The typical meeting of yesteryear – or yesterday, for that matter – is drastically different from the way meetings and events are designed and produced today. And no doubt, they’ll continue to evolve and become richer and more engaging as time marches on. Gone are the days of a presenter simply droning on at a podium while 300 sets of eyes glaze over.

Some recent trends were born of necessity during the pandemic era while others are due to changing societal norms, geo-political tensions, and the astonishing, warp-speed evolution of technology. Some you no doubt are aware of, and others have sprouted more recently. For instance, you may be wrestling with how best to leverage tools like Artificial Intelligence [AI] and Customer Relationship Management [CRM].

Here are 10 things I’ve noticed [and that dynami keeps in mind when we’re designing and producing events] in the never-ending quest to ensure key messaging 100% resonates with audiences.

Leveraging Rich Data for Customization

Gathering and analyzing data such as attendee preferences, session sign-ups, and even past behaviors, allows planners to tailor experiences that fit the individual like a pair of favorite jeans. Benefits include personalized agendas, relevant session suggestions, even dietary-friendly meal options. AI-powered apps and CRM integrations are great enablers, and can go a long way towards attendee satisfaction with the event experience and improving event ROI. Data allows you to treat attendees as individuals, not a faceless member of a larger group.

It’s very wise to poll your invitees in advance of an event to gather key input and feedback on pressing priorities, allowing you to build an agenda based on their needs and expectations. Post-event surveys are also helpful as you work to improve and refine future meetings.

AI-Driven Customization and Personalization

Increasingly, planners and their clients are discovering ways to hyper-personalize events – even those with hundreds in the audience – with AI. Content can be tailored to the group at-large while also being custom-tailored to the individual. By analyzing attendee preferences sourced from pre-event questionnaires, post-event surveys, and sheer observation of human behavior, AI can be used to suggest session topics and length, mine relevant peer-to-peer networking connections, or even recommend timing and duration of breaks based on individual preferences.

AI Chatbots

AI chatbots [in plain speak, a computer program driven by AI such as ChatGPT] have moved well beyond basic support as in past years and can now capture key messaging, action steps, discussion points, etc. Chatbots can also suggest personalized concierge services for event attendees. These bots can assist with personalized recommendations, session scheduling and flow, GPS-driven venue navigation, and support based on an attendee’s personal preferences and needs. Further, AI chatbots can handle unlimited inquiries simultaneously which can free up time for onsite staff to focus on priority tasks.

If you’d like to experience a chatbot, check out otter.ai. Scroll down and click on the 2.5-minute demo video and, if intrigued by the possibilities, use the scheduling tool for a demo customized to your specific needs. Click: www.otter.ai/demo

On-Demand Content

On-demand content is becoming the norm, not just a bonus. After all, those folks attending your meeting or event are accustomed at home to selecting whatever movie they want to see via various streaming services and can choose from hundreds of listening channels via satellite radio. Why shouldn’t they be able to pick and choose the content they need and desire?

On-demand availability allows attendees [in-person or back home] to access event content when it’s most convenient. This includes viewing recorded sessions, downloading tools and resources, or revisiting key moments to refresh or reinforce key messaging. On-demand access not only keeps people engaged, it allows them to share content, extending impact long after an event has adjourned.

Rich Storytelling

According to research conducted by EventTrack, 72% of people recall events more vividly when they’re immersed in an experience, not just lectured to. Through experiential storytelling, event planners are able to cultivate deeper emotional connections with their audience, ensuring content is not just heard, but felt and remembered. It’s the difference between talking about fishing and the experience of landing your first catch. Which would you remember best?

Effective storytelling goes beyond mere words. Attendees want to be part of the narrative which is made possible through effective applications of Augmented Reality [AR], Virtual Reality [VR], or even interactive live sessions that engage attendees in a way that feels real and impactful. 

Unique Venues/Environments

For a variety of reasons, planners today are looking beyond traditional locations and looking for unconventional venues offering a unique experience while also treating your budget in a more friendly manner. Other factors include a desire to offer a truly memorable experience, embracing the local culture, saving money, or steering clear of large cities known for criminal activity.

Outdoor spaces and converted industrial buildings are always refreshing versus the often stale, 72-degree, climate-controlled ballroom with the swirly pattern in the carpet. More often, planners are choosing offshore options for meetings and events in search of a unique and exclusive atmosphere while still achieving specific goals and objectives.

Food & Beverage Innovation

F&B planning has been shifting toward sustainability and healthier choices for several years and will continue to do so. Attendees have come to expect more plant-based, locally sourced options, as well as themed menus reflecting the event’s purpose. With sustainability a top priority, zero-waste catering and eco-friendly packaging have been mainstreamed. Planning, designing and executing meetings these days goes beyond business strategies with more and more emphasis on dietary preferences and aligning with today’s attitudes towards social responsibility, creativity and expectations of innovation.

Mental Health Breakouts

Mental health challenges are more prevalent and more openly discussed than ever. Studies indicate 1 in 5 adults experience some sort of mental illness or duress in a given year. Offering “mental health sessions” creates a safe environment where people can explore and learn about tools and resources to manage their well-being. Mental health breakout sessions provide a “safe space” to discuss stress, coping strategies, and helps to engender emotional resilience. Tending to the tender side of matters also fosters trust between attendees. After all, everyone wants to know someone genuinely cares about them.

Closing Thoughts

You may already be incorporating some or all of these but, as meetings and events continue to evolve, it’s critically important to stay current on M&E innovations. But be sure to “test drive” new approaches on a smaller scale before implementing at, say, a National Sales Meeting. An internal meeting or smaller, regional meeting would be a great place to start.

