Note: Bear with me as I take a moment to set the stage for the topic of beacon technology…but first, Tom Cruise. Because Tom Cruise is always first.
In what is arguably his Magnum Opus*, a 2002 Tom Cruise opened our eyes, to what a pretty cool, and occasionally scary, future could look like. In the seminal work*, “Minority Report”, Mr. Cruise (or Tom, as I call him), showed us what it could look like if the government was able to stop moments of pre-meditated murder.
While the Pre Cogs may have been the unsung heroes of the movie, my favorite scenes are the two where Cruise’s character John Anderton/Mr. Yakamoto walks through the mall and the Gap, and is bombarded by “targeted” advertising.
With a glint of his iris, the activated marketing called out to him from hidden speakers, beckoning him by name to try the latest…whatever. Back when I first saw the movie (and yes, I went to the theater to see it- I’m a nerd), I remember not being scared at the possibility. I remember being excited. Of course back then (and to a certain extent now) it’s not quite possible to do that kind of targeted biometric marketing, but we’re pretty close, and there’s a tech making all (ok some) of my nerdy minority report dreams come true: the iBeacon.
The iBeacon was first introduced by Apple at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) back in 2013. The concept is pretty simple (says the neophyte non-programmer). A small device uses a low energy Bluetooth (BLE) signal to broadcast its unique identification code to nearby devices (cell phones, tablets, etc). By being close to that beacon, those devices can perform a variety of functions, triggered by their proximity to that specific beacon.
For marketers and retailers, the possibilities are pretty cool – have a consumer download an app for your store, and when they get within, say 3 feet of an item, have a push notification come to their phone that tells them about the item, gives them coupons, lets them order it in their size right on the spot, and so much more. It makes a targeted point of sale experience happen right on the device their consumer is addicted to anyway. If you add in a layer of authentication, where the app becomes aware of who the person is, and what they like, you can only suggest the types of things that might be of interest to them, right as they get near it. This is different from the Minority Report clip because it’s not just a blanket email by a brand that happens to put your name in its advert, this is telling you to try a Guinness because you like the dark lager, and your friend to get an IPA because he is a fan of hops, both while standing in front of the same beacon.
Ok, but what does this mean for #eventprofs looking for great #eventtech to introduce to their clients? Well, so many events already have some level of mobile engagement built into their events (and if you don’t- you’re doing it wrong), why not create a unique and specialized experience for your attendees as they navigate around your event?
For the conference organizer, why not use beacons to track everything from attendance to how long people are staying in individual sessions? Taking it a step further, you could see that an attendee was in a session, and then offer them the session notes for that specific session in a virtual folder once the conference is over, instead of telling them to go to a website and peruse through all of the session notes from every session.
Music events and festivals can track and engage with attendees based on which bands they see, and get a real sense for who and what types of music really resonate best with fans. If I was standing at a festival listening to Snarky Puppy for the first time and, at the conclusion of their set, I got a push notification about other dates they had coming up, or a secret show they had at the festival, I’d be floored – especially if my friend over at Alabama Shakes didn’t. I’d feel like it was made just for me.
For social events, why not add a layer of mystery and interactivity to your events? Using beacons, you can send attendees on a fun scavenger hunt, encouraging them to try all the wines, taste the foods, experience all the entertainment, and vote for or share about their experience. Additionally, because you know who went by what and at what time, you can keep track of all the activity and assign points based on people’s interaction, turning the whole thing into one big competition and connecting attendees to new friends (and frenemies).
There are a number of companies actively using beacons, and some of my favorites are KloudNation, ITM Mobile, and Ole Engagements. Each of them takes a slightly different approach to what beacons can do for and during events, and we’ve had the privilege of integrating all of them into things we’ve been a part of. I encourage you to start a conversation with your mobile app developer about how they’re able to incorporate beacons into their platform to see how it might be a good fit for you and the upcoming things you’re working on. I promise, the first time you use them effectively, you’ll never want to not use beacons for your events – I don’t.
*FYI, I’m totally kidding, I think this movie is neither seminal nor opus-like in any way, but it made for good copy.
About Our Guest:
@Damany of @The Event Nerd is an award-winning event producer with a love for integrating amazing technology into engaging experiences. His love for #eventtech is matched only by his prowess on the dance floor and passion for great brews and scintillating conversations.
The post How to Use iBeacons at Your Next Event appeared first on The Social Tables Blog.