Ph.D., M.Sc., PMP, MCTS) - is an entrepreneur, a forever student (in life) and an industrial engineer with an academic background in simulation for operational research, datamining \ machine-learning (Python), software development and simulators for remote medical training (working on 2 new opportunities in fields of social events and Telemedicine) . Aric is a full stack developer that specializes in rapid prototyping and skilled with a wide range of expertise in software development and project management (Web, Windows, Mobile (IOT), BI, Design Patterns, EV, TOC). Aric currently works as a consultant and software developer for several companies, such as Rafael (aerospace and defense), 888, CISCO, IEC and others. Several of Aric’s products won global and local (Israel) prizes by the IDF, Microsoft and Israel's bureau of engineering. Additionally, Aric’s products were bought by global leading companies, such as Continental Airlines, Georgia Department of Education, Lockheed Martin ConocoPhillips and many more. Aric, wrote 6 provisionals and 1 patent, served as a panel director and lecturer at several PMI and IE conferences and was also appointed in court as an expert witness in an investor's mobile app theft trial. Additional qualifications: Retired captain in filed intelligence units, diving Instructor and blends & roasts his own coffee!