Get out and explore with a SCVNGR hunt!

A few weeks ago, I blogged about harnessing geolocation technology (specifically Foursquare) for your meeting. As usual, technology is changing at such a fast pace that a newer and more useful tool is already available.

I’m learning more and more about SCVNGR, a game about doing challenges at places. SCVNGR’s website describes the platform as part game, part gaming platform. At the time of this blog entry, SCVNGR has native apps for the iPhone and Android as well as SMS (text) capability that allows players with other phones to join in the fun.

At heart, SCVNGR is similar to Foursquare in the fact that you use your mobile phone’s GPS to identify your location, and see what else is nearby. But the SCVNGR developers have added a new dimension to the basic check-in, allowing players to create challenges for one another and awarding points for complexity.

There are one-location challenges, where players do something at a specific location for points. There are also points for multi-location challenges, called Treks, where players go from place to place in a predetermined route to unlock a prize. Treks can be performed in a specific order (set by the organizer) or by closest location. Talk about the perfect incentive for your attendees to explore the local area or map their way through your exhibit hall!

A grown-up SCVNGR hunt is a great way to get your attendees out of the meeting room and interacting with the world around them. Why not encourage teams to participate? I could even foresee revenue opportunities in an official meeting trek, when local businesses are sold the opportunity to be added to the route.

I can’t wait to add a SCVNGR hunt for my next conference!

Tech without the Trauma

There was very interesting and valuable information collected by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) Affordable Meetings National Pre-Show Survey.

"According to the conference’s survey, respondents feel technology is most helpful in the planning industry for online registrations, social networking, eRFPs, e-mail blasts, marketing, blogs, conducting virtual meetings and utilizing e-commerce through online stores. Respondents suggested that technology saves time and enhances organization, while at the same time streamlines business processes, more accurately capturing or manipulating information and allowing a database of legacy data to be built. It also allows a wider audience to be reached, they said."

Technology touches our lives more and more every day. It can be overwhelming sometimes, but when approached with some guidance it is so surprising how the benefits far outweigh the initial reaction of hesitancy or stress.

Our team at Conference & Logistics Consultants team is helping more and more clients everyday find a friend in technology. Take a minute and visit our "Tech without the Trauma" information: http://www.gomeeting.com/tech/

Diffusing a Sensitive Situation with Humor

Sometimes, a little creativity can pay off in a huge way.

At a recent client convention in Las Vegas, we were tasked with implementing an exhibitor priority system for advance booth purchase for the first time. This particular meeting has some very assertive exhibitors, and we were worried that they would not appreciate the difficult decisions that had been made regarding priority order.

Our staff was concerned that exhibitors would crowd the advance purchase table to get the best spot. We had to come up with a solution to keep the atmosphere professional, while systematically adhering to the association’s priority system.

We considered a number of scenarios to maintain order, and decided to add a security guard during the appointment times. Yet, we were concerned about the unwelcoming impression a uniformed guard would have on the association’s valued vendors.

In a last minute stroke of genius we decided to swap out the security guard for a signature Caesars Palace Roman centurion, in full costume. Exhibitors and attendees alike were delighted, and many asked for a photo opportunity. For just a small investment, our centurion Carlos helped us keep the atmosphere light while also providing some structure.