Guests from culture, politics, and business got together in June at the Summer Marketing Event to find out more on the topic of “brand and diversity”.

The focus of the event was the search for new talent and the call for diversity.

As part of the Marketing Club Dresden Team, Nicole Schiertz co-organized this colorful event and she will tell us in this interview what the marketing club is about, what role it plays and how they spontaneously decided to use an event app.

We hope you enjoy reading this customer story.



LineUpr: Hello Nicole. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Could you please briefly introduce yourself and explain what the Marketing Club Dresden is and what JuMPs stands for?

Nicole: Hello. I am Nicole. Thank you for the opportunity to do this interview. The Marketing-Club Dresden brings together a wide variety of professional groups from a wide range of sectors: university teachers, entrepreneurs, product managers, marketing and sales managers, key account managers and service providers from advertising and consulting. The Marketing Club Dresden is one of the 65 regional clubs of the German Marketing Association, which form a nationwide marketing network throughout Germany. As a local meeting place, they are an integral part of the economic life of their region for more than 10,000 marketing managers and companies. One of the special benefits of club membership is that it entitles you to participate in the regular events of all German marketing clubs for free. Of course, every club member can also use the extensive offers of the German Marketing Association.

I myself am a member of the JuMPs (which is the Junior Marketing Professionals)

We are all members of the German Marketing Association under 35 years.

We network local and national personal and professional development set new standards in the scene and provide fresh energy to the city.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you spend on the planning of the event on average?

Nicole: We try to meet at regular intervals, to exchange ideas and to plan our fixed events in the year. As a rule, the meetings, which take place approximately once a month, take about 3 to 4 hours to complete. Of course, if an event is just around the corner, we will invest more time in the preparation. The number of members can vary. For example, volunteers and new members

LineUpr: What makes the event special? Which target group do you want to address and what added value do you offer the participants?

Nicole: We appeal to people who are very interested in marketing-related topics. Both professional and private. We want to offer a network, to provide food for thought, to build up professional knowledge and to ensure professional and personal development. We try to constantly develop our solid know-how, to come up with new ideas, to address current topics and to find exciting speakers and visionaries to exchange ideas. For this we organize, for example, our Fireplace Evening, networking events such as the National JuMP Conferences and Camp as well as our Summer Marketing.

LineUpr: You’ve used LineUpr for the first time. How did you learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app?

Nicole: I was very fortunate to learn about LineUpr through an employee. The opportunity to make our event accessible and useful to the participants through this channel was an exciting and new experience.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Nicole: There was consistently positive feedback. However, many participants asked us what exactly they should do with the app. Due to the short-term nature, we were unable to use the full scope of the tools. Next year, the participants should be able to use the app more actively.
Of course, this must then be communicated more directly to the participants.

The post App Rounds off Successful Summer Marketing Event – An Interview with Nicole Schiertz from the Marketing Club Dresden first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Few things can change our everyday life and future as much as the use of artificial intelligence (AI). We have been feeling the first effects for several years. Whether it is a matter of saving more or more efficiently distributing time and resources, the potential that AI opens up for us is gigantic.

In Europe, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) plays a central role in the scientific advancement of AI. DFKI is, among others, coordinator of the European Language Resource Coordination (ELRC) which supports the collection of language data across Europe. And it is responsible for organizing the fourth ELRC Conference in Helsinki. Of course, DFKI are not just state of the art in research but also in conference organization. Therefore this year, they also relied on a LineUpr event app. In this interview, Eileen Schnur tells us more about ELRC, why she deliberately looked for an event app, and how she sees the future of conferences. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello Eileen. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the ELRC.

Eileen: Hello. My name is Eileen Schnur and I am researcher at DFKI, the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence. DFKI is coordinator of the European Language Resource Coordination, short ELRC.

ELRC was initiated by the European Commission and focusses on the collection of language data. The collected language data is used to train eTranslation, the European Commission’s machine translation service, which aims to support cross-border communication between public services, ministries and citizens across the EU plus Norway and Iceland.

Together with our partners ELDA, ILSP, Tilde and our national experts (National Anchor Points), we want to overcome language barriers and facilitate information exchange across the EU, Iceland and Norway.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr for the ELRC Conference. Please tell us more about this event.

Eileen: The Fourth ELRC Conference took place in Helsinki on 26 and 27 November. We had participants from across the EU member states, Norway and Iceland, including representatives of the European Commission, various ministries, public administrations, research institutions and companies from e.g. the field of language technology.  The Fourth ELRC Conference centred on the motto “Language Data Matters”, because we wanted to highlight the importance and the value of language data. Many people aren’t aware of that. The event also marked an important milestone for the project, because it was the first time that we presented the ELRC White Paper. It is called “Sustainable Language Data Sharing to Support Language Equality in Multilingual Europe” and reports on the results of a two-year investigation on the infrastructures for sharing language data in European public administrations and ministries. The White Paper also describes current challenges of sharing language data and provides possible solutions for a sustainable improvement of the status quo. On the second conference day, we had a country expo, where participants could get country-specific insights related to language data sharing across Europe. They could learn more about a particular country, talk about common barriers of language data sharing and potential solutions, build synergies that can help overcome existing barriers and lay the foundations for sharing language resources across Europe. They could actually visit all EU member states, Norway and Iceland in half a day.

LineUpr: Which strategies and tools do you use to address this target group? Do you attach particular importance to something special?

Eileen: First, there is the ELRC website, where all news and events are published. We shared the first information there early. We also have a Twitter account and our newsletter. Direct and personal contact with potential participants and the ELRC community is still very important to us. That’s why we sent the majority of the invitations by email.

LineUpr: If you compare a printed program with an event app, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both variants?