“The times they are a’changing”. Be sure you’re keeping up.

Cheers,

Kenneth Jones

The post Corporate Meetings & Events Have Grown Up! appeared first on dynami.

Nearly 200,000 accredited show attendees (industry and media types only, the show is not open to the general public) will get the first peek at new products, innovations and services on display or available to demo by 4,500 vendors from 150 different countries. Virtually all major manufacturers are present (though Apple is again conspicuous by its absence because it doesn’t like to share a stage) and more and more lesser-known, smaller tech companies have been present in recent years. That trend continues this year.

Industry insiders who got an advance peek at CES 2019 seem to be in agreement that this year’s show is a little lighter on the astounding and amazing and a bit heavier on the new-and-improved versions or features for earlier product innovations; things like microchips, GFX cards, cell phones, operating systems, etc. Even so, CES never disappoints. Let’s take a look at some of the trends and products from this year’s show.

You may not be “smart” enough… “wheel” see.

If smartphones, smart watches, smartlocks and smart doorbells weren’t enough, now there’s an Alexa-enabled bicycle from Halford’s that comes with a touchscreen display that offers voice recognition and connected services without the need for a smartphone connection. Available in a standard hybrid (Cybic Legend) and electric models (Cybic E-Legend), the bikes feature turn-by-turn navigation, cycling performance data, a music player and, no doubt, more to come down the road (pun intended). Developers see the “smart” bike helping to reduce vehicular congestion in urban and suburban areas, and providing an intelligent transportation alternative for business commuters and cycling enthusiasts alike.

So much for “getting your steps in”…

Hoverboards are so yesterday. Bring on hover shoes. You read that right, hover shoes. Very much in prototype phase, several companies are unveiling hover shoes that will whisk you from Point A to Point B by shifting body weight carefully to move in all directions without ever having to take a step. There are still questions about the devices’ ability to navigate uneven terrain but research is ongoing. And, no, we don’t know if they come in narrow widths, lace-up, or spiked heels. Time will tell, no doubt.

Tech Show or Car Show… or both?

Automobiles have had a greater presence in recent years at CES as “connected cars” become more mainstream. Ford, Nissan and Hyundai are on the list of vendors. Mercedes-Benz recently teased to a new CLA-class vehicle that will be on display, featuring MBUX, the Benz’s newest infotainment system that offers new input methods including “an AI-based (Artificial Intelligence) assistant that can respond to natural language commands” according to a media release.

A new twist on the old barbershop shave…

Too busy to drop by the corner barber shop for a steam-towel, warm-foam, straight-blade shave like your grandfather enjoyed way back when? Fret no more. Gillette has announced a new in-home, heated razor that’s already maxed out in pre-order even though it doesn’t even roll out to the public until the 2019 holiday season. An internal heating element warms your skin before the blade does its work. At $160, it’s no bargain but time is money and if this saves you the time necessary to hit the barbershop, it may well be worth it.

And now for the ladies …

You can’t make this stuff up… makeup products go high-tech.

The days of limited options in make-up shades that enhance standard skin tones and textures may be a thing of the past. Several companies are introducing product lines that are custom-made for you and you alone. Based on 3D imagery of your face, a skin moisture analysis and other innovative insights, the products are truly customized for an individual’s unique, ahem, make-up and, for the first time, rise above mass-produced offerings that may or may not make you as gorgeous as the model on the packaging.

Will Alexa and Google Assistant learn to play well together…?

Certain AI devices are already compatible but not all. One of the biggest hopes is that Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant will eventually strike up a relationship so that a smart home design can features products of your choice, regardless of manufacturer. CES may be where a new love affair is born.

Not all is candy and roses at CES…

While the sexy allure of CES is it candy store array of leading-edge products and services, some harsh realities face many of the entities that will be present. Amazon, Facebook and Google have seen their market values plummet in recent months and Apple’s decision to again remain aloof was probably made even more easily this year with the company’s stunning market-value hit in recent weeks. Unanswered questions loom regarding international tariffs and trade wars. Amid the super-cool, mind-blowing robots, increased cloud-based connectivity, and a greater variety of smart-enabled common household devices, there are some huge issues and more than a handful of genuinely nervous folks in Vegas this week.

No doubt in the coming days, you will see many more amazing products and highlights from CES on the evening network newscasts, as we do every year which begs the question: What will they come up with next …? Stand by … CES 2020 is just 12 months away!

Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to get a quick hot shave.

CONCLUSION

The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show is in full swing this week and while the number of Wowza products may be down a bit from previous years, the show never fails to deliver!

Cheers,

The post Wireless To Wonderful, Weird To Wowza, CES 2019 Has It All! appeared first on dynami.

This oh-so-brief respite is also a great time for business folks to explore a bit and discover new tools and resources that can help us all be better in our roles. 

Here are four you definitely want to check out …

itseasy.com – When was the last time you checked the status of your passport? When was the last time you tried to get your passport renewed when turnaround time was critical? Not fun.

That’s where ItsEasy (sic) comes in.

Based in New York City with offices in Washington, DC, Boston, Denver and LA, ItsEasy is one of the nation’s largest expeditors of passport and visa applications for travel to virtually any country on the planet. Some applications are turned in a month, some in a week, and there’s even a 1-day turnaround if you’re really up against the wall.

The application process is clean and simple. Say you’re looking for a travel visa, simply enter your nationality, state of residence, destination country, type of visa needed, and number of entries. It immediately lays out all relevant rules and regulations for travel to/from and within that country and allows you to select from pricing tiers with turnaround times designated. Gather the required documents and either hand-deliver or Fed-Ex them to the company and, whoosh, just like that, you’re only days away from receiving your visa.

