Tag: Catchbox
How to Boost Event Engagement!
Whether organizing a conference, meeting, or event, planners are utilizing new techniques bolstered by the latest technology in order to ensure attendees get the most out of an event. With an increasing focus on achieving event ROI and success, it is becoming more and more important to improve event engagement by involving attendees throughout the experience: before, during and after! These features include apps, seating, visuals and much more!
Here are ABCey’s Top 10 ways to boost participation at your next event!
1.Event Engagement with Mobile Apps
Mobile apps such as Whova, Event Friendly and Event Board aim to transform audience networking and event engagement. These platforms include key features such as the accessibility of communication amongst each other, the ability for guests to plan networking in advance and also receive real time updates. There is also the ability to receive feedback during and after the event!
2. Mixed Seating
We all know theatre style is making it’s way out, and mixed seating IN! Mixed and informal seating at your event is important so that the audience is comfortable, and creates more space for lounging, networking, and engaging. We love this stage and seating design from Girl Boss!
3. Bioreactive Wristbands
There are a variety of new devices to engage the stage with the audience! Bioreactive wristbands were recently used at a Google-sponsored music event that displayed levels of emotion, movement and energy! These levels were presented on a real time board for the audience to see. Developments in new tech continue to change the event industry as it becomes more integrated into our daily lives!
4. Catchbox
Catchbox gives the audience the capability to speak and participate at an event or conference, making it fun and different! No more walking across the room to pass the mic! Attendees have a chance to engage with each other with the use of this throwable microphone. Make sure to keep your eye on the box so you don’t get hit in the head!
5. Virtual Reality
Not all event engagement needs to include speaking! Having new technology at events provides participation with the use of virtual reality headsets. VR can range from the audience playing a game to showcasing a new product, and is even used to scout event spaces! This interactive technology allows the audience to have some fun!
6. Live Visual Thinking
ABCey recently used One Squiggly Line at the UpStart 10x Event! Visual note taking provides the audience a way to engage, brainstorm and share ideas with each other at events.
7. Social Media Influencers
One influential person can change the perspective of an event compared to many average social media users! The attendees who are more powerful on social media can be tracked prior to an event through monitoring. This allows them to engage with their followers and have a discussion.
8. Eye Catching Sets and Backdrops
It is important to have a design or event that is eye catching to the audience! Projection mapping can also help display content to really drive a brand’s message across. This will spark the interest of the attendees and set the tone for engagement and discussion.
9. Special Perks
Give attendees a gift to show your appreciation, and you don’t have to spend a ton! At our recent Upstart 10x Event, we created a cute low budget gift which included Dill Seeds from Urban Adamah (an event sponsor), tied with a custom flip book of all of the organizations members, and info on the company. This gave attendees a little something to discuss and take home!
10. Networking After Party
Well this one’s a given! Who doesn’t need a cocktail after a long day of sessions? DO provide a chance for attendees to continue the conversation, relax, and enjoy themselves. This also gives the guests the ability to talk about what they learned, as well as a way to meet and network with new people!
As attendees go to events to learn, network, and engage they also want an unforgettable experience! Event engagement allows the audience to have a unique involvement with the event. What are your favorite ways to stay tuned in at an event? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Behind the Scenes: UpStart 10x Event
On Wednesday, May 10th, 2017 nearly 250 people turned out to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco to honor UpStart Founder Toby Rubin for the UpStart 10x Event, and celebrate the future of Jewish innovation! ABCey Events had the honor of producing this exciting evening filled with live art, important discussions, yummy food, interesting people, projection mapping, amazing music, and much more! Here’s our Top 10 countdown of all of the amazing things that contributed to this successful San Francisco event!
1. The Question of the Night: How Will We Build The Jewish Community We Want To See In 2027?
2. Live Artwork/ Visual Thinking by Melinda Walker of One Squiggly line, asking the question of the night!
3. The gifts for attendees, An UpStart flipbook & seeds generously donated by Urban Adamah.
4. UpStart Founder and Honoree Toby Rubin takes the stage and gives a heartfelt speech!
5. UpStarter talking about his experience and tossing around a Catchbox microphone!
6. Illuminated bars by Blueprint Studios honoring the evenings sponsors.
7. Projection Mapping with the company’s vision, timeline, goals, history, and more! Artwork created by Melinda Walker of One Squiggly Line, and animated and projections from Immersive Pro.
8. Music and Beats provided by DJ Chris Clouse and Sax Player from M83.
9. Yummy Desserts by Tout Sweet, Choux Bakery, and 49 Square Catering.
10. Photobooth by The Bosco and our fabulous custom props!
On behalf of ABCey Events, we’d like to extend a huge thank you to Jaime Rappaport Barry, Aaron Katler, and the whole UpStart Team for working so hard along side us to make this event a successful one! What was your favorite part of UpStart 10x? Leave us a comment here or find us on Facebook or Twitter!
5 New Tech Innovations for Events
There is no foreseeable end to technology and the amazing capabilities of what it will do for the future of events. ABCey will explore 5 of the most budding tech advances that could develop into some very cool features for events!