Eileen: Of course, an event app is a more environmentally friendly alternative. At many events, participants are almost showered with paper. We wanted to avoid that. I also think that the interaction with the participants was better and the app was very informative. The participants could, for example, indicate which lectures they find particularly interesting, we were able to store relevant links and background information and also make changes at short notice so that the app was always up to date. The notification function was also very useful. Before the conference, we posted valuable information on how to get to the venue, informed the participants during the meeting when the next lecture began and thanked them after the event by push notification – that would not have been possible without the app.

However, there are still many who prefer to take notes with pen and paper. That’s where the app reaches its limits.

LineUpr: How long before the event did you start creating the event app? How much time do you think it took to create the app?

Eileen: In mid-September, we experimented a bit with the app for the first time. It took a few hours to add all of the content, but once the basic structure was in place, the effort for updates or additions was absolutely limited.

LineUpr: Did you also use the info pages?

Eileen: Yes, we even created several ones. On the one hand, there was an information page about the app itself. There was also a general information page about the project and the conference as well as a page with conference FAQs about travel, accommodation, participation fees, etc. In addition, we included various links to the registration page, the white paper, the newsletter registration, and a feedback page. Since we had an exhibition on the second day, we also created an information page with a link to the floor plan.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Eileen: We were using an event app for the first time and wanted to test whether creating such an app was feasible for beginners and not too time-consuming. During our first test, it quickly became clear that the creation was simple and straightforward. I think it was good that we started with a free trial version and that we were able to get a first impression and didn’t have to commit ourselves directly. In the end, we were not only convinced by the user-friendliness but also by the fact that our participants did not have to download the app and were able to access it directly through their browsers.

The only thing I missed was the ability to set headings for certain agenda items. At our conference, there were various thematic blocks, such as a session called “AI and Language Technologies in the Digitalization of Public Services”. Unfortunately, it was not possible to display that this is the title of the slot and to show that the subsequent lectures are assigned to this heading. Besides that, we had no problems.

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Eileen: When the conference program was published at the end of September, we also introduced the app for the first time. In our news article on the ELRC website, we explained that the app not only moves the agenda to the participants’ cell phones but also provides new functions that we could not offer before – this includes giving feedback online, learning more about the lectures and speakers, receiving push notifications, etc.

Our Twitter followers were also informed in a corresponding post and the link to the app was included in the standard text of the registration confirmation. The QR code was also added to the actual event website.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Eileen: Unfortunately, we didn’t actively ask for feedback. But it would have been a good idea and I think we will definitely do it next time. The number of users gave us the first indication that the implementation of the app was a success and overall well received. With the help of Google Analytics, we found out that the app was used regularly (and repeatedly) on both conference days. We even had more app users than participants.

LineUpr: What hurdles and difficulties did you experience when introducing an event app for your event?

Eileen: There weren’t many hurdles. The fact that the participants also received printed programmes gave them the choice of whether they would like to follow the program via the app or on paper. I think it becomes more difficult if you completely get rid of paper because for many, printed material simply belongs to a conference. Nevertheless, I believe that the trend towards paperless conferences is increasing. And then such an app is worth its weight in gold.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview, Eileen. You recognized the added value of an event app with razor sharpness. We firmly believe that paper will take a back seat over the next few years and digital tools will take the lead.

More information about the ELRC is available on their website. The ELRC also created a short video to explain why voice data is so important.

We are already looking forward to more events with you.

The post LineUpr at the ELRC Conference – An Interview with Eileen Schnur from the DFKI first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Much of our communication has shifted to digital platforms and tools. This doesn’t just apply to our private lives and companies, but also to publicinstitutions. The city of Munich has its own Digital Communication and Social Media team. With this, they want to reach the citizens in their normal everyday life.

Lisa Zech, our interview partner today, is part of the Digital Communication and Social Media team. Her tasks include accelerating digitalization in all areas of communication in Munich. Events are, of course, an ideal way to inform many people at the same time and to motivate them to work towards a common goal. Our event app was also used for some of these events. In this interview, she will tell us more about her everyday life, the added value of an event app, and what types of events can particularly benefit from it. Have fun with this great customer story.

LineUpr: Hello Lisa. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and your employer.

Lisa: Hi, my name is Lisa Zech and I am part of the Digital Communication and Social Media team in the Department of Technology and Digitalizationof the City of Munich. We want to accelerate digitalization and cultural change in Munich and its city administration – together with the citizens and our colleagues. In addition to muenchen.digital, we also run the IT blog, we communicate via social media channels under the hashtag #MuenchenDigitalErleben and we organize events related to digitalization.

LineUpr: What role do events play for you?

Lisa: Events are an enormously important part of our work. We offer various, mostly very open, event formats for citizens and also for our employees. These include BarCamps, hackathons, and the Open Government Day. On the one hand, interested parties can have the chance to learn more about the digital city of Munich and its development. On the other hand, they can contribute their own ideas and wishes and help to shape the digitalization of the city.

LineUpr: How much time and work do you invest in the planning of your events?

Lisa: We always plan several events simultaneously. Basically, 2 of our team members deal directly with the organization of the event. However, they do not do this full-time and usually have other tasks. Depending on the size of the event, we start about 3 to 5 months in advance with the first preparations: catering, motto, speakers, partners, and marketing. Of course, the location has to be determined much earlier in advance because that is difficult and, above all, expensive in Munich.

LineUpr: You have already used LineUpr for several events. When you compare a printed program to an event app, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both variants in your opinion?

Lisa: Basically, the idea of ​​a printed program booklet naturally contradicts our topic of “digitalization”. That is why we keep trying to find new digital possibilities. An event app is great when you offer a lot of different things at the same time and the participants are spread across the event location. You can reach everyone through push notifications, the event visitors have the chance to put together their own daily schedule using favorites and, additionally, they can also find more information about the program items and the speakers. Ultimately, the app also helps the environment. But every now and again, you notice that many participants like to have something printed in their hand. But that is exactly our mission: to anchor digitalization more firmly in everyday life and work.

LineUpr: As an old event app professional, how much time do you invest in creating the app today? And how long before the event do you start doing this?

