Last week, we had the pleasure of bringing together event organizers for our very own virtual event: From Pain Points to Solutions: A Webex Events Showcase.  

As event planners ourselves, we know how important it is to create immersive experiences for our attendees. And we also know how challenging it can be.   

To help ease the burden, we invited Conner McGeehan, a Webex Events Enterprise Sales Specialist, to guide us through the cutting-edge features of the Webex Events platform. With his expert guidance, we explored how the platform’s innovative solutions can alleviate some of the key challenges facing event planners today. 

Let’s recap the top three pain points that planners are facing and show you how the Webex Events platform can provide solutions to those challenges. 

Paint point #1: doing more with less 

We know that the events industry is constantly being challenged to meet high attendee expectations with fewer resources. It can be tough to plan and execute an event with tight staffing and low budgets. 

However, a recent Webex Events survey showed that 74% of event marketers reported having less time to plan their events in 2020 compared to 2019. That’s a staggering number! 

According to the State of the Industry Snapshot survey conducted in partnership with Event Marketer, nearly half of event marketers (42%) say that a typical planning window ranges from six months to a year. But we’ve heard that these windows have shrunk to just two to three weeks for a program that would have required months to execute in the past. It’s challenging, but don’t worry, we have some solutions for you! 

But don’t worry, we have some solutions for you!  

The solution

With its new user interface, easy-to-see metrics, and on-site/badge printing services, Webex Events is a lifesaver for small event teams.   

Event planners often worry about the time it takes to learn a new platform. However, with Webex Events, this concern is alleviated as the platform’s user interface is designed for easy navigation. Additionally, the platform provides various support and enablement features embedded in the UI, including videos on product updates, weekly office hours with upcoming sessions, and a live chat with an award-winning support team. This way, event planners can save time and focus on organizing a successful event. 

Event planners often have limited bandwidth and need to consolidate tasks as much as possible. With the Webex Events platform, managing pre-event, during-event, and post-event tasks is made easy, all in one spot. The platform allows for collaboration with as many or as few team members as needed, ensuring individuals can focus on specific tasks such as registration or agenda customization while still having everything in one place. 

One of the most significant advantages of the Webex Events platform is its Event App section. With this solution, you’ll always have access to both the desktop and mobile app versions of the platform, regardless of how you’re planning your event (virtual, in-person, or hybrid). Additionally, the platform provides high-level metrics that are tied to different areas of your event, such as during-event experience, pre-event registration, and onsite analytics. 
 
Another Webex Events solution you shouldn’t overlook is onsite badge printing and check-in. In the past, event planners would have to preprint badges and stickers, leading to long lines and the reshuffling of names. With onsite badge printing and check-in, everything comes together from registration to badge printing, making the process seamless and stress-free. 

Check out this video from Blank Page Marketing to see how their client benefited from using our seamless and easy check-in and badge printing at their in-person event.   

Paint point #2: engagement and collaboration 

Engagement has been a buzzword in the events industry for the past few years, but creating meaningful and intentional collaboration that enhances events can be a challenge. According to a Webex Events survey, 57% of event industry professionals find it challenging to garner attendee participation during engagement and collaboration activities, while 52% of event organizers struggle to find new ways for attendees to collaborate. 

The solution

Webex Events offers engagement and collaboration tools that can help event organizers combat attendee fatigue and keep them excited throughout the event. The platform allows for the customization of features, titles, images, and color schemes to create visual engagement that excites the audience. Additionally, the attendee lobby leads to the “happening now” section, where attendees can participate in sessions through real-time communication tools such as chat, polling, Q&A, and slide-over features. 

One key feature highlighted is the integration with Slido and Miro, which allows for more interactive and collaborative experiences for attendees. The platform also allows for agile adjustments based on feedback from the audience, ensuring that presenters are engaged and making changes on the fly to keep the audience excited. The ability to plug in helpful resources such as documents and speaker bios is also emphasized, which enhances attendee engagement without sacrificing the content of the broadcast. 

Webex Events also makes it easy to integrate other tools that teams may already be using, such as Miro whiteboards or specific survey providers. This ensures that the audience can collaborate with the tools they are most familiar with without feeling like they are leaving the event content.  

Overall, Webex Events provides a comprehensive platform for event organizers to engage and excite their audience while providing helpful resources and collaboration tools to enhance the experience.

Paint point #3: delivering high production value on a budget 

We know it can be a challenge to produce a high-quality event while keeping costs in check. In fact, according to a survey we conducted in December, 75% of event professionals agree that this is a major challenge.  

But, with Webex Events, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for cost.  

The solution 

The flexibility of Webex Events is a significant advantage for event organizers, as it enables them to utilize a wide range of broadcasting tools to make their events as seamless and comfortable as possible. One of the key tools provided by Webex Events is their own native studio, which is user-friendly and fits perfectly with the platform’s admin side.  

The Webex Event Studio has a wide range of engagement tools that enable event organizers to communicate with their audience in real-time, including native session chat, Q&A and polls. Moreover, the studio enables the addition of media, customization of branding options, and the ability to add broadcast presenters to the stage. 

The studio also has features that allow moderators and admins to spotlight questions and comments from the audience. Overall, the Webex Event Studio is an excellent tool that can help event organizers produce high-quality events while keeping costs in check. 

From pains to gains with Webex Events 

Our platform is designed to make your life easier, offering a range of user-friendly tools and services that simplify the process from start to finish. With features like on-site badge printing and collaboration tools, you can streamline your workflow and focus on creating immersive experiences that keep your attendees engaged. Plus, our platform is built to handle the challenges of limited resources and attendee fatigue, so you can rest easy knowing your event will be a success.