In a word, it’s easy!

unsplash.com – Budgets are tight, deadlines tighter, and you’ve got a presentation due tomorrow that’s looking, well, sorta blah. The content and triple-checked data are all correct and

relevant but the lack of photo imagery makes your PPT deck look more like the front page of the WSJ.

Unleash unsplash.com, a great go-to resource for freebie, high-rez visuals that will breathe life into that dull deck you’ve been fretting over. Go to unsplash.com, key in the type of image you’re looking for and, voila!, options galore. And in varying aspect ratios (i.e., vertical, horizontal, square, etc.) A prompt encourages you to give credit where credit is due and name the photographer but also states that’s not required. I searched for a lighthouse and had a beauty of a shot on my desktop ready for use in just two clicks.

Check ‘em out!

lumosity.com – If you’re a distance-runner — marathoner, half-marathoner or weekend 10ker — you understand the importance of giving your weary bones a rest every now and again. But you also know how easy it is to lose your edge if that brief timeout turns into a week away from training.

Same’s true for your brain. Don’t let the summer slowdown rob you of your mental edge. Stay sharp with Lumosity.com, an online provider of games, puzzles and mind-benders that will keep that cranial matter a rich shade of gray (if there is such a thing).

You’ve probably heard their commercials on satellite radio but maybe you haven’t checked ‘em out. It’s worth it. For about 15 bucks a month (or choose 80 bucks a year), you can access hundreds and hundreds of mental challenges that will keep you alert and focused. And they’re fun and engaging, too!

Programs are scientifically developed and users’ results are used for ongoing research to help us all better understand mental cognition (which sounds a bit funny – “better understand mental cognition”).

Stay sharp, y’all!

corbinball.com – Stumped as to how to make your upcoming event or tradeshow experience truly meaningful and memorable? Wondering how to structure your next program to create a palpable “buzz” and get your folks energized? Enter Corbin Ball, one of the world’s leading experts in the area of technology applied to events, tradeshows and conventions. To visit his site is to stroll around a virtual Disneyworld if you’re a corporate event professional. There is so much content, so many rich topics, and so many tips and insights, it’s almost dizzying. (All the more reason to keep your brain sharp with Lumosity, right?)

One recent article by Ball, entitled Virtual Meetings Will Not Replace Face-to-Face Meetings, addresses the distinct advantage of in-person events despite a massive, worldwide trend to do everything in life virtually, thanks to the tech explosion of the past decade or so. While there is a role for the periodic virtual meeting or expo, Ball believes the traditional meeting and tradeshow models are here to stay.

“Webinars and other virtual meetings are great for short information exchange,” the article says. “However, in today’s multi-tasking and often distracting work environment, attention spans are short. Thirty to forty-five minutes is usually the maximum you can expect someone to pay attention to a webinar while sitting in front of a monitor.

“Meetings, on the other hand, take people to a more-focused environment with fewer distractions. As long as attendees are informed, entertained and fed, event hosts can keep them engaged for days … the opportunities for networking, brainstorming, and relationship-building are usually far greater at face-to-face events than online. Meetings provide a vastly richer, more targeted, and more focused learning experience than nearly any virtual meeting.”

Remember that line: “As long as attendees are informed, entertained and fed, event hosts can keep them engaged for days.”

CONCLUSION

Take advantage of the brief summer slowdown to brush up on some great new tools and resources that will make you a superstar in the corporate meetings and events industry.

Cheers to summertime and discovering new tools and resources!

The post 4 GREAT RESOURCES TO MAKE YOU A BETTER MEETINGS & EVENTS PROFESSIONAL! appeared first on dynami.

But first, let’s spend a couple minutes on biz …

________________________________

AR, VR, AI … to many, it’s all alphabet soup. But to those of us involved in the corporate meetings and events industry, it’s the future. Exciting things are happening in technology and we wanted to top-line a few for you. Today, let’s focus on Virtual Reality (VR)…

The next best thing to being there

Virtual Reality (VR) has been around a while but has either been too “out there” or too pricey for many. That’s changing. Actually, cost of VR is coming down while functionality and application is on the rise. VR is rapidly changing the way we interact with our clients, select meeting and event venues, and execute program design.

With nothing more than a pair of VR goggles that work on Apple and Android platforms, as well as an associated app, you can actually tour a venue in vivid, 3-D clarity and detail from the comfort of your own home or office. (Please, not while driving!) This comes in very handy when time is tight and you simply can’t break away to do a site visit but really need to nail down the perfect space for your upcoming corporate meeting or event.

Tradeshow Managers, especially those exhibiting automobiles or heavy equipment, can cut down the enormous footprint they traditionally have needed to hawk their wares, in favor of VR stations that whisk booth attendees away to the autobahn in a sleek new sports car, or to the middle of an Iowa cornfield aboard a new, state-of-the-art tractor.

VR also allows meeting and event planners to create a virtual meeting or event space, including stage set, lighting configurations, seating arrangements, room décor, etc. then share it with a client on the other side of the country. It wasn’t too long ago, renderings drawn with colored ink pens were considered de regueur. Clients are now able to react to space designs, tweak this, move that, add or reduce seating and – voila! – you’ve got an approval.

This big ol’ world of ours is getting smaller every day … and VR is an awesome way to bridge the miles, reduce time and costs, and expedite the approval process. It’s sort of like being immersed in your own real-life video game!