Lisa: “Event app professional”? Haha. So in my opinion, creating the app is very easy and intuitive. Sure, if you already have some experience, it is even more comfortable and you are more likely to use the wealth of functions offered. On the whole, I need about 2 hours for the event app if I already know the program well. (But I’m somewhat more of a perfectionist ;))

When exactly we start with the creation of the event app is usually very different. Most of the time, however, the goal is to be ready before we send out the official invitation to be able to give invitees the first glimpse of the app.

LineUpr: How would you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Lisa: As already mentioned, I think the possibility of putting together your own program as a participant is great. In today’s “smartphone era,” I can have all the information and connections at a glance. Linking the different areas is clearly an advantage here!

Of course, there are always a few things that you want. For the design of the entries, for example, I would also like to be able to embed pictures and videos or integrate a Twitter wall. The interaction options between the participants could also be expanded with challenges, chat functions, or optimized live surveys.

LineUpr: When and how do you inform your participants about the event app?

Lisa: We have two times when we explicitly promote the WebApp (as we call it). The first time is with the official invitations. We regularly distribute these via our website muenchen.digital, via newsletters or our Twitter account. But there is also the option of announcing events on our intranet.

The second time is, of course, during the event. At the reception, at the greeting and also during the event itself, we always point out the WebApp. We also often display it on large smartboards for everyone to see and we look forward to feedback as part of the satisfaction survey.

LineUpr: What hurdles and difficulties did you experience when introducing an event app to your event?

Lisa: There were no real hurdles. I have already mentioned briefly that many participants still like to hold something printed in their hands. It was actually a change for many. The topic of data protection was also raised every now and then. The feedback was always very positive overall.

LineUpr: If someone is thinking about using an event app for their event, what would you advise them to do? When does an app make sense and what disadvantages are there when using an app?

Lisa: I would definitely recommend an event app to anyone who has different participants, partners, locations, workshops or lectures. Sure, it’s additional effort and another medium but there is a comprehensive overview of the event. It helps with orientation and it makes it possible to reach everyone via push notifications and to receive feedback through satisfaction surveys. For events with only one or two program items, it would be too much for me personally.

LineUpr: Thank you, Lisa, for the fascinating interview. I think it is very important that we all adapt our methods of communication and approach one another. Public institutions, in particular, are often accused of adhering too often to the old practices. You are a refreshing example that this prejudice is wrong.

Of course, there is a lot more information online about Muenchen.digital. A visit to Twitter and YouTube will also give you many interesting insights.

We are already looking forward to your next events.

The post LineUpr in Action at Muenchen.Digital – An Event App for Digital Communication first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Injury prevention and health in everyday work life is becoming increasingly important. Individuals are more productive when they are safe and healthy.  Employers benefit from less downtime and more employee engagement.  Experts from the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Utah have been providing solutions to safety and health issues for many years. The center has built up an excellent reputation through professional conferences on health and safety at work.

One event that is particularly in focus here is the Annual Conference on Safety and Industrial Hygiene.  Entering paper-based session evaluation data by hand is very time consuming and often results in errors. To streamline operations, decrease printing costs, and increase data accuracy, the conference committee chose to switch to a digital program booklet with survey capability with LineUpr. We spoke to Diane Johnson, director of the training department at RMCOEH, about the use of LineUpr and why she was looking for a new tool in the first place. Have fun while reading.

LineUpr: Hello Diane. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the University of Utah.

Diane: The Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) is part of the Department of Family and Preventative Medicine at the University of Utah.  The Continuing Education Division, of which I am the Director, offers courses and conferences on occupational safety and health topics.  We also house the Mountain West OSHA Education Center which is one of 18 officially authorized OSHA Training Institute Education Centers. 

LineUpr: You used an event app from LineUpr for your Annual Utah Conference. Please tell us more about this event.

Diane: RMCOEH hosts an annual conference on Occupational Safety and Industrial Hygiene.  This conference is known among safety and health professionals as being the “best in the west” opportunity to stay current on innovation, regulation, and best practice.  

LineUpr: How did you learn about LineUpr and what added value does an event app offer you?

Diane: The conference committee has wanted to move evaluations to an electronic format for several years but found that the available options were prohibitively expensive and difficult to use.  Determined to find a solution, I did some research on app-based survey tool that had been proven in conference settings, regardless of the size of the event.  LineUpr appeared at the top of several recommended lists.  The reviews were good.  What I appreciated most was the ability to practice using the free tool.  When I discovered how simple LineUpr was to use and a prototype built in the free option, investing in the pay option was an obvious choice.  The tiered pay options ensured that we only paid for the service we needed. 

The greatest value to us was the survey feature.  We are required to do evaluations of each of our conference sessions.  Those had always been done on paper and then transferred into a data management tool by hand.  It took days of work to get that done.  Using LineUpr our attendees were able to complete the evaluations on their smart phones without an internet connection.  Best of all, we were able to simply download the survey data from the LineUpr site and import it into our data management system.

LineUpr: How did you use the Lineup profiles?

Diane: Profiles were used to highlight the Keynote speakers and presenters. We used this to add social presence and provide background information on each professional. This adds credibility and helps attendees choose the sessions they attend.

LineUpr: You also used the about pages. Tell us how.

Diane: The about pages were used to provide basic information about the venue, the events, parking, etc.  We included room locations and information about vendors and sponsors.

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Diane: Because we were pretty close to the start of the conference when we discovered LineUpr, we didn’t have a lot of time to get the word out.   So, this year, we used signage at the door of every conference room that included the link and a QR code participants could scan.  We also had our MC announce that we were using it and gave time to people to download the app.  We also asked each presenter to remind attendees to use the app to complete the evaluations.  Lastly we used the messaging system within LineUpr to provide announcements and remind people to complete the evaluations.   For the 2020 conference, we will send out 3 notices, 4 weeks ahead of the conference with the link and instructions for the conference app.

