Every year thousands of people need a bone marrow donation. Without central organizations such as bone marrow registries, these people would probably have no chance to survive. Therefore, we are very proud that the LineUpr app is also used by such organizations.

Today we have Martine Schuit from the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) as a guest. She used LineUpr for the WMDA Anniversary Conference. In the interview, Martine tells us which printed products she used, how she shared the app with the participants and what other organizers should consider. Really worth reading.

LineUpr: Hello Martine. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Please introduce yourself and the World Marrow Donor Association.

Martine: Hi there, my name is Martine and I am WMDA’s office manager and executive assistant. The World Marrow Donor Association is the international association for all stem cell and bone marrow donor registries, where volunteers can sign up to become a donor for patients with diseases that compromise the blood-forming system and/or immune system (like leukemia and other forms of blood cancer). Many Public Cord Blood Banks (for stem cells from umbilical cords) and transplant centers are also members of our association. Together we strive to ensure patients worldwide have equal access to high-quality cells for transplantation from donors whose rights and safety are protected.

LineUpr: You’ve used LineUpr for the WMDA Anniversary Conference. Tell us more about that event? Which target group did you want to address?

Martine: Every year a WMDA member hosts a conference for all members, so we can connect to share best practices and collaborate to improve our work. Because we celebrated our 25th anniversary this year, WMDA decided to host the conference herself. We had a wonderful gathering with over 220 attendees from 55 countries in the beautiful beach town of Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

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

Martine: We communicated about the conference on multiple platforms: our website, our newsletter Stem Cell Matters and through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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

Martine: We printed a flyer that was distributed during the conferences prior to our anniversary conference to create more awareness and to make it more visible and easier to scan the QR-code. This was an addition to all our online and digital activities.

LineUpr: How much in advance do you publish the app? What information do you already communicate via the app before the event?

Martine: We published the app two weeks before the conference to give the participants and speakers the time to install the app and give feedback before the event started.  Also, we communicated all the information we already had at that time through the app: our programme, the speakers, information about the surroundings of the conference venue and our sponsors.

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

Martine: We informed the participants through a special newsletter for attendees only. We added the QR-code for scanning. We also had pictures of the QR-code with a short instruction on all the conference tables and at the reception desk.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Martine: We only received positive feedback: the app was easy to use and the information was clear.

LineUpr: We want to grow daily and offer our customers a better experience, what features would you like for the app and why?

Martine: A feature we missed was the ability to see how many people had installed or viewed the app and when most people installed the app. This makes it hard for us to see whether the app was used and how much is was used This would have been an addition to determine the usefulness of the app.

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

Martine: 1. Send the app to your speakers first. They can then confirm whether the information about them is correct so you can adjust things before the big public sees it.

2. Make sure the speakers send you information about themselves beforehand, including a picture of themselves. This saves you a lot of time looking for it yourself and also ensures all the information in the app is correct.

3. Make sure you have QR-codes visible everywhere, as you can’t scan a QR-code from your phone screen.

LineUpr: Thank you, Martine, for the great interview. Your mission is indescribably valuable. Thanks to you, human lives are saved daily. It makes us proud that we were allowed to contribute a small part to the conference with our event app. There is also a lot of information about the WMDA online. They are also active on Facebook and if you would like to get in touch with Martine directly, you are welcome to contact her on LinkedIn.

We are already looking forward to your next events.

The post LineUpr in Action – The World Marrow Donor Association Anniversary Conference first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

How digitalized are American associations? We will clarify this question today with Jacy Ripperger. As a member of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) she is using event apps for several years for the Spring Conference.

Since their old event-app provider was very cumbersome to use, Jacy switched to LineUpr in 2019. Obviously, they are very happy with this decision, as preparation for the second conference with LineUpr is already in full swing. In this interview, Jacy tells us more about the reasons why she switched to LineUpr, how she loaded the app with content, and how the participants took the change. Have fun while reading. ?

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

Jacy: My name is Jacy Ripperger and I am the Administrative Assitant at Iowa State Association of Counties.

LineUpr: You have used LineUpr fort he ISAC Spring Conference. Please tell us more about that event? Which target group did you want to address and what added value do you offer the participants?