Ten Things About Julie Thompson-Whelan You Probably Didn’t Know …

• I live in Suwanee, GA, about 30 miles NE of Atlanta though I’m originally a Carolina Girl (South Carolina, that is). I earned my B.A. degree with a concentration in Hospitality & Tourism from College of Charleston and, while I love my alma mater, I’m a huge Clemson University fan.
• I’ve been married nearly six years and I still think he’s awesome.
• With the exception of fine folks like you, I sorta prefer the company of dogs to people,  especially chihuahuas which I rescue (#adoptdontshop). At least chihuahuas have an excuse for yapping incessantly!
• Speaking of dogs … I actually shared a dog for a decade with my best friend.  And as a total side note, don’t ever ask a dog (who really isn’t a “good dog”) who’s on his deathbed to send you the lovely, sweet and kind dog you’re supposed to have. I ended up with one that made me realize the first one wasn’t so bad, after all.
• “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy …” This “Bess” intends to spend as much time cruisin’ the waters of Lake Lanier on my jet ski or aboard our boat during the summer months.
• I hate raw onions and weeds … which, in my mind are one in the same.
• It’s one thing to have younger sisters but my two “little sisters” are 16 and 18 years younger than me!
• I’m on the Production Team at Gwinnett Church (#forgwinnett).
• I’ve reviewed and edited more than 3,000 slides for clients this year … and it’s only June!
• ¡En agosto, me voy a Cuba! (In August, I’m headed to Cuba!) And I fully plan to blog the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly about my experience. Please don’t ask me to smuggle home some cigars. I prefer life outside a jail cell. (I mean, they don’t allow chihuahuas or jet skis in jail and they’d probably make me eat onions while pulling weeds!)
• (Kenneth Jones, my boss, made me include this): “Julie’s personal commitment to quality  is obvious in everything she does. Her extra effort, dedication, insights and opinions are all extremely valuable to the successful undertakings of the dynami group. She’s our Chief Get-It-Done Officer!”

Me, again (Julie).

If you look closely, you can see me raising a pint of Summer Shandy in your honor; wishing all of you a safe and celebratory Fourth of July holiday and an absolutely awesome summer!

CONCLUSION

Virtual Reality (VR) is an awesome way to bridge the miles, reduce time and costs, and expedite the approval process. It’s like being immersed in your own real-life video game!

Till next time,

The post A Little About Event Tech, A Little About Julie Thompson-Whelan appeared first on dynami.

All eyes were on Las Vegas two weeks ago and the 50^th annual Consumer Electronics Show with its 184,000 industry techno-wizards, gadget guys, and various and sundry other intelligent nerds and geeks gathered to hock their hi-tech wares and give us all a peek under the tech-tent to see what our short- and long-term futures hold.

More than 4,000 exhibitors (including 800+ start-ups) and 1,200 guest speakers gee-whizzed attendees with the latest-and-greatest in cell phones, televisions, robots, laptops, home appliances, drones, printers, long-charge smart-device batteries, cameras, headphones, earbuds, and even a voice-activated cat litter box.

I kid you not.

In a cruel twist of irony, the show experienced an hour-long, electrical blackout triggered by an unexpectedly heavy rain that caused a “flashover” of a generator. Nevertheless, CES did what it has done for a half-century: Be the grand showcase for all things new and techy. Consider the following:

• LG literally rolled out an ultra-high-definition display surface (a TV, in layman’s terms) that rolls up like a yoga mat when you’re not watching. Before long, the big black screen of a television over the mantel that’s turned off will be a gauche thing of the past.
• Attendance by robots was particularly strong this year. Avatar Mind unveiled iPal, a robot intended to serve as a reassuring companion for lonely or timid young children, and for the elderly, reminding them to take meds at proper intervals, eat meals at appropriate times, bathe, etc. Meanwhile Sony launched Aibo, a robotic dog that mimics a real-life Fido without the need for pee pads. Nimbo introduced a robot that patrols pre-programmed zones like a digital night watchman for your home or business. There was even an automatic laundry-folding robot named Laundroid, presented by Seven Dreamers and powered by artificial intelligence (AI) … if you happen to have an extra 16 grand on-hand.
• Google and Amazon continued to slug it out for domination in product categories driven by AI — Big Data analytics, speech recognition, predictive technology, etc. – with the introduction of voice-activated showers, makeup mirrors, coffee-makers, vacuums, ovens, etc.
• Samsung has developed a “smart refrigerator” with an internal, built-in camera so, if you’re in the dairy section at Publix, and can’t remember whether or not you need butter, simply activate the in-fridge camera with an app on your cell phone and see for yourself.
• For fitness fanatics, Peloton revealed its second-ever product that’s been under wraps and code-named “Aurora” for 18 months prior to CES. Peloton Tread is a pricey ($4,000), futuristic, at-home treadmill that will stream interval fitness classes and, the company hopes, streamline the number of conventional gyms currently operating across America.
• Several manufacturers demonstrated tiny chips that will be embedded into walls and furniture and respond to voice commands for brighter lights, lower volume, reclining positions, heat/cool levels, comfort firmness, etc.
• Eastman Kodak rolled out a device that facilitates crypto-currency transactions (Alt-Coin, Bit Coin, etc.). Don’t ask me to explain how this works but those in the know responded positively as Kodak stock soared an incredible 120% overnight!
• And if that’s not enough cool-and-new for you, be the first to pull on a pair of Skiin underwear (for men and women) by Myant that monitors vital signs like heart rate, respirations, body temp, hydration, body fat, motion and posture, and charges wirelessly. Again, I kid you not!

Technology evolves and advances at an astounding rate. Yesterday’s breakthrough is tomorrow’s obsolescence, it seems. One thing for sure is technology is with us and it’s impacting all our lives in many, many ways. And will continue to do so ad infinitum.