LineUpr: Did you also use the survey features?

Diane: The survey feature is what we needed most from the LineUpr app.  We use the results to determine attendee satisfaction and for planning for next year’s event.  We also report numbers and results to our advisory boards.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Diane: Most of them really liked it. It was especially important that it did not require an internet connection to use.  Those who were less tech savvy opted for the paper version of our evaluation.

LineUpr: If someone is thinking about using an event app for their event, what would you advise them to do? When is an app useful and what are the disadvantages of an app?

Diane: The only thing that was less than optimal about the app was that we couldn’t download all of the survey results for all sessions at one time. We had to download them one at a time. This was very time consuming.  We hope that in the near future, LineUpr will provide a way for users to download all survey data at one time.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview, Diane. I can fully understand the problem with analog feedback. Unfortunately, many organizers still rely on old methods. Thank you for giving us a good insight into your conference.

If you want more information, we recommend the websites of the RMCOEH and the Department for Continuing Education. The RMCOEH is also on Facebook.

We are already looking forward to your next events and to how we can support them with LineUpr.

LineUpr offers an easy-to-use interface that makes it possible to creating the tool you need without requiring expert technical skills.  Our attendees enjoyed having all the conference information they needed at the tip of their fingers. – Diane Johnson, University of Utah

The post Event App instead of Paper Cuts – LineUpr at the RMCOEH Conference of the University Utah first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Signatures are ubiquitous in the business world. Many business processes have to be signed before they can be valid at all. Signatures are of course essential to ensure legal certainty, but at the same time, it is all a lot of work and bureaucracy. DocuSign recognized this problem and, with eSignature, they offer a solution to sign documents digitally.

DocuSign organizes everything so that their customers and partners are always perfectly informed about the latest products and they also have regular discussions with experts, for example, at the Momentum Paris. A digital event app from LineUpr is also included. In this interview, Yasmine Jaffart tells us more about DocuSign, exactly how she uses LineUpr and how she shared the event app with the participants. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello Yasmine. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and DocuSign.

Yasmine: My name is Yasmine Jaffart, I’m working at DocuSign France since almost 2 years and I’m a Marketing executive, also in charge of our annual conference DocuSign Momentum in Paris.

DocuSign helps organizations connect and automate how they prepare, sign, act on, and manage agreements. As part of the DocuSign Agreement Cloud, DocuSign offers eSignature: the world’s #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device, from almost anywhere, at any time. Today, more than 500,000 customers and hundreds of millions of users in over 180 countries use DocuSign to accelerate the process of doing business and to simplify people’s lives.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr for your Momentum Paris event. Please tell us more about this event.

Yasmine: Momentum Paris is our annual conference. This year it was our biggest event ever with more than 500 attendees, 3 conferences, 15 breakouts, and 10 demo booths. We hosted it at Palais Brongniart, our old stock exchange place which stands on 3 different floors. This is the opportunity to know more about DocuSign, its roadmap, products, but also to meet their peers and our experts to ask questions, all this in one day at one place.

LineUpr: What role do events generally play for DocuSign France?

Yasmine: Events are a great way for us to connect with prospects, customers, and partners. To show all our product capabilities and to answer specific questions that people might have. It’s also for us an excellent opportunity to make people connect and share successes but also difficulties.

LineUpr: If you compare a printed program with an event app, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both variants?

Yasmine: First – we are ecofriendly. We try to avoid prints as much as possible. Second, you cannot put as much info on a printed program as you can have in an app. The program would be 100 pages. Last one, there is no interactivity with a piece of paper. You cannot send feedback.

LineUpr: How strongly did you individualize the LineUpr app?

Yasmine: We individualized almost everything to make it our event app. We do not want attendees feel strange when opening it, so we really need it to be part of the event experience.

LineUpr: Did you also present your sponsors and partners with their own profiles?

Yasmine: Yes, we did present all our sponsors. It allowed us to offer them visibility but also helped people to understand who they were as they were having a booth in our expo area.

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Yasmine: As written previously, Palais Brongniart is a very huge event venue. That said, it was actually a challenge to prepare our staff on what is happening when and where. Also, we started to build our LineUpr-App month before. We promoted it through our registered communication for them to understand the agenda of the event and be able to attend the most relevant session to them. This has been done in emails, showing the QR code and the URL so they could at least see what it was on their computer. It was also communicated internally to make sure all our staff was able to answer guests’ questions and redirect them to the right place on the D day. Onsite, we set up signages all over the venue with the QR code of the app.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Yasmine: We hosted a survey after the event and both internally and externally people loved the app. It was a great way for them to get all the info they needed in one single place but also to plan their day in advance and make the most of this event.

LineUpr: If someone is thinking about using an event app for their event, what would you advise them to do? When is an app useful and what are the disadvantages of an app?

Yasmine: The app is an amazing way to provide attendees with a lot of information, so I would recommend an app for big events. But it’s also a lot of work to build one which is totally on brand and aligned with the event, so I won’t recommend it for a smaller format.

LineUpr: Which top three tips for using LineUpr would you like to give other organizers?

Yasmine: 1. Start early. LineUpr is very easy to use, but delivering great content and experience to your attendees is key, so do not underestimate the time to spend on such a tool.

2. Brand it. It’s crucial that people feel it’s your app and not just info hosted on a platform. It should be 100% part of the event experience.

3. Train your staff on the app and promote it onsite. Everyone should be an ambassador of this source of info.

LineUpr: Thank you very much, Yasmine, for the great interview. Digital thinking is obviously an integral part of your DNA. I am always impressed when I hear such great customer stories.

If you want to learn more, visit the DocuSign France. Their Linkedin and Twitter profiles are also filled with great stories.

We are already looking forward to your next events.

