Many benefits stand out with increasing conferences turning to paperless methods. Of course, using less paper is better for the environment. Still, it is also more cost-effective as you will no longer need to face the costs of physical resources and going digital also saves you time in the production process, e.g. corrections and updates are done quickly.
A paperless meeting is an excellent option if you want your next conference to be more sustainable.
This blog post will discuss some key benefits of going paperless at your next science conference. We will also provide top conference planning tips for making the transition to a paperless event as easy as possible.
1. Easier to integrate In-Person and online environments
When providing your digital association conference programme as a website or an application, remember that you can include all the essential details for in-person and virtual attendees. It would be a good idea to share helpful information such as recommended public transportation for the conference venue, the conference agenda or who the keynote speakers will be.
You can even go the extra mile by customising pages to each attendee’s needs with a welcome note, an agenda, speaker bio information/ social media, and more.
Delegates will not have to spend time aimlessly looking through a booklet for the right content. With everything available at their fingertips, they can easily find and refer to whatever they need on their phone. Plus, you do not have to concern yourself with making printouts of presentation slides – these can also be viewed on a digital device!
Also, those who wish to interact with questions during the event or keynote presentations can do so easily. Furthermore, both the in-person and virtual delegates will have the ability to collaborate and vote together. This is great because it allows the moderation process to keep the event schedule.
Related: How associations can implement innovation
2. Simplified information delivery with a paperless association conference
Gone are the days of lugging a physical conference booklet or printed materials. With electronic material on tablets and smartphones, delegates can have everything they need at their fingertips. Furthermore, you can add alerts and prompts to the app to keep your event moving efficiently, leading to a more organised, successful conference.
3. More sustainable and green
The vital part of a paperless association conference is that it enables you to be environmentally friendly.
More so, you do not have to concern yourself with printing out large quantities of delegate packs in preparation for your event during the stressful planning process. You also do not have the concern of wastage if you print excess booklets only for some delegates not to attend.
Read more: Six ways to make your conference more sustainable
4. Take the stress out of last-minute changes with your paperless association conference
With digital conference programmes, you do not have to worry about making changes to your agenda or attendee list and wasting paper. You can easily make changes electronically, and they will be updated on all devices within minutes. Also, push notifications will enable the fast communication of these changes to the delegates.
5. Take-aways can still be provided
Delegates often want to take away annual conference and exhibition booklets, papers and information, which is not a problem with a paperless system. They can request materials to be sent to them following the event. This can also provide key insights into user needs and preferences. Ultimately, this will help you reach the target audience to which you wish to promote your events and offer additional opportunities to keep in touch.
Our top tips to make your association conference paperless
Are you interested in converting your next conference into a paperless association conference? Here are a few things you can do to make the transition easier.
- Build a mobile-friendly event website/application containing critical information for attendees and an event registration section. This will allow you to ensure the trends and challenges of the delegates are aligned with the values of the event. Integrating a good user experience will also provide core insights and data during the promotional phases.
- The switch from paper reliance to digitalisation can be a more considerable upfront investment. However, in return, you will be able to gauge better, increase audience engagement, and maintain the event flow with app notifications.
- Select a venue that can accommodate your digital needs. An increasing number of locations have easy access to digitally operated utilities, like digital display screens, video walls and project mapping/presentation capacities.
- Introduce digital name badges, or ‘smart tags,’ that make it easier for attendees and suppliers to exchange contact information without the reliance on business cards. Explain how it will now be easier to receive/download marketing materials using QR codes, Bluetooth, or RFID technology. This allows you to track delegates, which can help improve future events.
- Aim to provide support, as we should never forget that a small portion of attendees may not know how to use QR codes or access dedicated applications. Providing on-site staff who are intended to serve as electronic assistants can help tackle this issue. This will allow the organisers and speakers to remain confident that attendees will not get confused halfway through the conference. This sense of hands-on support will generate a more significant amount of engagement and positivity from the attendees.
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If you would like help converting your next association conference to a paperless model, contact our specialist team to discuss how Congrex can support you.
Congrex Switzerland is an internationally operating agency delivering integrated solutions primarily for non-profit clients. This encompasses the overall organisation of conferences, including hotel room management and associations’ strategic consultancy.
Annually Congrex Switzerland organises approximately 33 conferences with over 73’000 delegates. Amongst our clients are international associations, governmental organisations and corporations.