Many CES attendees joked that this year’s show may well as have been an auto show in Detroit, New York or Los Angeles for all the vehicle-based technology that was unveiled; things like a parking assistant that knows where empty spaces can be found near your intended destination, a rear-view mirror featuring retina scan in case you lose your keys and still need to start your vehicle, self-driving/autonomous cars, even an in-dash Alexa from Amazon.

Speaking of Alexa …

Fun-loving convention-goers walking the floor of the exhibit halls could be heard yelling out “Alexa!” then looking around to see multiple gadgets activating in various booths.

Many of the products unveiled will make their way to market while many others won’t pass muster. Time will tell but there’s no shortage of imagination, innovations and dreams when CES rolls into town each year.

Sometimes, dreamers and innovators have to give it their best shot then take a fingers-crossed leap. Crossing that “100% confident” threshold before you take that leap is virtually impossible. At some point, manufacturers must follow their intuition and trust the knowledge they’ve gained, to-date. If a new piece of technology works, makes sense, and is affordable, good on them! If it doesn’t pan out, what have they learned and how can that learning be applied next time? That’s yet another of the great opportunities CES delivers.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban, after losing last year’s National Championship to Clemson on the final play of the game, told his team in the post-game locker-room, “Never waste a failure”. That became the Crimson Tide’s mantra throughout the recently completed football season which culminated in a thrilling, 26-23 comeback win over Georgia in overtime for ‘Bama’s 17^th national title.

That’s how you apply knowledge gained by trial and error.

Our society is continually gravitating towards technology-driven offerings that create higher and higher levels of convenience. For those of us who host and produce corporate meetings and events, it’s a reminder to stay in tune to emerging technology that will make the lives of our attendees and participants a little easier.

CONCLUSION

Keeping abreast of the latest and greatest gadgets and tools unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show each year is not only fun and fascinating, it can also help you, as a host or planner of corporate meetings and events, stay ahead of the curve (and maybe even make your life a little easier).

Oh, by the way … that George Jetsons underwear comes in a variety of colors and styles.

Cheers,

The post Gee-whiz! Highlights from the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show appeared first on dynami.

Within that total, it seems there are a semi-zillion productivity apps that promise to make us all superheroes in the workplace. Just when you think the app pipeline has been cranked to the max, a new and better app comes along.

So how do you sort through it all and find productivity apps that fit you best? Start with a handful of apps that rate 4-stars or higher from a reasonable number of reviews. Download ‘em, poke around the app itself, and test-drive it for a week and see if it’s something you’ll be comfortable with. If not, simply delete it and move on to the next.

In the Productivity section of Time magazine’s July 3, 2017 issue, writer Katie Van Syckle asked 10 corporate CEOs to reveal their favorite productivity app they believe makes them more efficient and effective in their jobs. Let’s look at five of them …

WORKFLOWY (that’s not a typo)

Basically, Workflowy is a powerful but easy-to-use note-taking and list-making app. Among those features that make it so robust are infinitely nested lists and the ability to zoom in on sub-lists, auto-synchronization between your computer and your smart devices, and that oh-so-satisfying ability to mark tasks as completed. The online app description says Workflowy is “like a notepad with superpowers”.

Lending Club CEO Scott Sanborn says, “Workflowy is my go-to and I can keep track of specific things I want to cover with each person (in his twice-daily ‘open-door’ blocks of time). With Workflowy, I can make whatever list I want – long or short – and it’s organizing my brain seamlessly across all my devices.”

TRELLO

Trello is a combo list-making / project-management app that helps you get your arms around all the demands in your life – managing your team, building a work/home to-do list, or storing a document you’re working on. By consolidating activities on Trello, you can quickly scan the landscape of your life and know everything that’s going on. Among the features are the ability to create boards (solo or collaborative by invitation to others); assign tasks and provide feedback; attach files, photos or videos; and auto-sync across all devices. If Workflowy doesn’t float your boat, Trello might be a better apption, er, option.

Ava CEO Lea von Bidder says, “It’s nothing more than a typical Post-It wall in an app format. It requires a bit of a set-up time. I organized mine along the days of the week. I never forget deadlines anymore and I have less weight to carry around.”

BOOMERANG

An email management app, Boomerang allows you to pen emails and save them to be sent at a later time or date. Simply click the “Send Later” button. Boomerang comprehends simple language such as “send next Tuesday” and will put your to-be-sent missive in a delivery queue. It also reminds you if you don’t receive a response to your message and allows you to temporarily archive an email you’ve received and indicate when you’d like to re-receive that message. Great for organizing “priority” and “burning-priority” emails.

Coolhaus Ice Cream CEO says, “It’s also good to use for East Coast correspondence where I want an email to be received at a more strategic time if I’m getting to it late in the day, Pacific-time.”

PRODUCTIVE – HABIT – TRACKER

Maybe not the cleverest name for a productivity app but it scores points for being straight-forward and to-the-point which is a workplace asset, for sure. Productive’s allure is its ability to set and track goals at home and/or at work. It has a clean and simple user-interface that helps you build a daily routine of personal and biz-based habits that keep you on track for achieving goals – be it physical exercise or motivating your team. You can schedule habits for any time of the day, set smart reminders throughout the day, and analyze progress. It’s also available as an Apple Watch app.

Says Firebrand Group CEO Jeremy Goldeman, “One of the best things about Productive is that it allows me to mix personal and professional goals and, as any busy person know, the two wind up overlapping quite a bit.”

Check it out, it’s habit-forming. (Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk …)

SIMPLY NOISE

If focus and concentration in a busy, noisy environment is a challenge for you, Simply Noise is ready to come to the rescue. Plug in your earbuds and fire up the app to hear high-fidelity white, pink and brown noise samples that help block out audio distractions, annoying overhead Muzak tunes, and nearby “decibel-ly challenged” people on your flight, at the corner coffee shop, or when you’re out and about and need to maintain your train-of-thought. It also helps offset the ringing of Tinnitus and can be used as a sleep aid at home. It’s noise-cancelling without the bulky headphones. “I feel like I’m at home in my head so that I can get work done,” says Groupmuse CEO Sam Bodkin.