The post Event App of the Momentum Paris Conference from DocuSign – An Interview with Yasmine Jaffart first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

The topic of sustainability affects us all. Even scientific events. This is one reason why the program committee of the Feminist and Rhetoric Conference decided against the pressure of printing the 80-page conference program booklet this year. Instead, the program was offered as a digital PDF. To offer the participants the maximum comfort on-site, LineUpr also provided a digital program that was always up-to-date and available everywhere. We spoke to Cynthia Martin about why she chose LineUpr as a tool and what her experience with event apps has been so far. Have fun while reading.

LineUpr: Hello Cynthia. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the James Madison University.

Cynthia: I am the conference program editor and an instructor in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication at James Madison University (JMU), located in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. JMU is home to 20,000 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students studying in over 147 majors and advanced degree programs. Students enrolled in the Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication program study written rhetoric, technical communication and editing, web design and user experience, and scientific and medical writing and have opportunities to collaborate on interdisciplinary projects, engage in community-based learning, and complete professional internships and practicums. Two years ago, faculty member Dr. Jen Almjeld and the school won a bid to host the biannual conference of the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition. Two months before the conference, the planning committee decided against printing the 80+ page conference program and decided to provide participants with an electronic PDF of the program. That is when I decided we needed an app. I learned about LineUpr via a Google search for free conference apps, which lead me to reviews on G2.com.

LineUpr: You used an event app from LineUpr for your conference Feminisms and Rhetorics. Please tell us more about this event.

Cynthia: The Feminisms and Rhetorics Conference is held every two years to further the mission of the coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition by fostering inquiry in feminist histories, theories, and pedagogies. This year’s conference was attended by 450 scholars, students, and community leaders representing 47 states and over 200 universities, making it the largest Feminisms and Rhetorics conference ever. Participants presented and shared research, participated in think tanks, and engaged in grassroots feminism by producing feminist zines, writing and editing articles for Wikipedia’s Women in Red project, and completing craftivist projects.

LineUpr: If you compare a printed program with an event app, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both variants?

Cynthia: The printed version of a program offers a designed page that can capture attention and motivate/guide reading. A well-designed app can do the same. LineUpr comes close with its Plus subscription. The disadvantage of printed programs is that they are often lengthy and their one-time-use rarely justifies cost—financial or environmental. In addition, accessibility is often limited because of the fixed nature of printed materials.

Apps provide on-the-go/on-demand access to the program. LineUpr specifically enables organizers to send out push notifications, so we were able to send out reminders of events and schedule changes. Web-based apps such as LineUpr are also compatible with screen readers, and all apps are greener and environmentally friendly than printed programs, which are used for a day or two and then sent to the landfill. Feminisms and Rhetorics was an official “Greening Your Event” partner designated by the university’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World, so LineUpr fit well with our goals to be a sustainable event and to reduce the conference’s carbon footprint.

One of the key advantages of LineUpr over printed programs and much of its app-based competition is that it is web-based, which means it is compatible with screen readers and it avoids app-fatigue because participants do not have to download anything or create yet another login credential.

LineUpr: What were your first steps with LineUpr?

Cynthia: As I considered LineUpr as a potential candidate to serve as our conference app, I created a login and entered a few events to determine ease of use. I then showcased what I had done at a meeting to secure buy-in from the conference planning committee. We did not have a budget line for an app, but I convinced the members of both the need and the cost effectiveness of LineUpr. Once we had the schedule set, I spent about 30 hours entering data over a week. I had tested the upload of data via an Excel spreadsheet and it worked seamlessly, but we didn’t have all of our conference presenters in a spreadsheet in the order required by the app. It was easier to enter the names and credentials of our 450 presenters and their presentation titles in the app directly. I then focused on building content for our sponsors, which was a great addition in the app.

LineUpr: How strongly did you individualize the LineUpr app?

Cynthia: I individualized the color scheme to match our conference branding and uploaded a title image designed by one of our undergraduate students. I renamed a couple of menu options (Participants instead of Lineup), and I opted to have names of presenters and locations on the daily schedule.

LineUpr: Did you also use the info pages?

Cynthia: Indeed, we did! The info pages on the app contained all of the content that would typically go in the front matter of the program—general services, support services, meal information, transit schedules, maps, and more.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What did you like and what can we improve?

Cynthia: 5 out of 5—The creators of the app were so intuitive about user needs. For example, our conference event locations were spread over a campus that is bisected by an interstate, so having maps and directions was crucial. I loved that all I had to do was enter the address of a location when building the app, and a Google Map of the location was generated in the app that enabled users to get directions to and from the event.

One limitation we experienced is that several sessions featured a panel with a title that consisted of several presenters with individually titled presentations. There was no way to nest these individual presentations within larger panel titles. I ended up not including panel titles in the app if individual presentations were also titled.

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Cynthia: A week before the conference, we sent out an email to participants with a link to the app. We also added an image of the app to our conference website (where participants registered months prior, for example), and tweeted out links to the app. During the conference, we created a flyer with a QR code linked to the app webpage. We also included instructions on the flyer for users to add the app to their home screens. Because we did not have printed programs, users had little choice but to use it. That said, getting buy in from conference participants to use the app was not a problem. The app is easily accessible and simple to use. Everyone seemed pleased, even relieved, to use LineUpr.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Cynthia: Our conference attendees were very pleased with the app. Even one of our keynote speakers complimented me on the app’s design and ease of use. (I gave all the credit to LineUpr.) Honestly, we did not get a single complaint about the app. Not one.

LineUpr: If someone is thinking about using an event app for their event, what would you advise them to do? When is an app useful and what are the disadvantages of an app?

Cynthia: Using an app for a large event or conference gives the event credibility and signals a modern sensibility. Digital natives expect an online presence. You can’t host an academic conference and not use an app without seeming old school or too traditional.  Apps are more green/environmentally friendly than printed programs, and thus contribute to a positive image of the event and its organizers.

