In the third of a series of articles, David Preston of Realise joins Sprintr for a review of the future of event registration.
This article first appeared on Conference News.
While the industry makes a great deal of noise about waste reduction and sustainability, there are still many areas in which improvements can be made.
Take registration, it’s not the most glamorous area and most delegates will give only the most cursory glance. But it can often be a mountain of wasteful activities, with some organisers opting to pre-print all badges. That means badges printed for no-shows, names changes, substitutions, all of which need to be put in holders.
Print on demand will curtail such wastefulness, and giving your delegates control over that process, freeing up staff resources. Be honest, they would rather be drinking a cup of coffee rather than be queuing for a badge.
If you feel name badges are passé, Sprintr offers a Wristband which like their badge stock, come in plastic-free, bio-degradable paper. The self-service kiosks can also print small stick- and eco-friendly lanyards which are made from bamboo.
Less paper can be consumed by using double sided printing, so there is no need for badges that physically weigh down the wearer. And simply by making an announcement, think Speakers or via apps and locating visible badge collection bins, almost every piece of material can be captured for recycling.
Encouraging delegates to print off paper with QR codes or ID is also wasteful, they use their smartphones every day to store and access information quickly, so why not offer the same at your event.
A dedicated event app can help, which also allows for an enhanced experience throughout the event. Ditch the feedback forms handed out at the end of a session and allow delegates to feedback via the app.
Add in interactive polling and Q&A features to involve the audience in live discussions. You can also use the app to send updated schedules and speaker changes, sponsorship messages and newsflashes.
These simple steps can enhance the visitor experience and they will also have concerns about the planet. What’s stopping you?