And for the record, “white noise” is noise containing many frequencies of equal intensities; “pink noise” is random noise having equal energy per octave, and having more low-frequency components than “white noise”; and “brown noise” (also known as “Brownian noise” or “red noise”) is made up of even lower frequencies than “pink noise”. Think thumping bass notes coming from the kid’s car next to you at the stoplight.

Five productivity apps for you to check out … only 4,999,995 to go! What apps do you find particularly helpful when it comes to boosting productivity and workplace efficiencies? Weight in because we’d love to hear from you.

CONCLUSION

With more and more productivity apps being released each day, it’s important to test-drive those apps that will make you more productive and efficient. Here are five to start with …

Cheers,

The post 5 “smart” tips CEOs say make them more productive appeared first on dynami.

Sort of a polite club bouncer.

I was surprised that a smoother entry process hasn’t yet found its way to the doors of the big-box store — one where members can enter without Roto-Rooting their wallets, pockets and purses; one in which radio waves are sent and you breeze through like you do in pre-paid toll roads across America. Only traditionalists and non-urbanites bother fishing for quarters to plunk into the toll hopper (then dare the gate not to raise just in time as they pull forward — assuming, of course, one of those quarters didn’t circle the hopper then pop out onto the road. Yeah, it’s happened to all of us).

I digress …

Point is, technology is changing and evolving so rapidly!

(I know, the profundity and insight offered by that last statement pegs a solid minus-1 on a 1-10 scale but I felt like I needed to lay that “duh” out to set up my next point.)

I sometimes feel frustrated, in my day-to-day activities, when tech opportunities haven’t been incorporated where they would fit quite nicely and make my life and everyone’s else’s life just a little easier. Airports (some, that is) and toll roads have done it. Uber takes the pain out of payment. And Amazon is testing it’s Amazon Go convenience-store concept in Seattle where no checkout is required. Once you have downloaded the free app and set up an account, you breeze into the C-store, snag your desired items, and go. No lines, no checkout, no snarly cashiers. A day or two later, your account is charged for the item(s) and an e-receipt is sent to you.

What are you doing with new and cool meeting and event technology?

For those of us in the meetings and events industry – especially those who are, ahem, a bit seasoned and maybe a little bored with the same ol’ same ol’ – it gets frustrating when cool new tech, digital, and gee-whiz offerings are out there begging to be used but, for whatever reason, aren’t incorporated.

Meetings and events aren’t unlike the evolution of the consumption of music. Things change and get better. And in time, cheaper.

Remember 8-track tapes which begot audio cassettes which begot CDs which begot the iPod then the iPhone? Seems the iPod was all new and cool just a few short years ago and now it occupies a distant corner in the bottom drawer of your desk or the drawer at home where you keep your seldom-worn socks. These days, if the tune you want can’t be downloaded on-the-fly — stored digitally and accessible on all your on-the-go devices – or streamed live on Spotify, it’s simply not worth having.

We’re spoiled, people. But that’s to be expected. Change, improvement and evolution made us that way.

It wasn’t too many years ago we meeting and event professionals shipped out for programs with a bulging, 10-pound, 3-ring binder under one arm and a carry-on bag stuffed with ¾” video tapes under the other. Then hoppin’ down the bunny trail came the jump drive that could hold not just all the contents of said 3-ring binder but probably three editions of World Book Encyclopedia, too. (Remember World Book Encyclopedia. Of course, you don’t. Wikipedia took care of that.)

Lo and behold, not long after jump/thumb/flash drives or dongles or whatever you care to call them, came cloud storage. Now we simply push all the stuff into “the cloud”, the mysterious, out-there-somewhere file cabinet that allows us to travel more lightly and access our files – speeches, video, audio, animation, etc. – once we arrive at our destination.

Here are five hot meeting and event-related technology offerings you should consider building into your next program to keep things lively and engaging:

Catchbox – No more mic wranglers hustling up and down the aisles during Q&A sessions. Catchbox is the world’s first tossable (yes, that’s a word, I just made it up) microphone. When a hand is raised, throw Catchbox to the person and they speak into it before throwing it to the person with the next question. It’s colorful, padded and fun. It breaks the ice and engages the audience. The quirkiness of it all can even settle the nerves of the person least likely to stand and pose a question or make a comment. And the audio quality is superb.

Crowd Mics – Also a Q&A enhancer, Crowd Mics is an app that connects audience members’ smartphones (iOS and Android) to the room’s audio system so every person has his or her own microphone. Presenters and audience members connect to the same wireless network. No internet connection is required because the app only uses the router to push data back and forth. You know your folks are all going to have their smartphones in hand so leverage that reality and engage them.

Beacon Technology – Just as a lighthouse emits light signals to inform mariners, beacon technology is used in trade shows, expos and events to deliver content. The beacon detects a device within a certain proximity and automatically pushes relevant content to that device. Since users must download an app on their smartphone or tablet to receive communication signals from the beacon, a pre-event communique announcing the availability of the app and promoting its benefits would be wise. You could also offer convention-goers a quick download of the app by scanning a QR code onsite. Beacon technology can be used to deliver product or service-related content, engage visitors, and enhance the in-booth experience (i.e., lead them on a treasure hunt within your footprint that takes them to all important info stations in your booth). It can also be used for show floor mapping, instant updates, special announcements, invitations to evening events, room monitoring/attendance collecting, and can facilitate networking of persons with similar interests, etc.

