“Going green” is more than just a catchy slogan. These days, planning an impressive event is impossible without focusing on sustainability.
Your guests are surrounded by constant chatter concerning climate change, nonrenewable resources, and needless waste. At the end of your event, seeing piles of unused badges, trash cans full of crumpled maps and brochures, and dumpsters overflowing with uneaten food will leave a sour taste in attendees’ mouths.
Creating an ever-growing list of repeat attendees is one of the most critical aspects of event management. However, if your event doesn’t include a sustainability focus, you’ll struggle to keep that list from shrinking. Here’s how to use powerful registration technology to shrink your environmental footprint and grow your list of loyal guests.
Digital Check-In Kiosks
If you still require employees to fumble through a clipboard full of papers to check in each guest manually, you’re losing time, money, and manpower and increasing your carbon footprint.
Replacing your clipboard with a tablet at each kiosk can facilitate rapid check-ins: with just a few taps, registrants are checked in and ready to receive their badges. There’s no cumbersome paperwork process, no long lines, and, most importantly, no excessive and unnecessary paper use.
On-Demand Badge Printing
You’d be shocked to learn how many pre-printed badges are wasted by the end of check-in. Inevitably, many of your registrants won’t attend your event due to a loss of interest, emergency, or another reason. Even sending them regular reminders and exciting snippets in the lead-up to your event can’t reduce the number of no-shows to zero.
Despite this, too many event managers insist on pre-printing badges in the misguided belief that it will save them time during the event.
Not only is this completely untrue, but it’s also a wasteful practice. Every event planner who does this ends up with unused badges destined for the dump—and guests will notice.
To maintain a low rate of paper and plastic waste, invest in conference check-in software that uses on-demand badge printing. That way, you’ll only print badges for those who attend your event instead of all your registrants.
QR Codes for Digitized Materials
As an event manager, you’re familiar with all the materials you must provide your guests. Maps, brochures, schedules, and menus are just a few of the items your guests will need to navigate your event.
Many event organizers opt to print all these materials and hand them out to guests as they arrive. This is the wrong choice for three reasons. First, carrying them around during the whole event is awkward. Second, many guests will lose them at one point or another and have to share with a friend or ask for a replacement. Third, they’re worthless once the event ends, so they’ll all end up in the trash.
QR codes can solve all three of these problems. You can include QR codes on your guests’ badges, banners, and signs throughout your event. The QR code links to a purpose-built landing page, where guests can easily access every map, menu, and pamphlet you’ve prepared.
This can save you tons (literally) of paper from being thrown in the garbage at the end of your event. Your guests will appreciate the eco-friendly effort and the ease of accessing everything they need from their phones.
Electronic Lead Capture
Many booths and sessions throughout your event are designed to capture leads. You’ve probably seen this most often done by having guests write down their names and contact information on a pad of paper.
However, this process is slow, outdated, and anything but sustainable. Instead, imagine supplying a simple QR code at each booth or projected in front of an audience at each session. Guests can scan this QR code and quickly tap out their details on their mobile devices.
This removes the need to enter every lead’s information into your CRM system manually. Instead, the QR code handles it all for you—and does it without wasting a single sheet of paper.
Sophisticated Scanning
QR codes aren’t the only way you can use scanning to create a more environmentally conscious event. You can also use RFID event solutions to monitor attendance at every session of your event. RFID attendance scanning allows you to accurately track your food and beverage needs at every mealtime or cocktail social.
Some event planners only collect attendance rates at the initial check-in process. However, this doesn’t account for those who miss certain sessions due to illness or personal preference. Gauging your food and beverage needs based on the number of people who checked into your event at its beginning won’t give you an accurate estimate. It will only leave you with an excess of food to be thrown away—not good for the planet or your brand’s reputation.
Instead, look for an event attendee management system that tracks the attendance rate of every session at your event. By monitoring the number of people who show up to each session, you can better predict the number of guests attending mealtimes and other beverage breaks. Not only will you cultivate sustainability, but you’ll also save money on catering costs.
Sustainability: The Focus of Future Events
As the focus on sustainability increases by the day, every industry will be included, including event management. Your guests expect to attend an eco-friendly event and see your efforts from the minute they walk in the door. Choose registration software that prioritizes these digital features to create a lasting positive impression and a truly sustainable event.
Infographic
Creating a growing list of repeat attendees is crucial for event management. Without a focus on sustainability, you may struggle to retain attendees. Discover in this infographic how to use registration technology to reduce your environmental impact and attract loyal guests.
