Social Networking for meetings: latest trends use interactive technology.

• Author: Zak, Karen
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Conventions, Meetings & Corporate Travel

Social Networking and technology is revolutionizing the way we plan, deliver and promote events. Most businesses today are actively embracing social media in the work place as a new marketing tool creating a two-way conversation. But how are social networking sites and technology utilized in meetings?

In the past, "going green" and reducing our environmental footprint has been all the rage. We eliminated paper conference solicitations and replaced them with online registration; we stopped printing massive amounts of speaker handouts and, instead, we loaded them on USB drives. Online registration is now the norm and PowerPoint presentations are posted on the conference website before, during and after a conference. Paper evaluations have been replaced with survey software that captures data online and tallies the evaluations instantly. So, what are the latest trends now and into the future?

INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION

Social networking sites have exploded on the meeting scene. Clients are creating conference Facebook sites, Twitter sites and mobile apps specific to the meeting or event. These sites create an active dialog about the conference and allow attendees to connect with colleagues and friends; chat about meeting up after an event; or "tweet" about the best place to dine. A dedicated conference site can instantly create a "buzz" about the event, reach a new generation of participants, and establish a favorable perception that the organizer is current and relevant. The sites also provide real-time feedback during an event that allows organizers to monitor the attendee feedback about the event and, if negative, acknowledge the issue with a "tweet" and ensure the audience knows you are reacting to their concerns.

Another example of how interactive technology is being utilized in meetings is the use of QR codes. For those unfamiliar, a QR code (short for "quick response") is a sort of barcode that stores information that can be captured and interpreted by a mobile device by way of the camera on the device. One example is a scavenger hunt game with QR codes created for a conference. An email blast was sent to participants announcing the contest rules along with the first hint in the form of a Q R code. The unique QR codes were printed on door signs, exhibitor maps and sponsor signs throughout the conference and each one held a clue to a list of...