Audience engagement and interaction technology has been around for years. As old fashioned ‘clickers’ have evolved into sleek apps, so Event Planners have become more aware of its existence and potential. But how do you ‘sell’ audience participation to company decision makers – to a client, or internally at a corporate – particularly those holding the purse strings?

1. Greater engagement and learning
   It’s no surprise that London’s hugely popular Science Museum has so many interactive areas where you can touch, press, draw, compete with… even smell the exhibits. Participation aids learning. It works with kids, and it works just as well with adults – from cool creatives at an event designed to drive collaboration, or a remote team of employees being brought together to understand company direction for the next Quarter.
2. Better data
   Companies recognise the value of spending the money to book a venue, hotel rooms, travel, lavish dinners, all-important coffee… the list goes on. Why? To bring people together – employees, clients, customers – to motivate, teach, sell, or reward. And how do they know if that spend was effective? They look at the data – the level of engagement based upon interactions, how many times the CEO’s presentation was downloaded after the event, positive feedback, etc. All of which can be collected, collated and analysed far more easily through technology.
3. More feedback
   What’s the response rate to a feedback survey sent round to attendees a few days after the event? If you can get more than 20% without a ‘prize incentive’ or three-line whip I’m impressed. Most of the delegates are already busy with their day jobs, and that event is a distant (and sometimes hazy) memory. Use interactive presentation software to capture feedback live – when the memories are fresh – and ask your audience ‘small and often’ throughout the day, rather than hitting them with an essay to write. Any company that cares about its audience will see the value in this.
4. It’s cost effective
   Gone are the days when audience response systems or presentation sharing technology required Local Area Networks to be installed, or iPads to be hired in with pre-loaded software. The combination of ever improving Wi-Fi and 4G networks (at the right venues), smartphone proliferation (97% usage in the UK) and technical innovation has meant solutions are available to events big and small at a sensible price. Given the other costs associated with the event – how valuable is greater engagement, better data and more feedback?
5. It reflects well on your brand
   If you look at the best companies in the world, they have a clear, well understood vision. They really care about listening to their employees and their clients. They’re eager to use technology to improve their business or reduce costs. They want to do things that their competitors aren’t doing (and probably don’t like it if their competitors get the jump on them). You may work for one of these companies, or for one that aspires to be one of them. Hopefully it’s clear how interactive presentation software can tick a number of these boxes at their events.

Michael Piddock is the Founder & CEO of Glisser – an event technology solution that makes presentations interactive.