Jacy: Our Spring Conference is an educational opportunity for members of our association and is also a yearly event where the ISAC budget is approved by the membership. This event gives our members the chance to network and attend educational programming within and outside their affiliate organization.

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

Jacy: We focus on email marketing to address our members and inform them of events and educational programming.

LineUpr: Do you also use printed products to market the event or distribute information on-site? If so, which and why?

Jacy: This app allowed us to offer an online version of our conference agenda and separate affiliate agendas. We also offer these in paper form to all of our members upon arrival at the conference. It is necessary to offer both an online and hard copy version, due to the age range of our membership.

LineUpr: How did you learn about LineUpr and what was the decisive argument for you to use an event app for this event?

Jacy: We needed an app that was low cost and simple to use. We have used more complicated apps in the past that weren’t right for our membership. Our app is mostly focused on providing conference agendas to our membership, so we appreciate the minimal features.

LineUpr: How long before the event do you start creating the event app? How much time do you invest in the app?

Jacy: I start adding content to the app about two months before the event. It takes me around ten hours, give or take, to finalize the app.

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

Jacy: We do this through our email marketing tools and on our website. We also send out a tutorial on how to save the app to your home screen.

LineUpr: What information and content do you communicate via the app?

Jacy: Our app is focused on showing our full conference agenda and separate affiliate agendas. This allows each attendee to customize their own schedule.

LineUpr: How did your visitors react to the app?

Jacy: We heard from members that they liked the simplicity of the app. We had a few attendees who didn’t like the way it was saved to their home screen rather than downloaded through the app store. We did not actively ask for feedback after the spring conference but plan to after our next event.

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

Jacy: 1. Create a simple tutorial to send to your attendees to help them access the app.

2. Train staff to be able to help event attendees access/use the app if they are having trouble on site.

3. Keep it simple and user-friendly.

LineUpr: Thanks for the focused interview Jacy. It’s always exciting for us to find out how event organizers deal with our app. Every day we hear from our customers how much they appreciate the clear focus on the relevant functions.

You can find more information about the Iowa State Association of Counties here. We are already looking forward to this year’s congress in September with you.

The post Event Apps in Action – Spring Conference of the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) first appeared on LineUpr Blog.

We have another case study for you! Today it will be about the colleagues at the Silicon Saxony e.V. They’ve been using LineUpr for a while and we were fortunate enough to be at one of the local events. You can expect information about the event, the organization and the use of LineUpr for the distribution of information and the use of our interactive live surveys.

The Organization – Are Technicians Automatically Technically Affine?

Silicon Saxony e.V. is a trade association of the semiconductor industry with a regional focus on Saxony. Its members include both companies and individuals. Most of them have a technical background in common. One can, therefore, assume that the participants are quite technically affine.

The age structure of the association is very diverse. Everyone, from the early 20s up to the age of retirement, was to be found among the participants of the Silicon Saxony Day.

The usage figures of the app speak for themselves. In total, 223 people used the app. On average, everyone visited the app 2.82 times, opening 8.33 pages in each session. The total number of visitors, 300 people, is a great amount! It turns out, that the format of the Silicon Saxony Day is perfect for the use of an event app, despite the age structure. What exactly this event is will be highlighted in the next section.

Silicon Saxony Day 2018 – A lot of Well-Planned Content

The Silicon Saxony Day is the annual conference of the association. A lot of content was offered in this and the past years. The language of the conference was English. The reason for this is that the association was able to welcome guests from abroad.

In addition to the keynote speeches on the different topics typical for conferences, there were workshop tracks for which each guest could individually choose for themselves. Here, practical knowledge was imparted, the best practices were discussed and the professional exchange with colleagues was maintained.

During the lunch break, various companies presented themselves in an exhibitor pitch. The atmosphere here was rather laid back – the audience stood at bistro tables and the pitching exhibitors had space in front of a monitor to present their company.

After the lunch break, companies that registered in advance could participate in speed dating with interested students. The students were looking for internships, final theses, traineeships or direct entry. The speed dating served to get to know each other better and explore potentials.

