10 Apps The Busy Meeting Professional Can’t Live Without

By: Eric Olson, General Manager
Active Network, Business Solutions

About a year ago I stopped carrying a laptop on short trips. It was a big — and slightly stressful moment — when I boarded a plane for a conference in San Jose with only an iPad and a presentation on iWork Keynote. But, something quickly dawned on me. Apps were made for the conference goer.

Event professionals need information on the go. And with the app market now worth over $10 billion with a staggering year-on-year growth rate of 100%, there is an app for just about every element of the business meeting experience — from the airport to the convention center and everything in between.

So, after a couple of years of experimenting with the latest apps on my smartphone and tablet, I’ve compiled a list of 10 of my favorite business travel and event apps. Check out my list below and please comment with your thoughts and any other recommendations you have.

1.       Evernote – Winner of the best mobile app award by TechCrunch and  Mashable, Evernote enables you to capture your ideas and notes on- the- go, documenting them as text, photos or audio recordings and auto-synchronizing all content to your devices (desktop computer, phone, iPad). This app now features geo-location tagging, advanced search capabilities and multiple language support. This is one app every mobile user should have.

2.       Bump - is a virtual business card that allows you to swap contact info, calendar, pictures and social media profiles with others, simply by bumping your phone with theirs. The information is transferred wirelessly and automatically added to your contact list. Genius!

3.       Trip-it – Log your travel plans and find out who’s near-by for business and networking opportunities. The TripIt mobile planner keeps all of your travel plans in one spot from flight information to hotel bookings and car rental confirmations. Forward your booking confirmation details to plans@tripit.com  and the TripIt app organizes and shares your itinerary with family, colleagues and social networking contacts, making it easier to coordinate schedules. Itineraries can even be customized to include weather, maps and directions.

4.      Quickvoice  – This is the most popular voice recorder available. Record ideas, voice memos, voice email, dictation, lists, meetings, classes, and entire lectures or presentations on your mobile phone or tablet!  With this nifty app, you can even email using your voice. Read the rest of this entry »

Written By: Eric Olson

The Value of Technology on Experiential – the Ex Awards

By: Cece Salomon-Lee, Director of Marketing
Active Network
Business Solutions

On April 30, 2012, the Ex Awards honored the best in innovations related to pop-up retail, digital and physical convergence and integrated event-based B2B marketing at the Event Marketing Summit in Chicago. It was only a few years ago (I believe in 2009 or 2010) that the Hybrid or Live+Digital category was added to these awards.

Then, the discussion was around the impact that virtual or hybrid events would have on physical events. As we’ve discovered since, technology – whether social, mobile or virtual – can greatly enhance the experiential component of an event when incorporated as part of the strategy of that event.

Cisco has been one of the innovators in leveraging technology to enhance audience experience. And once again, Cisco was recognized with a Gold Ex Award in the Live+Digital category of its Global Sales Experience event. The event brought together over 20,000 sales members worldwide.

We are proud to be part of the team that brought this event to fruition. Congratulations to Cisco GSX on a well-deserved award, as well as (in alpha):

• The great team at Active Network (yes, I’m playing favorites) – attendee management and scheduling tools
• George P. Johnson- strategy and experience design
• INXPO – virtual platform
• JUXT Interactive – creative and interactive design

 Read the press release or learn more about how Active Network powered Cisco Live!

Written By: Cece Salomon-Lee

7 Things Planners Can Learn from Expo Magazines Event Technology Survey

By: Eric Olson, General Manager
Active Network | Business Solutions

Ok, let’s be real here. Event planners and technology haven’t always got along. When I was putting on events ten years ago, our technology was like boys to a group of third grade girls. My planners were forced to interact with it, but they generally thought it was, well, icky.

But just like third grade boys grow up, so has event technology. Suddenly, the much-maligned nuisance is becoming an important part of a planner’s daily life. And some tech tools are becoming downright sexy.

