Eventtech is just a tool ??

I had a lot of fun writing The Event Tech Bible. I had the chance to finally articulate many insights I gathered around the world presenting The Event Innovation Lab?.

The bits that I am the most attached to are the Value-Based Approach to eventtech and the section on how to handle resistance to change. Having spent the last 10 years talking about eventtech, these are by far the most recurring stumbling blocks of most eventtech programs.

'Eventtech is just a tool' is an up and coming argument to deny the use of technology at events or to discredit its importance in the event planning mix.

Here is an excerpt of the book, helping you to tackle the 'eventtech is just a tool' argument:

"I've dealt with insults, public shaming, heated discussions on groups, forums and on my very OWN blog. I've developed a strong set of skills to face resistance. Yet, if there is one objection that to date, still drives me mad, it is that 'eventtech is just a tool'. Hence this is also the one on which I will spend more time on.

No confusion here. Event technology is a tool indeed. Absolutely no doubt about it. Yet, we should take action and shoot some counter arguments when the 'tool' narrative is used to discount the role of technology or, even worse, rejecting adoption.

A universal truth is that a c&$p event will always be c&$p, no matter how much technology you put in it. Also, a poorly designed experience that does not take care of the basics will always compromise the outcome. And the same goes for poor speakers/performers, obsolete event concepts, bad content, poor design interaction. Essentially what many refer to as meeting, event or experience design. 

Your experience design is the core of what you are selling to attendees. Any technology that you use to deliver that message will augment it. Event technology is a tool to make sure your strong and powerful message resonates with your attendees and stakeholders.

But what about if you took care of all of the above. Say you read our Meeting Design report and you are all clear about what you need to be doing to design successful events. You know your objectives, how you are using your event to change behavior. What next?

This is where the 'tech is just a tool' narrative should not be accepted anymore. 

Actually, let's take a step back. Let's look at the elements of successful event design. Integrating technology and making sure the tech decisions you made are frictionless and add value IS designing successful events. You started designing a successful event when you looked at value-based decision-making and incremental innovation. 

Yes, tech is a tool. But so is food, performers, venue, destination etc. They are all tools that come together to deliver a message, helping to achieve objectives. Technology is actually a VERY IMPORTANT tool to deliver that message. 

Why is the food or room layout more important than the website you will use to process the credit card details of your attendees? These are all elements of the event experience. Discounting tech in favor of other elements is just being shortsighted. It is biased towards tradition. It is risk aversion and resistance to change at its best.

If you haven't figured out the why of your event and you are jumping to picking the venue, and confirming speakers, it is as bad as starting to put a website together. These are all actions that should be dictated by your strategy. Your event objectives should dominate your decision making. Yet tech seems to be the element most likely to be picked on because others are pooping their pants by the prospect of change (excuse the French). 

In fact venues and performers are safer bad decisions, or at least this is what detractors think. Jumping on a venue without a plan is safer than investing in an app. No, my friend. It is not. The world is permeated by bad venue decisions where thousands and thousands have been paid to venues that do not serve the purpose of the event.

So what your boss is really trying to say is that you don't have a plan, huh? Well, go tell your boss that you, in fact, have a plan, that you know the objectives of the event and that tech is a crucial element to deliver on those objectives. Tell them that you have worked out precisely how tech will add value to the process and how you treat it no differently than any other decision inherent to the event. You are the event manager, you know how to do your job, you did your homework and you have a hundred more answers if they only try to reply. How does that sound?

The 'tool talk' is dangerous. It is dangerous for your event, your attendees, and your event. In an increasingly competitive world, tech could be that small element making your event stand out. It can be the element that convinces prospective customers to become attendees. It is the small detail that gives you massive breakthroughs and insight into how you or your attendees operate. You can't afford any 'tool talk' anymore."

Read the rest - get the free ebook -> The Event Tech Bible