LineUpr is one of the most affordable apps available. I have unfortunately attended many conferences in the last few years that used apps that were poorly designed and were not intuitive to use. And organizers spent thousands on the app.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview with Cynthia. We can tell that you have been very busy with this topic. Apps are an excellent tool to make events more sustainable. And you even increase productivity because participants are often better informed and therefore ask fewer questions.

By the way, here is the website of the Feminist and Rhetoric Conference. Also, the links to the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition and James Madison University should not be missing.

We are already looking forward to your next events.

The post More Sustainability at Events with an Event App– An Interview with Cynthia Martin from the James Madison Univ. first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

The German’s favorite child is his car. This is more than just a saying in Germany. That is why we are all cautious with these machines. Unfortunately, cars are not indestructible. And so paint scratches and other damages are typical. But don’t worry; thanks to our interview partner today, cars can quickly look like new again. With its brands, the André Koch AG is the leading supplier of automotive refinish coatings in Switzerland and makes cars shine again.

But all of this is only possible with a vast partner network. Regular personal contact plays a crucial role here. That is why once a year, they invite to a large conference to give both a retrospective and an outlook.  Patrizia Santarsiero is responsible for this event. In this interview, she tells us more about the André Koch AG, how she advertised LineUpr to the participants, and how she thinks an app compares to a printed program. Have fun while reading.

LineUpr: Hello, Patrizia. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the André Koch AG.

Patrizia: Hello everyone. At the André Koch AG, I am responsible for the Service Center of the Repanet Suisse and, as event manager, for all events.

With the brands Standox, Lesonal, and DeBeer, the André Koch AG is a leading supplier of automotive refinish coatings in Switzerland. The company, based in Urdorf, has been offering high-quality paint products and a wide range of accessories since 1948. With a close network of specialist consultants and application engineers, the company stands for excellent customer and delivery service. Also, we support our customers with a practical training and further education programme and a comprehensive range of advice. In 2014, we started the Repanet Suisse, the Swiss network for superior body and vehicle painting companies. The program aims to improve the capacity utilization and profitability of the participating companies and to make their performance known to fleet managers, leasing companies, and insurance companies.

LineUpr: You used LineUpr for your annual conference. Please tell us more about this event.

Patrizia: Repanet Suisse is, as described above, a network of partners from all over Switzerland. Once a year, we organize the annual conference where the partners meet. It is about looking back and looking ahead and giving presentations on current topics for and from the industry.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products for marketing the event or for distributing information on-site? If so, which and why?

Patrizia: In advance, we sent a printed invitation with a registration form.

LineUpr: If you compare a printed program with an event app, what are the advantages and disadvantages of both variants?

Patrizia: The advantage of an event app compared to a printed copy are, on the one hand, the professionalism that is broadcast with it. In addition, each participant always has the latest information clearly presented. Of course, an app should also be easy for the visitor to use. LineUpr is also very easy to use as an organizer. Overall, we were able to improve participant communication and accessibility for visitors significantly.

But of course, an event app also has a few disadvantages. On the one hand, you first have to search for and open the app. Then the LineUpr app does not currently offer a multilingual function. So you need an app for every language. Of course, an app also costs a little more than printed products.

LineUpr: Have you used event apps in the past?

Patrizia: No, we have never dealt with them.

LineUpr: Did you present your speakers with individual profiles in the event app?

Patrizia: Yes, including external links and contact details

LineUpr: When and how did you inform your participants about the event app?

Patrizia: Here is an extract from our information letter which was sent by post before the event:

For the first time, we have created an event app for you. We, therefore, offer you the opportunity to have an overview of the entire event at any time in a simple and easy-to-understand way. To do this, download the Repanet Suisse app to your mobile device using the following link or QR code. Then save it on your phone screen.

App link

Every update from our side will be immediately visible in the app. So you are always up to date, can find your way around Locarno, and can contact the event manager directly by phone.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Patrizia: We have also added the link from survio.com under General Information. The participants were able to submit their ratings directly (free version).

We had positive feedback right across the board.

LineUpr: What hurdles and difficulties did you experience when introducing an event app to your event?

Patrizia: We wanted to make everything as simple and understandable as possible. The target group was not the social media/app professionals and that had to be taken into account. At the beginning this stopped some people from opening the app. Our sales representatives were introduced to the app in advance so that they could offer support and advertise the app verbally in the companies.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview, Patrizia. I was able to gain a good insight into your event and the structures. The introduction of a new tool is always associated with a few difficulties. If implemented well, the participants catch up very quickly. At least that’s our experience.

You can find a lot more information about the André Koch AG online. And there is also a separate website for the Repanet Suisse. And as with every company, you can also find the André Koch AG on Facebook.

We are already looking forward to the next event with you.

The post LineUpr in Action at the Repanet Suisse’s Annual Conference – Interview with Patrizia Santarsiero first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

The Bunte Republik Neustadt is one of the most important festivals in Dresden. In the alternative scene district, over 150,000 visitors celebrate for three days. There is a lot of art and culture, bands, DJs and performances.

The event is self-organized and does not follow any specific program. There are many small groups who have their own agenda.

With this amount of information you can quickly lose track. An app definitely offers a solution to this. To get everything together in one place, Christian and Karl from the online portal Neustadt-Leben collected all the information about the festival and created an event app within one week. Here you will learn how to handle hundreds of program points at the same time and how they used, among other things, the survey function for social purposes.

LineUpr: Hello you two. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and explain what the Neustadt-Leben project is.

Christian and Karl: Hi, we are Christian Hille and Karl Adler. Christian is a lawyer and Karl is a computer scientist. We had the idea for the project Neustadt-Leben.de over 10 years ago, when there were not so many offers online for the Dresdener-Neustadt. We started to build a small community. Here users talked about the pubs in the Neustadt, arranged to meet for movie nights or sometimes for a barbecue in the Alaunpark.

LineUpr: What role do events play for you?

Christian and Karl: Later we specialized in summing up the events in the Neustadt so that we could give the sociable Neustadt resident a compact overview of the potential evening program.