Friction-Free Check-In – Many of you have already had the opportunity to experience easier check-in at event registration via terminals such as Cvent OnArrival. For smaller events, there are guest check-in apps like Check In Easy that eliminate the antiquated process of crossing names off an alphabetized, hard-copy Excel spreadsheet then handing over a badge. QR codes on smart devices can now confirm pass scanning (Did ya hear that, Costco?) and you can even receive special notifications that a VIP has arrived or that Elvis has left the building.

Facial Recognition Technology – Yeah, this is a little James Bond-ish but it’s quickly becoming a great tool for collecting data in tradeshow, meeting and event settings without asking people to take a survey. For meeting and event professionals, facial recognition technology allows you to measure moods, demographics and even spontaneous reactions that indicate approval or displeasure at various stages of audience engagement. Gathering this data will help planners better understand what engages and stirs audiences and also what causes them to tune out and start checking emails or text messages.

CONCLUSION

With technology changing so rapidly, there are myriad ways to engage your audience more meaningfully and to make their whole meeting and event experience richer.

What great new tech offerings are you seeing out there in the world of meetings and events? I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time …

The post 5 HOT MEETING AND EVENT TECH OFFERINGS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER USING appeared first on dynami.

Today, I’d like to turn the spotlight on three such offerings …

PAGING SIMON COWELL … HELP NEEDED!

You know America’s got talent and you know there are American idols everywhere, but you’re hundreds of miles from home and your boss/client expects you to book just the right music talent for your next event. You prefer booking locally (for altruistic and budgetary reasons) but, unfortunately, you don’t know jack about your destination’s music scene. You don’t even know what instrument Jack plays!

What do you do?

Check out GigTown, a full-service, online, live music management agency that works with corporate clients of all sizes. Scroll through the roster of city/area-specific musical talent – single acoustical acts to full concert-hall ensembles from virtually all musical genres. You can download audio or video files of past performances for a “test drive” of the acts you’re considering.

GigTown also offers local DJs and corporate bands for that post-Awards Night After-Party. Interactive employee voting systems are available, as well as a dedicated, onsite GigTown rep to handle everything while you’re busy tending to other event priorities.

Simply go online to review the talent offerings, fill out the form, submit, and lock in your entertainment at competitive pricing. Currently, GigTown operates in the deep-pool music hotbeds of Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles/Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Tampa.

Check ’em out at: https://www.gigtown.com/

GET YOUR SHYP TOGETHER

Return shipping, especially after events where awards are handed out, is always a post-event pain-in-the-neck. Plaques, crystal, office supplies, leftover amenities, breakout materials, directional signage, banners, etc. make the final-day pack and load-out a genuine drag.

It needn’t be.

Fire up the Shyp app on your smartphone or tablet, snap a picture of what you need to ship, hit “Send”, and a vehicle will be dispatched in short order to pick up your parcel(s) which can range from shoebox size to XL (a box that fits in the backseat of a sedan).

Launched in 2013 and recently named one of Fast Company’s 50 most innovative businesses, Shyp offers packing services, batch label-printing, on-demand and scheduled pickups, tools for tracking high-volume shipping, and pricing that’s lower than the “big boy” shipping companies. The company serves the personal, small business and enterprise markets so you may find yourself contacting Shyp for sending birthday gifts or blasting out 300 marketing kits to your field sales reps.

The Shyp app currently serves San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago. However, rapid market expansion is anticipated since the company has raised more than $62 million in venture capital.

Check ’em out at: https://www.shyp.com/

MAKE YOUR NOTE NOTEWORTHY (AND BYPASS THE HAND CRAMPS)!

Your mega-successful business event has loaded out, you’re on a coast-to-coast flight home, exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Suddenly, you remember you need to send thank-you notes to a number of people with recently busted humps.

The old-fashioned way. Written by hand. Quick, for impact.

Ugh. Welcome to Choresville, USA.

An email is way too impersonal, a text inexcusable, and you’re so whipped you don’t know whether or not your already marginal handwriting would even be legible.

PunkPost to the rescue!

This recently launched app, the brainchild of a husband-wife team in San Francisco, understands your dilemma and may quickly become the “handiest” app you’ve downloaded in a while. It can help you blast through those dreaded but all-important gestures of old-fashioned etiquette … in a new-fashioned way.

Once you’ve downloaded the PunkPost app, select your front-cover art from a number of constantly updated collections. (BTW, these are not your standard, run-of-the-mill, yawner collections. On the attitude scale, you can go sassy and irreverent on one extreme — Hey, Sweet Cheeks! … This S%*t is Bananas! … You’re Dope … etc. — or buttoned-up corporate on the other.) You can really customize the mailing to fit the recipient’s personality.

Next, key in the recipient’s address along with your message to them. Then select your preferred style of handwriting (elegant, formal, simple, fun, or sweet) and hit “Send”. An actual handwritten thank-you note will be generated by a live, human “scriptist” who prides themselves on fluid strokes of stylish penmanship and fun graphics. The envelope is then addressed, stamped and mailed to your friend, colleague, client, etc. – all within 24 hours.

Now, here’s the “Boom!” part of PunkPost …

Prices range from just $6 per note sent domestically to $7.50 per note sent internationally, including postage. You can even add a “confetti bomb” and photo for $1.50 more. A portion of the proceeds flow back to the artist who created the original design – and your first note is free.

Check ‘em out at: http://punkpost.co/cards

CONCLUSION

Work smarter with event technology like GigTown, Shyp and PunkPost  — three cool, new, app-based service offerings that can help make your personal and professional life a little easier and a lot more productive.