1. NFC tech
NFC tech originally stems from RFID but is an even more advanced solution. An NFC (Near Field Communication) chip is a part of one wireless link that when connected with another chip transfers data within seconds. These chips run on very low amounts of power so they are energy efficient. ITN International is a company that utilizes this technology for events like conferences and trade shows.
2. Memory Spot
HP unveiled this high tech chip that’s the size of a grain of rice! This chip can attach to any object discretely and hold boundless amounts of media and data. HP reveals the chip to be a merging of the “digital and physical worlds”. One such example is a picture album with the chip attached to it, when pressed audio from the visual can be heard. Find more about this new tech here.
3. RuBee
This new on the rise tech boasts of the highest security that can go through steel and even liquid. RuBee operates on radio waves and active transceivers that communicate peer-to-peer. This tech gets farther reach ranges the RFID and also provides a cheaper option. While this new tech is used mainly for security purposes, we can see this tech evolving into something more mainstream for event usage. Find out more on RuBee here.
4. BLE Tech
BLE, otherwise known as Bluetooth technology or iBeacon uses transmitters to connect in mobile apps to share data. Users can find guest attendees in a specific venue, see who’s arrived and view profiles on the people there on their mobile app. One can see data analyzing movement of guests and time spent in a certain area. We like how the company FISH integrates this technology with various others mentioned to utilize multiple tech platforms.
5. Wireless Microphones
Try a wireless movable microphone for audience engagement! These state of the art microphones connect to any sound system with their built in receiver. The company Catchbox has a feature which allows the mic to be muted when the box is in motion. This is a great tool for audience interaction that allows guests to be seen and heard.
Which of these new inventions are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below or find us on facebook or twitter!
Tech Tuesday: Stand Out Technologies for Meeting Planning
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming companies for their innovative ideas and ability to think outside the box!
Meetings can be a daunting task when trying to get everyone engaged and on the same page. Meetings are vital for management and communication, and properly run meetings save time, increase motivation and productivity, and create new initiatives. Getting a group together diffuses information much faster than an office email. Here are our top three meeting organization technologies that will make your next meeting or conference run much more smoothly!
1. Catchbox: This genius invention is used for bigger meetings and eliminates the tedium of a wired microphone and creates audience engagement. Catchbox is a throwable, cordless microphone that can be used by the speaker at the front of the room, and then thrown to participating audience members when they want to contribute. A Catchbox can be employed in so many situations, and not only is it useful, but audience members are going to want to talk just because it’s so much fun! I would go to a meeting specifically to be able to speak up through this fun, catchable microphone!
2. MeetingPulse: Encouraging cooperation while fostering different ideas can be tricky, but MeetingPulse allows you to poll meeting members to get a wide array of opinions. The application gives a visual representation of audience feedback, charting information sent between the speaker and the audience, and at the end of the meeting, provides a way to follow up with the company. We are excited about this app because it streamlines communication between the audience and the speaker!
3. Stormz: This awesome collaboration software creates workshops for large groups, facilitating development, creation and innovation. The feedback shows that the application is easy to use and makes group meetings move much faster. This app sounds dynamic and seems helpful for corporate meeting demands.
Have you tried any of these meeting technologies? Is CatchBox as fun as it looks?! We would love to hear from you in the comments below or on Facebook & Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: 5 Event Startups to Engage your Audience
The world of technology is constantly changing and is adding value to the event industry! Here at ABCey, we love to keep up on current startups and trends that can enhance the event experience for attendees. We did some digging to find 5 event startups that will engage your audience and make them active participants throughout your event.
1. Postano: Put your attendees in the spotlight and make them feel like social media rockstars through this unique platform! Bring your conversation to life at your next event by showcasing your attendees’ social content, tweets and Instagrams on social media displays. Attendees can actively participate rather than simply listen and this will enrich their experience and create visibility for your event.
2. Catchbox: The world’s first throwable microphone was created for audience engagement. It is a great way to get participants talking! Catchbox lowers the barrier for people to comment and present questions. The box comes in different bright colors and is easy to throw or pass from one audience member to the next, making participation easy and fun!
3. PowerVote: Maximize the value of your event by engaging your audience, encouraging your participants, and encouraging their feedback. If you want your to gather information about your audience’s opinion, PowerVote can instantly display voting results in an graphical format. Presentations can be directly streamed to the audience’s mobile devices and people can vote or provide feedback in the moment.
4. Sopreso: Through this unique platform, your audience can ask, comment, and like your presentation live. Once you develop a presentation and run Sopreso on your laptop, the audience can connect to the presentation with their smart devices. Additionally, this platform extends the lifetime of your presentation! You can easily follow up on your leads, answer all questions, and keep the community alive.
5. TweetWall Pro: A TweetWall offers a great opportunity to interact with audiences. Rather than asking a few audience members questions, inspire all attendees to share their thoughts. People can ask questions on Twitter and get live responses. Interesting topics can quietly be discussed, and interaction is highly encouraged. Onlookers of TweetWalls find it difficult not to participate, inspiring engagement from all viewers. Post event reports allow you to follow up with attendees directly!
With so many advances in technology, passive audience participation is coming to an end. We love each of these startups, and Postano really stands out to us because you can see what people are saying about your event and what popular topics of interest are, as well as create visibility for your event! Which of these unique event startups would you use to engage your audience members? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!