This resulted in the desire to provide a good overview of the very extensive and varied program of the BRN. Unfortunately in the last few years nothing was done about this because of the lack of time, but this year we have finally managed to collect the bulk of the program points on time.

LineUpr: You used an event app from LineUpr for the Bunte Republik Neustadt (BRN). Please tell us more about this festival.

Christian and Karl: The BRN is actually not a classic event or even a district party, as some call it, but it actually stems from a half-joking idea from the 90s which proclaims the Dresden Neustadt as an independent micronation. On this occasion, the Bunte Republik has always been celebrated. Although much of the original character of the festival has suffered under the urban constraints, there is still the special aspect that there is neither an organizer nor a tightly planned program. Many residents contribute very individually and sometimes very spontaneously to the Bunte Republik.

LineUpr: What information did you use in the location profiles?

Christian and Karl: Actually only the location itself. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of information from the individual organizers.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Christian and Karl: Actually, it was really awesome, how quickly you can create such an event app from scratch. With the Excel-Import, it would be nice, if you don’t have to reconfigure all the column assignments etc., if an error occurs during the import. Unfortunately we had this quite often.

LineUpr: Did you also use the survey features?

Christian and Karl: Yes, in parallel with the event app, we gave out postcards with typical Neustadt motifs in exchange for a donation. The proceeds of the donation were to be donated to a Club in the Neustadt, but we wanted our users to participate in the decision. That’s why we created a survey asking who should receive the donation. Of the five clubs to choose from, there was an exciting head-to-head race between the City Gardens Association and the Treberhilfe, which won in the end.

LineUpr: What information did you use in the location profiles?

Christian and Karl: Actually only the location itself. Unfortunately, we lacked a bit of information from the individual organizers.

LineUpr: How do you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Christian and Karl: Actually, it was really awesome, how quickly you can create such an event app from scratch. With the Excel-Import, it would be nice, if you don’t have to reconfigure all the column assignments etc., if an error occurs during the import. Unfortunately we had this quite often.

The post LineUpr in Action – Colourful and Well-Filled Just like the BRN first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

The company of today’s interview partner is already a veteran in its industry. Founded in 1909, VOLLMER WERKE Maschinenfabrik GmbH is a globally successful specialist for tool machining in production and service with a comprehensive range of machines. The technological leader’s range of products includes the most advanced grinding, eroding and machining tools for rotary tools and circular saws in the woodworking and metalworking industries, as well as for metal-cutting band saws.

Part of this winning strategy is close contact to existing and potential customers. For this reason, VOLLMER welcomed more than 450 guests from all over the world at VDays 2019 to present their products up close and talk about the future of the industry. A LineUpr event app was also used at these VDays.

In this interview, Nicole Skoberla, who as a marketing manager, is also responsible for the VDays, tells us how she individualized the app and what changes and features she wishes for the future. Another great customer story. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello, Nicole. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and VOLLMER.

Nicole: My name is Nicole Skoberla and I am the Marketing Manager in the field of Online & Magazines at VOLLMER WERKE Maschinenfabrik GmbH. Since our beginning in 1909, VOLLMER has developed into a technology leader for state-of-the-art grinding, eroding, laser and processing machines for rotary tools and circular saws in the wood and metal processing industries as well as for the metal-cutting band saw. The extensive machine program is supplemented by tailor-made service and service offers. We see ourselves as a solution provider to our global customers – including sharpening services, sawmills, toolmakers and manufacturing companies.

LineUpr: You have used an event app from LineUpr for the VOLLMER VDays. Please tell us more about this event.

Nicole: At our four-day VOLLMER in-house event VDays, we had a total of over 450 participants from all over the world. In addition to lectures, exchange with experts, company tours and virtual reality applications, the visitors could also experience our machines live in the context of product demonstrations. For our guests to be able to put together their individual program based on the variety of offers, we decided to use an event app that we could create and design according to our needs. Our choice was your event app and we got a lot of praise – so much for now!

LineUpr: What strategies and tools do you use to address your target group? Do you attach special importance to something in particular?

Nicole: In addition to our website, we also use social media marketing (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube) and email marketing to address our customers optimally. Furthermore, we are also well positioned in the print sector with a large number of product and image brochures and our customer magazine.

LineUpr: Your app also looks very individual. You, for example, linked your newsletter in the footer and created a menu item for the current weather information. Why did you do this? And how did you adapt the app to your corporate design?

Nicole: For us, it was important to have the opportunity to familiarize our guests with the expertise of VOLLMER and to identify ourselves externally with the app.

Thanks to the easy handling of the app in the dashboard, I was able to incorporate our VOLLMER corporate design with just a few steps and adapt it to our individual needs. To implement our corporate design, we integrated the color scheme of VOLLMER in addition to the key visuals of our VDays.

LineUpr: Did you also use the info pages?

Nicole: Yes, exactly. In addition to information on the various speakers, the agenda, the locations, and the weather, we also published all the facts that are worth knowing about the event in the “About” section.

Here we could list the highlights of our event or inform participants about our partner companies. Additionally, in this category, we were able to communicate all organizational issues, such as meeting points, bus transfers, and wi-fi access data.

LineUpr: How did you use the locations in the app?

Nicole: Since we had many guests and therefore had to send them to many hotels, the location page helped us to list the various hotels and our evening venue with addresses and contact options. The link to Google Maps made it much easier for many visitors, especially our foreign ones, to find their way around.

LineUpr: How would you rate the creation of the event app with LineUpr? What do you like and what can we improve?

Nicole: The creation was really intuitive, and you could immediately see the results in the dashboard. Your quick support when we were stuck was also excellent.

Also, it was practical that you can send notifications via the app. Of course, pop-ups would still be great here.

LineUpr: Did you mention the event app at the beginning of or during the event?

