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EVER CONSIDERED A conference app? They’re not just for organizers – they’re tools that can easily improve the attendee experience, letting them know if the location for a breakout or the time for their team-building meetup has changed, streamlining the check-in process, or even let them know the best nearby options for coffee or cocktails.
Some allow for customization, helping users easily create schedules and lists based on the things they want to do, see and accomplish.
Here are a few planners are digging beyond the household names:
Attendify
Suitable for hybrid and virtual events, Attendify’s features maximize networking between all the players – exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and, of course, attendees. Among its key features: one-on-one meeting options and the ability to engage, using “likes” and other means to allow organizers to track interest. www.attendify.com
MemberClicks
This one’s an attendee’s dream through which your team can maximize guest experience by polling attendees as soon as a specific in-conference meeting or event is over, or when the whole meeting wraps up – you can even poll them during an actual session to get real-time feedback. MemberClicks, too, allows for updates to schedules and locations and a fun scavenger hunt helps connect attendees directly to exhibitors. www.memberclicks.com
Pathable
Creating personalized agendas, interactive event space maps and other neat features (searchable attendee directory!), this app is focused largely on attendee engagement and allows for a range, right down to one-on-one interaction. www.pathable.com
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Survey Says …
WANT TO KNOW what’s going on in the world of association communications? Naylor’s 10th annual Association Communications Benchmarking Report released its findings after examining input from some 500 senior association executives. Featured prominently: the continued impacts of the pandemic on member engagement, staffing and non-dues revenue, among other things.
While live events have restarted after largely coming to a halt in 2020, virtual and hybrid meetings remain a vital alternative as association members seek education and engagement. Notable, nearly 40% of those surveyed say larger legacy events aren’t translating as well into the virtual realm. Face-to-face is still preferred, of course, but members are coming around to the “new normal,” noting that distance learning and virtual events are still extremely valuable – that number went from 56% in 2020 to 64% this year. Download the report at content.naylor.com/benchmarkingreport.
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Around the DFW Metroplex
It’s 5 O’Clock in Plano
Ready to set sail? The Suburban Yacht Club just opened recently at The Boardwalk at Granite Park. A coastal-inspired cantina, its menu features tropical cocktails and fun takes on food (Flamin’ Hot Cheetos elote, for example). Happy Hour runs Monday-Friday for casual meetups post session – frozen drinks, including their house margarita, may be of the order after a long day in the meeting room trenches.
Nice Swing, Arlington
It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got it, but come 2023 Arlington will up its swing with the opening of the RiverPark Arlington, an 87-room boutique property that will feature a state-of-the-art driving range with climate-controlled bays, private suites and a miniature golf course. The golf facilities are just one feature that plays to an active lifestyle on what is a 29-acre property. Upmarket tennis facilities featuring cameras for performance analysis are another draw for guests, as well as a gastropub, infinity pool and spa – not to mention 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
Aloha in Addison & Frisco
The concept may have been born in the Midwest, but the cuisine comes straight outta the 808, where the food isn’t just island but influenced by the myriad cultures that have found haven in Hawaii. Hawaii’s food is all its own, and now Hawaiian Bros. Grill, a fast-casual concept, is setting up shops around the metro. Known for its island-style plate lunch takes, planners looking for a luau in the region may look to its catering services to give their events a hit of Hawaii.
