How Meeting Planners Can Use Foursquare to Promote Meetings

Foursquare, a location-based social network that allows users with smartphones to “check in” at venues, is one of the most up-and-coming social media sites on web. It is perfect for increasing engagement because it combines the fun of social media with incentives and viral messaging.

Users “check in” at venues using a mobile website, text messaging or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and in some cases, “badges” for certain activities.

If social networking sites connect people to people, then Foursquare should be thought of as connecting people to places making it the perfect social media tool to promote your next meeting:

1. Drive attendance.
Many of the already existing badges for Foursquare can be leveraged for this purpose. Foursquare has two badges that are rewarded based on a crowd of users checking in.

If 50 people check in, a “Swarm Badge” is unlocked, and if 250 people all check in the same venue and time period, a “Super Swarm Badge” is unlocked.

When promoting an event where there is a possibility to get this badge, people will usually promote this to all their peers in the attempt to gain more people to check in to ensure the badge is awarded.

2. Post tips and information in real time.
Foursquare has a “Shout” or “Ping” function that allows you to send a mass message out to friends and users. This tool can be leveraged to make announcements, which can be received  via mobile applications. There is also a function to post tips or instructions on the venue’s Foursquare page.

3. Gather demographic and business data.
As a venue owner or manager, or as the agent promoting that event/venue, you can “claim” the ownership, and then Foursquare allows you to utilize and view the robust back-end analytic package connected with each site.

Here you can find out such things as who is checked in, the frequency they have done so, their Twitter username (if public), whether they are male or female, and any tips or suggestions they have made about the site.

Once the meeting is over, make sure to go back and track your Foursquare page. See who checked in, how many tips were left on the venue page, and how many people took advantage of the check-in promotion. These results will help your social media marketing for the next meeting; what worked and what didn't.

So broaden your horizons from solely Facebook and Twitter. The age of social media is everchanging, and it is your job (as well as many others) as a meeting planner to stay on top of it. It not only increases awareness for your meetings and venues but also allows the attendees to market your event for you.

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Networking For Meeting Attendees

Many companies are bigger than we think. There's no way all of the employees know each other or have even met. We all know that one of the big reasons to hold meetings or corporate retreats is to bring employees together and figure out ways to better the company through teamwork. They want to find people with shared interests to do business with and they want to home in on the people who will be the most helpful for them in their endeavors. But, especially at larger meetings, people find networking to be uncomfortable, overwhelming and downright ineffective. Here are a few things you can do as their event planner to make the experience more fun.

Name badges with a twist
Instead of first and last name, find some ways to give the name badges more dimension. Try color coding by interest or specialty (and remember to give your attendees the key!) or ask your attendees to list their three favorite things. Have them say "Ask me about...". It's a great way to get the conversation started and help your attendees figure out who might be a good fit for them.

There's an app for that...

There are some pretty cool networking apps out there that allow your attendees to check in at your event and find a list of all the other people who are there, along with their social networks.

Bump: Bump isn't only used for swapping info with the mystery gentleman at the bar. Feel free to bump contacts at networking events and even in the workplace. Who's to say that fleeting connections won't materialize into bigger and better prospects down the line?

WhosHere: It's time to meet your match. Find other people in your proximity who also use the service and talk to them! It's as simple as that. You can also review the profiles of those nearest to you and hold out on an introduction until you find a subject with similar interests. Great for down-time at conferences. 

Take your shoes off and relax (but not in the meeting, of course!)
So often, we're focused on great event content, but we forget about down time. Down time is really important - not only for our brains, but for connecting with our fellow event attendees. What we'd love to see is more time left to be created by your attendees - time for them to create content, share ideas and network. You will find that your attendees see this as some of the most valuable time they have.

Networking can play a huge role in the success of your corporate life. Whether attending a meeting with 75 different companies involved, or your own company's meeting where you just may not know anyone, networking builds relationships and a strong foundation for teamwork.

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