The event was then concluded in an informal round in the evening.

The Objective

Different organizers have very different goals when using an event app. Since Silicon Saxony already used apps from LineUpr several times, the plan to replace printed materials is almost achieved. The organizers wanted to completely get rid of printed materials. Additionally, another goal was to increase the interaction at the event and to offer a database where the participants could retrieve all information in bundles after the event.

The App – What was Presented?

In addition to the classic what, when, where and with whom, other features of LineUpr were also used. Basic event information and information about the organizer were presented.

In the corresponding profiles, the sponsors of the event were presented and could, therefore, be particularly well acknowledged by the participants. In addition, the post function was very well used. A total of 10 messages were distributed to the guests via this service. The messages were all prepared in the CMS of LineUpr and were published at the given times. If you want to do that, check out the instructions here. Posts were the third most opened page after the homepage and the program – so in-app messages work very well!

The survey feature was also extensively used, both during and after the event. But we will touch more on this in the following section.

The Surveys – Promotion is Key!

Two survey types were used. The feedback – in duplicate – was used after the event. Once for the companies that participated in the speed dating and once for all guests to ensure the quality of the event for the following years. In order to achieve the highest possible number of participants, the organizers subsequently sent an email with a request for feedback.

Behind the button “START THE SURVEY” is the link, which led directly to the survey.

The voting rate for the feedback was remarkable in comparison: 65 participants rated the event afterwards. The reason for the good participation was the form of advertising. If you also want to know how to properly promote your event app, check out this tutorial.

In addition to the feedback, our live survey was also used. After a demo of technologies from different companies, a winner could be chosen by means of a survey and corresponding results presentation on the screen. The live survey was technically implemented with our slide view. One of our colleagues was on site as a director to publish the prepared survey, while the presenter on stage called for participation. The director then placed the slide view on the screen while the results were received. After a suitable time, which varied each time, the survey was deactivated again and the result was announced. The optimal voting time depends on how many people are in the room. Over time, the dynamic decreases noticeably. If that is the case, the poll should be deactivated again.

Interested in creating a survey and conducting it yourself? Then this guide is just right for you to read.

Networking – Use Existing Channels

The organizers decided to map the networking by using participant profiles in the app. Since the participants do not have to register with LineUpr to use the app, we imported the participants’ data in the form of a list before the event.

This offers several advantages. On the one hand, the guests can quickly get an overview of the other participants and can inform themselves in advance about their company, field of business and offers. In addition, we at LineUpr rely on existing communication channels, which the participants generally appreciate, because new contacts do not need to be transferred to other systems after the event. Above all, existing channels mean e-mail, as it is still the most widespread form of communication in the business context. But Xing or LinkedIn profiles are also very popular communication channels. According to the motto “Please your customer, not your ego”, this is the best way for the participants.

You would like to know more about creating appealing personal profiles? Then click here!

The second benefit has to do with the content of the event. The content presented in the workshops was linked in the respective profiles of the speakers. The guests can easily access the presentations and these are once again associated with the speaker.

Summary – Goal Achieved?

The goal from above was achieved. There were no printed materials and the participants were able to network with each other as well as with the companies on site. All the documents for lectures and presentations are available online and the interaction at the event could be significantly increased.

To clarify this once again, we will let Carola Schulze from the organizers’ team speak at the end.

What the Organizers say

The great thing about the app is that it is totally easy to handle. You can easily set and retrieve content. The user gets an overview of the program and receives information about the individual lectures. You can also set favorites and knit your own program. No printed program booklet is required anymore, as today almost everyone owns a smartphone. The live voting function is also great. As a trade network, we want to constantly know what moves our members and what they think. You can use the app to ask specific questions about specific topics during an event and receive replies in seconds, which can be presented directly on a slide. We will use the app more often in the future, on the one hand to convey program content and on the other hand for surveys in order to get the opinions of our members faster.

“Silicon” Icon created by Symbolon from “The Noun Project” (https://thenounproject.com).

The post The Silicon Saxony Day with LineUpr – Interactive Surveys and Information Right in your Pocket first appeared on LineUpr Blog.