Month: July 2018
ABCey Presents Startup Monday: Spoke
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that showcases some of the best and most innovative startups based in the San Francisco Bay Area! These are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past. Today, we’d like to highlight Spoke!
Spoke
What is it?
Spoke is a workplace manager system that gives support teams within organizations a single place to manage employee requests. It includes ticketing, knowledge management, and self-service powered by artificial intelligence (A.I.). By allowing employees from different departments to communicate on a single platform, this system makes workplace management simpler and more efficient!
Why We Love It?
Spoke uses advanced technology to make work management faster and easier, and at ABCey, we love tech! This system allows companies to focus more on the work that’s important to them. It helps employees get answers quickly, so they can continue doing their jobs well. Not to mention, it’s extremely affordable with prices ranging from as little as $1/month-$3/month, depending on the type of plan you get. Now that’s a steal!
How Does it Work?
Spoke uses chatbots, which automatically respond to employees’ questions on Slack, email, SMS, and the web, so you don’t have to respond to every single request! Its ticketing system is also organized and easy to use, unlike traditional ticketing systems, giving you everything you need to manage employee requests all in one place. Not only this, but Spoke’s knowledge management base keeps tabs on all sorts of important information, no matter where it came from within the company. This way, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of it all yourself!
Do you use Spoke? How do you like it? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
ABCey Presents: Top 10 Event Marketing Strategies
Knowing how to market your events is essential to your success as an event planner. There is a lot to consider for event promotion, but don’t be overwhelmed! ABCey presents a list of the top 10 event marketing strategies for you to test out at your next event!
1. Experimenting With AR Content
It is no surprise that augmented reality (AR) is becoming more and more popular at events. However, this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the type of content you can create to promote your event. Especially now that the iPhone X is going mainstream, AR will be so much easier for event marketers to use.
2. Social Media Influencers
Social media influencers are another powerful event marketing trend and finding the right one can put your event on the map. However, finding the right influencer for your event can be a challenge. Luckily, several social media tools are out there to help you, like SocialRank, Scrunch, SocialLadder, and StreetTeam.
3. Experiential Marketing
Experiential marketing can take many different forms, but at its core it’s all about immersing your guests in a memorable, live experience. Attendees crave personalized, unique experiences, so this marketing strategy is sure to be well-received!
4. Event Distribution
Event distribution allows consumers to purchase tickets the moment they find out about your event instead of having to visit your site. This marketing strategy makes ticket purchasing quick and easy and can help you find potential attendees naturally. An example of this process is the event discovery app Goldstar, which is very successful with 7 million members.
5. Invest in Short and Snappy Video Content
Video content can capture your audience’s attention quickly and is easily shared, which helps spread the world about your event. 70% of marketing professionals find that video converts better than any other medium, so it’s a marketing tool worth investing in!
6. Use Call to Actions That Demand Action
Believe it or not, call to actions such as “register now” or “click to learn more” actually work! Be sure to use them in your marketing messages. You can even get creative with how you phrase them!
7. Creating a “Why Attend” Page With Compelling Content
A “Why Attend” page is intended to explain to consumers why investing their time and money in your event is worth it. When creating this page, it’s important to envision your ideal attendee and appeal to that type of person. If done right, “Why Attend” pages are highly likely to increase event attendance!
8. Real-Time Crowd Shaping Through Smartphones and Wearables
With the capabilities of smartphones and wearable technology, it will be so much easier to adjust elements of the event’s environment based on the attendees’ behavior in real time! For example, if the attendees look cold, you can increase the temperature in the room right then in there, or if the music’s too loud, you can turn it down on the spot! Smartphones and wearables will ensure your events run smoothly!
9. Measuring ROI
ROI (return on investment) is very important for event planners to keep in mind when trying to get hired. By measuring ROI ahead of time, you’ll show your client that you can help them get the most bang for their buck. Not only that, but you’ll also be able to prove how you plan to do that! The numbers are just as important as the final product!
10. Highly Targeted Emails
Contrary to popular belief, email is a very effective channel for marketing. Event marketing through emails allows you to segment your audience based on interest, location, and engagement, which will help you build rapport by creating meaningful content. Email personalizes your message, and everybody likes to feel special!
Which event marketing strategy will you try? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey’s San Francisco Weekend Lineup 7/13-7/15
It’s almost Friday! ABCey brings you this week’s San Francisco Weekend Lineup with the top events in the Bay Area! Get excited for this sunny weekend ahead!
Weekend Lineup: Summer Cocktail Party
July 13th | 10pm |RSVP For Free Entry |Bar Fluxus
Start your weekend off with this colorful celebration at SF’s newest art bar! Bar Fluxus is throwing a party that includes live street art painting, DJs, hand-crafted spring cocktails, and more. End your stressful week the right way with this fun summer activity!
Flower Piano
July 13th-15th | All Day During Open Hours |Free Admission with SF ID|San Francisco Botanical Garden
The SF Botanical Garden’s Flower Piano is back this summer until July 16th! With 12 pianos scattered all throughout the gardens, find where the concerts will be this weekend or play one of the piano’s yourself!