So, when EXPO magazine published its second annual event technology survey, I wasn’t surprised to see big increases in budget, increased adoption of technology platforms and a shift in the needs of organizers from pure event logistics to solving digital engagement challenges. I was, however, a bit frustrated to see that adoption is still slow and some of the same barriers to success are still plaguing us.

So, here are seven things I think planners can take away from this survey:

1. Budget for technology based on the goals of your events. The survey showed that 35% of survey respondents plan to increase their technology budget in 2012, which is encouraging because many planners don’t even have a technology budget. Planners need to make technology a part of their budgeting process and align spend with measurable results in either cost savings or, more importantly, event value.

2. Attendee data is the new black. It is good to see event planners prioritizing the core technologies required to pull off good events. The top 3 most important event technologies listed were event management software, website development/CMS and customer database infrastructure. Planners should not be looking to add “the next cool thing” before building a solid foundation of event and data management tools. The key to building the right technology solution is starting with an integrated platform with a focus on creating and managing good data.

3. Event management is no longer limited by the four walls of the conference hall. The job of an event planner is expanding to include management of the digital experience around an event. Planners need to learn about the tools to support that. The survey showed that social media, e-marketing platforms, smartphone apps, lead retrieval, mobile services and webinars are becoming increasingly popular, all placing in the top 10 list for important technology. Despite this, the adoption rate of such technology is still low as only 5% of respondents reported that their organization concentrated time and money on this type of technology in 2011.

4. Learn how to measure the value of technology instead of viewing it as a cost center. The survey showed that ‘money’, ‘affordability’ and ‘convincing senior management to buy into it’ were key barriers to implementing good technology. That shows me that planners are failing to affectively measure the impact of technology on their events. Technology is no longer about making your job easier; it is about saving you money and, more importantly, allowing organizers to improve event products, experiences and return-per-attendee.

5. Learn how to sell the value of technology to leadership. Once planners have learned how to properly measure the impact of technology, they’ll have the ammunition to sell it to the boss. And, according to the survey, that’s exactly what they need to do. 70% of organizations report that it is senior-level management that determines the technology budget for their organization with 38% specifying that it is the CEO of their organization who determines the spend on technology.

6. It’s STILL all about the attendee. And it should be. Event planners should never take their focus off putting on great experiences and creating more value for attendees along the entire journey. While 61% of respondents will focus their investments on technology to support attendees and exhibitors in 2012, the primary focus and concern for the majority of event planners is on attendees in particular.

7. Simplify. And don’t panic. According to the survey, “the biggest challenge related to technology is the technology itself – the trends are moving too quickly, making it difficult to keep up with the budget and resources offered.” While IT is advancing at a rapid pace, the uncertainty surrounding all of the new mediums being launched presents a challenge for event planners. Planners should be patient and focus on adding the technologies that tie directly to the goals of their organizations and events.

If you’re interested in finding out more about event technology trends in 2012 and beyond, I invite download a copy of ‘The Connected Event’ a report compiled by the Event Marketing Institute in partnership with Active Network offering further insight into technology trends in 2012 and beyond.

Special thanks to expoweb.com for commissioning and presenting the results of their second annual technology survey.

Eric Olson is responsible for driving global sales and operations. Before joining the company, Eric was Vice President of Marketing and Media for a prominent education provider, specializing in online courses, virtual events and live conferences. In seven years he grew the company’s annual revenues from less than $10 million to more than $140 million, primarily through the expansion of its events portfolio.

Written By: Eric Olson

Meet the Active Network Team at ACCED-i in Denver, March 25-28

Active Network’s RegOnline team will be at the ACCED-i 32^nd Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, March 25^th-28^th. Stop by the Active Network booth #19 if you’re attending or click here to make an appointment with the RegOnline team, who will be happy to offer information and advice on all the latest in event technology.

Active Network’s very own social media guru, Justin Ramers will also be presenting an educational session on ‘Making Sense of Social Media’ during the conference. This is a session not to be missed as Justin goes beyond the basics of social media to provide real insight into how to leverage social media to create buzz, drive website traffic, build lasting relationships, and create a measurable increase in attendance at live events.

