Guest blog: How to get the most from Event Tech Live 2019

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By Jose Bort, CEO and co-founder, EventsCase

Team EventsCase is putting the final touches on our presence at Event Tech Live (ETL), all ready for two days of networking and learning at The Old Truman Brewery.

If you’re heading to ETL for the very first time, it might be worth revising some of the unique features that make it such a vital fixture in the event industry calendar. 

We’ve come to learn that there is so much to ETL beyond what you see on the website. Considering its reputation as Europe’s only dedicated event technology show, you should definitely take the time to devise a plan of action. 

Pre-event

Event Tech Live is held between 6th-7th November but any long-distance travellers should definitely consider heading over to London the night before. Chiefly, this will save any delays to your plans caused by traffic or other circumstances, but the extra few hours of rest will also keep you fresh for the Event Technology Awards if you’re heading there on day one. 

When you arrive at the venue, remember to log yourself into the free Wi-Fi provided by EventsCase, and make a note of any sessions worth attending. You can even book meetings with other delegates ahead of ETL, which saves the hassle of contacting people while they’re on the event floor. It’s not that we’d advise against trying to spark conversations throughout the day, as some great meetings will happen by chance. Nevertheless, having at least three good appointments per day gives peace of mind and structure to your plan. 

As a final note, remember to check up on the exhibitors for this year. ETL is a hub for innovation within the events space and there’s a good chance that many of its sponsors can help you in some fashion. EventsCase is at stand 1105 and our team would love to demonstrate how our technology saves you time and money in the running of your events. 

During ETL

ETL has five stages, each offering something a little bit different. The temptation is to let these tracks dictate your schedule. However, by allocating time to some of the activities that make ETL so special, you’ll get more from your experience.

Roundtables are the hot pick for this year. These exclusive sessions offer a chance to trade ideas and opinions with some of the biggest names in event tech. If you have free time between 11:00 – 11:45 on day one, head over to EventsCase’s very own roundtable: “Cyber Security in Events: Who, why and how we are attacked”. Here, we’ll be discussing ways of protecting your audience, data and event from one of the biggest threats to hit our industry in years. Places at these sessions are free but limited, so it’s always worth booking ahead via the app.

We’d also recommend freeing up one or two hours per day for a good journey around the venue. Some of the best conversations and relationships begin in places like The Coffee Experience, The Chill & Charge Zone and Festival Bar, where delegates head for a quick break. 

Planning ahead is always advised, but a rigid schedule could lead to ETL simply meeting your expectations, rather than exceeding them.

Post-event duties

Given our relationship with events, we should all recognise the importance of building contacts and ‘striking while the iron is hot’. In-depth discussions can take weeks to organise, but a quick holding message will clarify your interest and keep you in people’s thoughts. Even a simple “Hi, it was great to meet you at ETL” could prevent an awkward follow-up in the months after.

If you’ve made a note of any big learnings from sessions, roundtables and meetings, have a good think about what these can be used for. Perhaps you noticed certain trends on the agenda or a few subjects that got people talking. These short snippets could be used for thought-leadership content later down the line. 

Lastly, make time to provide your thoughts at the end of the event. These opinions are invaluable for shaping future ETLs into the experiences that you want to enjoy.

This content is sponsored by EventsCase.

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com