How to get your internal teams to use mobile apps for all your meetings & events.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction... 3 2. Internal Marketing Channels... 3 2.1. Email...3 2.2. Internal Newsletter / Blog / Portal...3 3. Onsite Promotion... 4 3.1. Dedicated signage in the registration/check-in area...4 3.2. On-screen reminders at the start of each session...4 3.3. Announcements...4 4. Tips & Tricks... 4 5. Appendix Introductory Internal Email Campaign... 4 6. Contact... 5 2
1. INTRODUCTION With your app strategy in place, it s time to let everyone in your company know there is a mobile app platform now available for all your external and internal meetings and events. But as with the rollout of any new internal platform, getting the word out can be a challenge. Whether it s letting other teams know they can get their own meeting app from you or encouraging employee usage of those apps, these best practices will help you easily build internal awareness and excitement for mobile. 2. INTERNAL MARKETING CHANNELS As with any marketing campaign, the best approach is an integrated one, where you tap into as many channels as possible to achieve the widest reach. The key is to put out a clear message and calls to action (CTA) that are consistent across all the channels you use. Choose the channels that work best for your organization and tailor our recommendations to suit your particular needs 2.1. Email One of the easiest places to start is with an email to all the event planners and related teams in your organization. This typically includes Marketing, HR, Training, and Sales. Ideally you will already have a distribution list at your disposal, but if not, you likely know who should receive the message. Borrowing again from marketing best practices, plan on a steady nurture campaign to build awareness effectively. Aim for a rhythm that matches the way your company uses internal email for similar announcements; this could be weekly, monthly, or even quarterly. If you do opt for a nurture campaign, try to vary the subject line and message to avoid email fatigue. Keep your message short and be clear about what you want people to do next (your call to action). That could be directing them to an intranet site where they can access more resources, inviting them to an internal webinar to learn more, or even to contact your team directly if they have a meeting or event in mind. Of course, the call to action for someone with a qualified will depend on your app creation model - is there a central team that builds apps, is that delegated out to the event owner? See the Appendix for an example of an introductory internal email campaign. 2.2. Internal Newsletter / Blog / Portal Many organizations publish an electronic newsletter or blog, and may even offer an employee web portal. If this applies to you, then make sure you secure coverage for your app platform there. For a newsletter, we suggest a cover story on mobile apps, perhaps featuring an app you did for a recent large event. Doing an interview with the 3
event organizer makes for a compelling personal angle and will help people tune in to the mobile app possibilities. For an employee portal, there should be a What s New section on the login or first page. That would be an ideal place to include a link to the mobile app section of the portal. 3. ONSITE PROMOTION Until your company s app is well entrenched in your corporate culture, many attendees will only download it once they arrive at the meeting or event. Make sure it s top of mind by using the following promotional tactics: 3.1. Dedicated signage in the registration/check-in area This often includes both a QR code and a web address where people can go to download the app. 3.2. On-screen reminders at the start of each session This usually means having a rotating slide show with the session name and a reminder to download the app. 3.3. Announcements Any time someone from your team or company addresses the audience at the start of a session, introducing a keynote speaker, announcing lunch or a coffee break they should be reminding people to download the app, providing them with a few reasons to do so. Reasons include having an up-to-date calendar, accessing sessionspecific content, participating in polls, and others that may apply to your unique event. 4. TIPS & TRICKS Here are more ways to ensure the success of your mobile event app platform: Different events will require different app capabilities. Take advantage of the flexibility and configurability of your platform to meet and exceed the expectations of your attendees. Contact your account manager who can sit down with you and explore the possibilities, and help you decide what works best for your event and attendees. 5. APPENDIX INTRODUCTORY INTERNAL EMAIL CAMPAIGN Hi [First name], 4
[Company name] is now the proud owner of a mobile app and analytics platform. Now you can have a mobile app for all your meetings and events Event apps are powerful tools for increasing participant engagement, enabling better communication and networking, and sharing valuable resources and documents for your meeting or event. Along with reinforcing your brand and providing an always upto-date schedule of sessions and activities, mobile apps help you stay in touch with attendees, collect research and feedback, and keep your finger on the pulse of your event. For a more detailed overview of what your app can do, visit the resource center here [link to your intranet or other internal resource]. [Add some information on the type of support your team offers your company, and how to go about requesting one. If you have a demo app, provide a link to it here, keeping in mind the various devices in use.] Thank you, and we look forward to working with you on your next meeting or event. Your event app team 6. CONTACT If you would like to discuss any element of this document please contact us with the below details. Europe Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7952 5570 Email: europe@concep.com North America Telephone: +1 212 925 0380 Email: northamerica@concep.com Asia Pacific Telephone: +61 (0) 2 8030 8810 Email: asiapacific@concep.com 5