Comments on: Inspiration for Your Shiny New Event App

By: Tools and Trends to Help Planners « C2cpermits's Blog

Tools and Trends to Help Planners « C2cpermits's Blog — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:43:19 +0000

[…] Reading: Inspiration for Your Shiny New Event App [Interactive Meeting Technology] 5 iPhone Apps for Your Next Trade Show [Tradeshow […]

By: cameron bishop

cameron bishop — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:02:52 +0000

Hi Sam,
Thanks for your post on the mobile app subject. You shared many good ideas. We at Ascend Integrated Media are into providing mobile apps in a big way. We have orders to provide apps for 20 trade shows this year, so far. Here are 4 key things for event owners to remember when considering a mobile app vendor based on what we are seeing in the market:
1) Does the app run on all platforms? Too many apps only run on IPhone and that platform only covers 24% of the smart phone market.
2) Once you get past the gee whiz app technology, it’s about content. Somebody has to create, format and maintain the content. Most technology companies can’t do that so the event owner has to staff accordingly.
3) Will the app data be live or a point in time snapshot? Who will be in charge of syncing data? We’ve already seen a major event alienate many of it’s attendees and, worse, exhibitors by providing an IPhone-only app with static content thus leaving out many late entry exhibitors, speakers and limiting accessability to the content with the IPhone- only platform.
4) How long has the app developer been in business? More importantly, so many of these are tiny businesses started by former IT guys, how long will they stay in business?

Our app “cool factor” at Ascend? We’ve been around for 28 years specializing in event content in print, digital and mobile forms. Check out our online/mobile searchable exhibit guide as just one feature on our apps that also includes a show news feed, national news feed, local weather, photo gallery, sessions, event Twitter feed and links to all social media.

By: Stephen Nold

Stephen Nold — Tue, 04 May 2010 10:49:17 +0000

Sam,
Great post.

While MTO Summit was excited with the launch of our mobile application, the real praise goes to the supplier who developed and sponsored the Follow Me application – Core Apps.

There are some great new mobile solutions in our industry and all of these tools are providing some great ways for buyers and suppliers to connect on the trade show floor.

As Lutz mentions, it is going to be fun to see how these tool change our industry.

By: Dave Lutz

Dave Lutz — Sat, 01 May 2010 13:16:32 +0000

Sam, great post! Mobile is evolving quickly, but probably won’t be ready for prime time (for our industry) for another year or two. Here’s a few things that keep me up at night.

– Browser vs. App – Ultimately you want a mobile solution with maximum accessability. It would be good to get adoption rates 25% or greater.

– Connectivity – I’ve heard quite a few stories about solutions that work well when WiFi and cell coverage is strong. Fact is, most exhibit halls don’t provide this luxury and the solutions fail when you need them most. We’re not going to be able to capitalize on location based apps until this is addressed. Sooner or later facilities are going to throw this in, but when?

– Not just onsite – Mobile solutions need to be developed to engage attendees pre-show…post show too, but especially preshow.

– Monetizing – Will show management pay the price or do they expect exhibitors/sponsors to foot the bill? Do they charge for the app? Will attendee expectations be higher when they need to pay for an app?

It’s going to be fun to watch this develop!