Nicole: We had already mentioned and linked the app in the pre-communication as part of the invitation mailing to allow guests the opportunity to plan their personal VDays before they arrive in Biberach. On-site, the app was presented as part of the welcome speech and the QR code to the app was mentioned in the printed agenda and posters.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Nicole: Following our VDays, we obtained feedback from our guests via a survey tool. The result was that the visitors who used the app rated it as exceptionally or very helpful.

Also, during the event, we received positive feedback from the guests as well as from our colleagues about the app.

LineUpr: The event is over now. Would you use the app the same way at the next event to communicate with your participants or is there something that you would change?

Nicole: We plan to use the event app again for our next VDays, because it made our event more digital, more individual and super rounded.

Next time, we will think about using the survey feature to evaluate our entire VDays.

LineUpr: Thank you for the great interview, Nicole. I’m always thrilled every time an event organizer takes full advantage of the features of the event app and makes it their instrument.

You can find much more information about VOLLMER on the internet. And their profiles on LinkedIn and Facebook are also worth a visit.

We are already looking forward to the next VDays.

The post Event Apps for Industry Days – Interview with Nicole Skoberla from VOLLMER WERKE first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

Digitalization is causing a rapid change in the publishing industry. Standstill here means retrogression. Good publishers, therefore, rely on new strategies and go on the offensive.

An example of this is the Ferdinand Holzmann Publishing Company from Hamburg. Since 2016, the editorial team has identified specialist events as a suitable instrument and has also founded an event department. And this is where Matthias Janz comes into play. He leads this department and is therefore responsible for all specialist events.

And what should never be missing from a good event? An event app of course! In this interview, Matthias talks about the role of events, his experiences with event apps and the use of LineUpr. Another great customer story. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello, Matthias. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the Ferdinand Holzmann Publishing Company.

Matthias: My name is Matthias Janz and I manage the event department at the Ferdinand Holzmann Publishing Company in Hamburg. Since 2015, the publisher belongs to the Vincentz Network, a medium-sized publishing house in Hanover, which is active in different markets. The publishing house in Hamburg publishes a total of four B2B specialist magazines for the furniture industry – for furniture and kitchen dealers (Furniture Culture, The Kitchen Profi), interior architects (Arcade), and for furniture manufacturers and their suppliers (Furniture Manufacturing). Since the end of 2016, there is an event department that works together with the editorial staff on demanding industry events.

LineUpr: What role do events play for you? Which target group do you want to address and what added value do you offer the participants?

Matthias: As a specialist publisher, we are well networked in the industry; we know what the current issues of our target groups are and also have access to solution providers and industry leaders. At our events, we inspire our participants and present them with tangible best practice examples. Also, our events offer many networking opportunities and interactive elements.

LineUpr: What strategies and tools do you use in addressing this target group? Do you attach particular importance to something special?

Matthias: As a publishing company, we have a relatively easy time to get to our target group because we are read regularly (online and offline), and so we primarily use our channels for the event promotion. Besides, we also use Google Ads, Xing, and LinkedIn.

LineUpr: You have already used LineUpr twice. How did you learn about LineUpr and what added value does an event app offer you?

Matthias: An editor of ours came across LineUpr at another event. She told me about it, and then I researched it.

I had already designed an app for a trade fair when I worked as a project manager, but the hassle and expense were huge, so I never considered an app for smaller events.

LineUpr: Have you used event apps in the past?

Matthias: Yes, but only for larger fairs, because to deliver an app for iOS or Android, they always need to be programmed. Then a few € 1000 are quickly gone for agency services and a lot of working hours are needed until the app is ready and actually available in the store.

LineUpr: Did you present your speakers with individual profiles in the event app?

Matthias: Yes, we basically collect pictures and CVs from our speakers and we use this information in the event app. We have not added any contact data or external links as yet.

LineUpr: What information did you use in the location profiles?

Matthias: The congress “Efficient Furniture Production in Practice” takes place predominantly in a hotel, and here we “only” give the room names. Additional information is provided at the evening event, here having the address cannot hurt.

LineUpr: Did you also use the survey features?

Matthias: Yes, we use interactive elements in almost all events to get the participants involved. Usually, we use Sli.do so that we get an answer directly for questions to the audience. With a work-around in PowerPoint, we also managed to use the survey function from LineUpr in a similar way. If there was a feature from LineUpr that I missed, then it’s this one.

LineUpr: What hurdles and difficulties did you experience in launching an event app for your event?

Matthias: Normally, participants today no longer feel like installing an app from the store, especially if they only use the app for a few days. You now have so many apps on your smartphone that it gets confusing. The concept of a web app is not known to everyone, but it meets all the requirements: Temporary availability, no installation required, and thus less privacy-related problems – in some companies, installing apps on the company phone is prohibited.

LineUpr: Looking back, did you save more time with the LineUpr app and optimize your planning and execution, or does the app give you new ways to communicate with attendees?

Matthias: Currently, I would not say that we can save time or communicate better with the participants, but instead have more work. Why? At our events, we aspire to use the technical possibilities which are at the height of time. We offer live streams, live surveys, web apps, and more. On the other hand, we also have classic and high-quality conference documents: colored conference proceedings in a folder with a pad and pen. This sometimes seems a bit “old-school”, but our participants regularly rate the documents as good to very good. Also, it’s because the web app is not so much in demand- if I have the process on paper in front of me, I do not need a smartphone that provides me with the same information. Nevertheless, our medium-term endeavor is to slow down the proportion of analog conference documents. Until we achieve that, we will continue to travel in two tracks.

LineUpr: Thank you, Matthias, for the great interview. I was able to gain an excellent insight into your events and also the whole planning. You have really been a role model for the entire industry by being on the offensive and using new technologies and opportunities.

Of course, the Ferdinand Holzmann Publishing Company also has its website. Another better idea is to visit a Holzmann event. We are already looking forward to the next events.

The post Event Apps for Trade Events – Events by Ferdinand Holzmann Publishing Company first appeared on LineUpr Blog.