ONE MORE THING…

At dynami, one of our points of pride is staying abreast of what’s new, trending and relevant to the business professional. We all live, work and play in a world experiencing change and evolution at an astonishing pace. No longer is it enough to stay current, these days you need to know what’s around the bend. From time to time, we’ll share with you cool things we come across to help make your life a little easier and a lot more productive.

If you haven’t taken a close look at dynami lately, check out our right-outta-the-oven, 45-second video.

Until next time, cheers!

The post Get Smart with Event Technology appeared first on dynami.

My first thought when I heard that number was, “Oh the possibilities…”

Mobile technology has come a long way since the iPhone’s release in 2007. Now, nine years later, I can’t imagine life without my mobile devices. They are what allow me to be more efficient in all aspects of my life, especially when it comes to managing events.

In a world where we are all striving to be more resourceful and effective with our time, it’s important to stay up to date with any tools that can help us do just that.

Here are four apps to help event professionals stay organized and find more time in their day.

1. Evernote – The NEW Notebook
   1. Heavy 4” binders are a thing of the past. Today, I use Evernote as a mobile filing system. It can manage everything from venue research to contracts to presentations. You can even, seamlessly update and share notes with your team across multiple devices. The basic app is free.
2. WhatsApp – Global Communication
   1. WhatsApp keeps you connected from anywhere in the world. You can send messages, share photos, and make clear phone calls all over wifi. Roughly 3-4 years ago, we introduced this app to an incentive client’s group recommending they download it for the trip. We advised attendees to give the information to babysitters, spouses, colleagues, etc. Participants freaked out. They loved it! And mind you, this was when the app only featured texting. Today over 450 million use WhatsApp all around the world. Free app.
3. Google Translate – Your Translator
   1. Google Translate can help you interpret different languages. You can use your camera to translate text instantly. Google translate assists with two-way automatic speech translation. It will even let you star and save translations for future reference. Recently, we organized an event for a client in Panama, and one of the attendees was suffering from a migraine. Our VP, Julie, left the hotel to find a local pharmacy for the attendee. She was able to use this app to help locate the right medicine as well as translate the instructions for the dosage. Free app.
4. IF by IFTTT – Your Connector
   1. IFTTT stands for “If This Then That.” It is a free service that saves event professionals time by automating connections between your apps. The idea is you set up a trigger with a corresponding task, known as a recipe. For example, create a push notification to your phone if a particular email address sends you a message while you are out of the office. Set up a Twitter search term and have the results sent to your Evernote, this can help you keep track of comments from attendees at your event. Another fun use was shared with me by a friend. They set up a recipe so that every time their company name gets tweeted the lights in their house flash. IF by IFTTT lets you get creative and save time by automating as many tasks as possible. Free app.

There you have it. Four essential apps all event professionals should be using. If you are just hearing about any of these for the first time, be sure to check them out and let us know what you think.

WANT TO ADD TO THE LIST? Click here to email or leave a comment below to inspire others.

Until next time!

The post 4 Essential Apps for Event Professionals appeared first on dynami.

From the EHang 184 drone capable of flying a person up to 220 lbs to the Microsoft Hololens merging the virtual world with reality to Samsung’s Modular Display, exhibitors at CES did not disappoint.

So what does any of this have to do with planning corporate meetings or events? Everything!

There is no better place to look than CES for innovative ideas on ways to enhance the guest experience at your meeting or event. With new and improved ways to deliver messaging, connect attendees, collect and track data, state of the art audio/visual equipment, and unique wow factors to build excitement… It’s an innovators playground!

Here are companies whose trending products have our creative team buzzing:

1. RadBeacon proximity beacons by Radius Networks, Inc:
   1. Since arriving on the scene in 2013, beacon technology has come a long way. For those not familiar with beacons, they are transmitters that can notify mobile devices within a predefined range of the beacon. A technology that has offered innovative solutions for indoor navigation, automatic ticketing, guided tours, and location relevant offers. This year the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) utilized beacon technology to implement a scavenger hunt, indoor navigation, and end-user messaging to attendees who downloaded their CES App.
2. ChefJet Pro by 3D Systems:
   1. ChefJet Pro debuted at CES 2014 as the first professional 3D food printer. Over the last two years there have been several advancements which led to partnerships with Hershey’s Chocolate and The Culinary Institute of America. We are predicting the rise of printed cakes, candies, and logo-emblazoned sugar cubes amongst the catering industry in 2016.
3. App Showdown Finalist – Gloopt:
   1. Gloopt was one the finalist for the CES 2016 App Showdown. In under three minutes, Gloopt showcased how their app can be used to create one minute branded videos that include clickable call to actions all from your iPhone. The app provides a share button which populates a link allowing you to send your video through a private message or post to social media. We see Gloopt being a great content marketing tool for building excitement before, during, and after events.
4. Flexible OLED Display by LG:
   1. The concept of flexible displays have been a talking point for other big brands such as Sony, Samsung, and Sharp. However, it appears LG is the first to move past the point of concept with their OLED technology. Still a prototype, LG showed off their 18-inch screen capable of rolling up like a newspaper at CES 2016. LG foresees the new screens being used as tablets or for wrapping around interior spaces. Lightweight, portable, flexible screens could certainly have a huge impact on the way we stage our events.

In conclusion, the CES show floor ranged from products reminiscent of a scene from the Jetsons to modernized twists on retro items like turntables. There were no new ground breaking technologies this year, simply advancements made to existing concepts. Which leads us to believe we’ve barely scratched the surface on how these tools can be utilized within the Event Industry.

Photo: Kobby Dagan / Shutterstock.com

Until next time!

The post CES 2016 Inspires Innovation in Event Technology appeared first on dynami.