Marketing TechnologyData & AnalyticsPlanning a live event? Here are some of the best ways to collect attendee data

Planning a live event? Here are some of the best ways to collect attendee data

Marketers spend much of their time (and budgets) collecting data from each and every online interaction with audiences, from website visits to social media engagement. However, many marketers often miss the important data attendees are providing at live events.

Marketers spend much of their time (and budgets) collecting data from each and every online interaction with audiences, from website visits to social media engagement. However, many marketers often miss the important data attendees are providing at live events.

Live event data, such as feedback around panels, social media discussions, and even Q&A questions, can give marketers unique insights into the problems attendees are looking to solve when they leave the event and head back to work. Here are the best ways to make sure you’re picking up those signals.

Content produced in collaboration with Cvent.

Start getting to know your attendees before the event

Most organizers understand the importance of capturing some data before the event. A recent survey of event professionals by Cvent found that one out of ten organizers ask attendees for their full contact information. However, most aren’t asking much else. For example, only 22% are asking for social media handles, while just 35% are asking for attendee’s decision-making level.

And while no one wants to fill out a form the length of a Buzzfeed quiz before they’ve even made it to the event, asking targeted questions with future contact in mind could be the first step toward following up with attendees in meaningful ways.

But don’t forget to keep up with them in person

Of course, the most important source of data comes when attendees actually arrive on-site. But apart from registration, many organizers are losing track of what people are doing once they actually get to the event. Only 35% of event professionals say that they have a full understanding of which sessions guests attended, what questions they asked in those sessions, or even how well-received the event was. Checking in with attendees on social media and via mobile app not only makes attendees feel seen and heard, it also makes it much easier to follow up with personalized messaging, not to mention planning even better events in the future.  

Social media

Creating a hashtag around an event is a great first step in getting attendees engaged, but many event professionals simply aren’t following up. Social media is not only a great way to interact with attendees onsite, but it also provides a wealth of attendee data. Yet just 32% of event professionals are collecting data from social media.

Once you’ve pushed your hashtag, follow it! Use insights from your hashtag to answer questions, concerns, and compliments from attendees. And post-event, use your social media response not only to plan future events, but to understand which parts of the event individuals best responded to. If you collected social media information before the event, hashtag data could prove especially helpful.

Mobile apps

Social media is an excellent way to keep tabs on the conversation around your event, but creating a mobile app goes a step further, creating a one-to-one relationship with attendees. Mobile apps not only provide quick access to valuable session information and even maps of the physical event location, but an event-specific app can also boost audience engagement by allowing attendees to ask panel questions and connect directly with event coordinators. You’re probably not going to get your guests to write out a list of which panels are relevant to their interests and what their specific needs are, but you can carefully record the questions they ask and the sessions that most interested them in order to provide follow-ups specifically connected to the ways they spent their time at your event.

Personalized follow-ups make a good impression

Most event organizers are pretty good about using data to plan future events, but when it comes to following up with attendees to make sales, many are still struggling to utilize the buying signals attendees gave at the event. Just 48% of event professionals say that they use all those social media posts, Q&A questions, and survey responses to provide personalized follow-ups for attendees who seem ready to buy.

For more information on how to use event data to create leads and drive sales, join ClickZ and Cvent here.

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