Join Justin at ACCED-i on Tuesday March 27th 10:45 – 12:00 at the Grand Hyatt Tower, Room Mt Evans for this insightful and engaging session.

Don’t forget to book your appointment with the Active Network team at ACCED-i today.

About ACCED-i:

The Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International consists of over 1,500 campus professionals who design, market, coordinate and plan conferences and special events on the campuses of colleges and universities around the world. The mission of the Association is to improve, promote and recognize excellence in the collegiate conference and events profession.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Active Network Expands Event Technology Footprint into Asia-Pacific

In addition to Sam Renouf’s post regarding our presence at AIME , here is our press release regarding our expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.

Active Network Powers Professional Events Industry
with Expanded Footprint in Asia-Pacific

Experienced Staff in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney Help Global Customers Manage Events and Source Venues in Region 

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – February 21, 2012 –Active Network (NYSE: ACTV) announced today at the Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meeting Expo (AIME) that it is expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney. Through the recent acquisition of StarCite®, a leader in corporate strategic meetings management, Active Network now provides a comprehensive suite of event technology solutions for meetings of any size—from small, local events to global user conferences. Having successfully powered events in the Asia-Pacific endurance market through partnerships with well-known customers such as the Singapore Sports Council and Triathlon Australia, Active Network is now positioned to deliver local expertise and customer service to the professional events industry in the region.

Active Network is already a trusted event technology provider for industry leaders such as Cisco, American Express, and other global customers with a strong presence in Asia-Pacific. Rather than cobbling together multiple point solutions, through Active Network professional meeting planners can rely on a single source to handle all elements of event management and engagement technology. Furthermore, meetings and events professionals have access to StarCite’s global supplier marketplace to more efficiently and cost-effectively source local venues and hotels for their meetings.

“We are excited about growing our presence in the broader professional events industry in Asia-Pacific, building on the successes we have had to date in the strategic meetings management and endurance markets,” said JR Sherman, senior vice president and senior general manager of the Business Solutions division at Active Network. “Our value proposition lies in our ability to help event organizers drive deeper personalization and engagement with their attendees, while helping event organizers contain corporate spend and focus on maximizing ROI.”

For more information about how Active Network can help you manage your meetings, events, conferences and tradeshows, visit booth #4018 at Melbourne’s Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meeting Expo (AIME) or visit: www.activeevents.com.

About The Active Network, Inc.

The Active Network, Inc. is the leading provider of organization-based cloud computing applications with over 47,000 global business customers and 70 million annual transactions reported last year. Our technology platform, ActiveWorks®, transforms the way organizers manage their activities and events by automating online registrations and streamlining other critical management functions, while also driving consumer participation to their events. Our flagship media property, Active.com®, is the leading online community for people who want to discover, participate in, and share activities about which they are passionate. Headquartered in San Diego, California since 1999, the company has over 25 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit www.ActiveNetwork.com or www.Active.com. Follow Active Network on Twitter @ActiveNetwork, @Active and on Facebook.

About Forward-Looking Statements

The Active Network, Inc. cautions you that the statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Any such statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. More detailed information about The Active Network, Inc. and the risks and uncertainties that may affect the realization of these forward-looking statements is set forth in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).These filings may be read free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and The Active Network, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Media Contacts:
Mona Klausing, Active Network
Mona.Klausing@ActiveNetwork.com
858-964-3813

        ###

© 2012 The Active Network, Inc. All rights reserved. Active.com and ActiveWorks are registered trademarks of The Active Network, Inc. Active Network, is a trademark of The Active Network, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Active Network is Going Down Under!

Guest Post By:
Sam Renouf, Regional Director
Active Network
Asia Pacific

Active Network is heading down under next week for AIME 2012, The Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo in Melbourne, Australia, February 21-22. This is an exciting time for Active Network in the Asia-Pacific region as we announce the official opening of a new Active Network office in Sydney, Australia. The addition of the Sydney office is to support the growing number of Active Network customers in the APAC region and we’re delighted to be able to expand our services through the establishment of a local office.