138-Year-Old Bastille Day Party
July 14th | 11am-7pm |Free Admission|Embarcadero Plaza
2nd Annual Adobo Cook-Off For a Cause
July 14th | 11am-1pm |Tickets Sold for $25|7 Mile House Sports Bar & Grill
Watch the World Cup Final at Civic Center
July 15th | 8am-10am |Free Admission|Civic Center Plaza
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for…the World Cup final! Come to Civic Center Plaza to watch the game with a crowd. There will also be lawn games and food trucks! If you’re not already, get pumped!
Which events will you attend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
ABCey’s #TechTuesday: Top 5 Event Tech Trends in 2018
#TechTuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. Today’s #TechTuesday features the top 5 event tech trends to make your events stand out.
1. Facial Recognition
Facial recognition serves many different functions at events, such as speeding up the registration process, improving security, and it helps with getting feedback from attendees. FR also allows you to reach new audiences via social media. Try encouraging your guests and staff to post photos of the event to Facebook and to tag themselves, which will help showcase your event!
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI has also recently joined the event tech trends family, mainly because it has the ability to personalize guests’ experiences. One aspect of AI that has caught the attention of event planners are chatbots, which offer automated customer service to guests. Give it a try!
3. Event Apps
Event apps can help your event run more smoothly and efficiently, and has been a prominent event tech trend for a while. Grupio and CrowdCompass are just a few of the great event apps we recommend. Use our list of the Top 5 Apps for Event Engagement to find the best app for your next event!
4. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
These two tech trends are on the rise and can help make your event more interactive. VR is useful if you want to transport your guest into a completely different world. AR is helpful if you want your guests to be able to incorporate the environment around them so they can view and interact with it on their personal devices. Which one will you use?
5. Social Media
There are so many new ways to incorporate Social media into your next event. Try having a social vending machine filled with event or brand related swag/apparel! Another social media trend to use at events is a hashtag mosaic. Luster has a fun tool that takes your event hashtag to make a mosaic wall. These tools are sure to get your guests excited!
Which event tech trend will you use at your next event? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey Presents: 5 Creative Ideas for Upcycled Event Decor!
Whether it’s a small event, a huge conference, or a gala, purchasing or renting event decor can be very wasteful and pricey! ABCey has compiled a list of our favorite ideas for upcycled event decor!
1. Actual Trash (and yes, we mean it!)
Actual trash! You can use thrown-out trash and transform it into a banner of trash bags or a beautiful backdrop for your guests. This one was even from one of our events, Creating Equilibrium – an environmental conference and festival that focused on sustainability! Based on the theme, we designed a depiction of our oceans by upcycling thrown-out trash.
2. Wooden Pallets
Wooden pallets are one of the best things to upcycle! It effortlessly adds a natural element to your event and can be transformed into a multitude of things! You can stack them for a makeshift table, hang photos and lights from them, paint them to make signs, and so much more. All it takes is a little imagination..
3. Old Rope and Leftover Boards
With old and sturdy rope and a board, you can create a suspended tabletop for any outdoor event! Dress it up for an elegant party or add some party favors for your guests! If you want add a playful feel for any younger guests or those with young hearts, you can create a swing! It’ll also become a great photo-op for people to remember your event.
4. Hula Hoop
Hula hoops don’t just have to stay around your waist (and sometimes the floor)! With some flowers and greenery, you can completely change your old hula hoop into a chandelier! You can also use it to highlight a statement word you want your guests to remember even after they leave! Cheers!
5. Jars
Jars and bottles are an easy element to upcycle! If you add a little water, you can use them as a vase for florals. Also, you can make it into an activity for your guests with a little paint or twine to let them customize their own! If you are looking to illuminate your event, placing candles or lights inside a jar is a great way add a soft glow!
What is your favorite upcycled event decor?
All these projects can also become a great interactive activity for you and your guests. They’re just as elegant and beautiful as store-bought event decorations. Which ones will you use? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
ABCey’s Startup Monday: Nurx
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that showcases some of the best and most innovative startups based in the San Francisco Bay Area! These are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past. Today, we’d like to highlight Nurx!
Nurx
Nurx, sometimes referred to as the “Uber for birth control,” is a free app for your smartphone device. Essentially, this company is dedicated to eliminating the headache of going to the doctor’s office for birth control. It also means not having to sit uncomfortably in a waiting room, dodging eye contact and hoping you don’t have to make awkward small talk. Hooray!
You simply download the app and provide as much information as you can. You can also chat with a doctor if you have any questions about the contraception! Afterwards, a doctor will review it, and the prescription will be delivered to the customers house, free of charge! If you are uninsured, it’s not a problem! With the information you provide, the doctors can help you find a brand that will fit your personal preference and your budget.
Why we love it!
Nurx is a company founded by women for women! The app gives women the opportunity to access contraception, like the pill, the ring, or the morning-after pill, especially those who cannot readily access it. Also, it was created to be convenient for women who are always on the go; they help you without breaking the bank too!
Do you use Nurx? How do you like it? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!