Going Paperless for your Events

With the coming of information era, wireless network applications and touch screen technology improvements such as the iPad, Kindle Fire and Android tablets, paperless intelligent meetings has become a new trend. Offering attendees all the materials they need electronically is becoming one of the main trends in event industry.

From the event planer point of view, when planning an event, they have to print out large copies of participants’ packs. Since paper documents are heavy, difficult to search, back up, share, and not environmental friendly, why not organize paperless events instead of traditional ones?

Source: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com

The Benefits of a Paperless Conference

Information at your fingertips

The participants can simply refer to the meeting content at anytime on the tablet devices. Event planer just need to provide your information and do not have to print copies of presentation slides.

Convenient

By using electronic materials, participants can have all the information on their tablet devices. So the participant can just carry the tablet devices instead of a conference booklet or bundles of paper.

Green

This is an excellent way to be eco friendly. Using electronic materials instead of paper documents will save lots of paper.

Cater for last minute changes

During the events, anything can change even at the last minute. Using a tablet device, changes can be made easily and quickly. You can manually cross items out from your system.

Take away

The paperless system can make it continent to participants who want to take away conference booklets and papers. They can even receive any notes they have taken.

Source: http://www.taiden.com

Strategies for creating a paperless conference

Create an event app

A comprehensive event app is necessary for a paperless event. The app will be able to provide all the updated information of the event and the access to download all the documents including presentation slides. It will be convenient to allow users to take notes and make bookmarks in the slides. The app should be easy-to-use and be able to work without Internet connection.

Reward attendees that support your efforts

It will be encouraging to reward attendees and exhibitors who support your paperless efforts. You can make a special icon on the badges or the booths to indicate their paperless choice. You can offer special gifts or even discount for their registration or booth.

Communicate more with attendees

You should communicate with attendees in advance to make them understand why you are making your events paperless. During the event, you should interact with them onsite and through event app to see what they need regarding to the paperless working environment. After the event you should ask for feedback and make evaluation.

In conclusion, going paperless is the trend that is worthy to paying effort for. And it needs the efforts from both the event planners and attendees.

Authors:

Hongyin ZHANG & Bao WANG

Sources:

http://www.groupdynamics.co.uk/articles/the-benefits-of-a-paperless-conference/

http://www.corbinball.com/articles_technology/index.cfm?fuseaction=cor_av&artID=8892

http://ativsoftware.com/2012/07/10-strategies-towards-paperless-events-conferences-and-meetings/