Turning Attendees into Participants

January 9, 2015

I read a tech crunch article recently about Microsoft buying Mojang (makers of Minecraft) for the mere sum of $2.5 billion dollars. If you have a child in the tween age bracket, I don’t need to explain what Minecraft is. This popular video game was founded with the understanding that gamers want to contribute and participate, not simply consume the game. I thought about it and believe there are some parallels that are applicable to the live events industry.

How does this relate to our industry? We’re seeing this same shift with attendees.

Here’s the trend that stuck out to me the most (and related back to the tech crunch article):

1. The transition from “attendee” to “participant” continues- The combination of social media and mobile technology has provided a wide range of attendee engagement options. The entire dynamic of meetings is changing; instead of “top-down” it is “bottom-up.” Attendees aren’t passively sitting at events watching a talking head, meeting participants are demanding a greater say and expect active engagement. This is playing out in several ways:

• Social media apps are used to recruit and engage participants before, during and after events.

• Highly mobilized social media tools (Twitter, Instagram, Vine, YouTube, etc.) are seeing strong use at events.

• Social media hubs and moderated live event social walls such as TweetWall, Postano, Hashcaster andSocialWall are seeing greater use.

• Gamification is being tightly integrated into many mobile event apps to increase participant engagement and appealing to peoples’ “fundamental needs and desires for reward, status, achievement, self-expression, competition and altruism,” via bunchball.

• Matchmaking and networking options are being built into many mobile event apps.

• Meeting designers are moving to shorter sessions and placing a high priority on audience engagement skills when choosing speakers.

• Meeting designers are moving away from passive theater-style seating to alternate room sets to facilitate discussion and participation.

• Event participants are expecting personalized communication and choices tailored to their desires.

• There are many specialized participant engagement apps and web tools which can be used by speakers (Conferences i/o, Crowd Mics, Evenium ConnexMe, MeetingPulse, PollEverwhere,Social Q&A,Klowd and UberMeetings).

• Many “Swiss army knife” mobile event guide apps are building in polling, survey and other engagements tools as well.

It’s not only interesting to see this transition in our society, but in our industry as well. With it happening, we need to be mindful when event planning and empower attendees to feel like they’re active participants.

Are you trying to turn your attendees into participants in 2015? Let us know if you think this mindset will stick and how you plan to adjust your strategy to it.

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience. The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact. The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included: AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact

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