If you’re attending AIME be sure to stop by and say hello to us at Stand 4018 . I’ll be joined by Eric Olson, GM of Active Network | Business Solutions, SMB, and Kevin Iwamoto, VP of Enterprise for StarCite, our newly acquired company. We’ll be on-hand to answer any questions you have about how our continued global expansion and recent acquisitions will positively impact you. We’ll also answer questions about our full suite of event management solutions for SMB, Enterprise and large conferences, SMMP and supplier marketplace.

Written By: Kyle Rose

What is Your Event Technology Resolution?

By: Eric Olson, General Manager
Active Network | Business Solutions

Last year I spoke more than a dozen times on event technology, and every time I encountered the same experience.  A nervous, overwhelmed event planner pushes her way to the front of the room, thanks me and says, “What do I do first?”

It’s maybe the single best question to ask about technology.  Yet, there is only one person in the room brave enough to ask it.

As digital tools flood into corporate and association events, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and it’s even easier to overwhelm your audience.  So, my response is always the same.

“Make sure you have a very clear list of business objectives for your events. Then focus on implementing ONE piece of technology to better achieve those objectives; Do that one thing really, really well.”

It’s really that simple. And since January is a time for diligently penning resolutions to drop a few pounds or drink a few less cocktails, I think it’s also time for every event planner to make a technology resolution.

Three Steps to Creating Your Technology Resolution:

1. Create a measurable, stack-ranked list of goals for your event or events in 2012. Whether the goals are to increase attendance or improve post-event sales, create a prioritized list of goals that you can control and measure.

2. Make a list of the technologies your audience uses most often in their daily lives. For example, I noticed a recent technology conference that 80% of the room was using an iPad to take notes and interact during a session. Yet, the event had no connection between the live experience and those mobile devices. Instead the event had a single microphone in the middle of the room. Think about the technologies your audience uses in their everyday life to 1) find content and 2) interact and collaborate with each other.

3. Identify one technology from the list in #2 that will better help you achieve one of your goals from #1 and create a specific goal to implement it in 2012. For example, if your goal is to increase attendance and your audience is filled with LinkedIn lovers, your goal may be to implement a LinkedIn group to drive attendance at your event. Remember, technology doesn’t always have to hit your budget.

This exercise can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be for your organization. But, the hardest part is getting started. So, start with one thing. Make it measurable. And focus on doing it really, really well.

If you do it right, this isn’t just a resolution you can keep. It’s a resolution that can grow, expand and continue to benefit your business for years to come.

Cheers to good technology and great events in 2012 and beyond.

Eric Olson is responsible for driving global sales and operations. Before joining the company, Eric was Vice President of Marketing and Media for a prominent education provider, specializing in online courses, virtual events and live conferences. In seven years he grew the company’s annual revenues from less than $10 million to more than $140 million, primarily through the expansion of its events portfolio.

Written By: Eric Olson

Data Center Migration Update

Earlier today we completed our database migration, and RegOnline is fully functional. We’re excited to be in a cutting edge data center environment, providing our clients with the best performance and data security available.

If you have any questions about how this move affects your accounts, please check out previous blog entries. And, as always, our support team is here to help you during business hours.

We appreciate your patience during this important improvement, and we look forward to helping you put on amazing events in 2012 and beyond.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Data Center Migration Update

After a long night of hard work we are pleased to announce that we have reached a major milestone in our datacenter migration and the site is back online in our next generation data center!  There is a small number of customers that are taking a little longer to complete, and may experience the maintenance page, but we expect to have those users back on line before 8:30 a.m. MST.

8:40 A.M. MST Update

Progress continues on those customers having difficulty accessing the system: We are now anticipating that we will have the few customers still having issues resolved by 10:30 A.M. MST. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

10:30 A.M. MST Update

We have resolved most issues with customers and expect to have full resolution in the next few hours.  We’re running late with this resolution and we want you to know we’re working non-stop until it is resolved.

Thank you all for your patience and continued support. Have a wonderful weekend!

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Data Center Migration Scheduled for TONIGHT, 9:30PM, MST

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky