{"id":1957,"date":"2020-09-22T09:04:29","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T09:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/?p=1957"},"modified":"2022-07-05T10:59:35","modified_gmt":"2022-07-05T08:59:35","slug":"are-paperless-events-possible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/are-paperless-events-possible","title":{"rendered":"Are Paperless Events Possible?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>COVID-19 has caused businesses all around the globe to re-evaluate and &#8211; in some instances &#8211; revamp their entire operating structures.&nbsp;<br>The improvements have centered on a range of different factors, with remote work policies and cloud-based platforms being two of the biggest beneficiaries of a more distant but connected environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amongst the noise, we\u2019ve seen plenty of commentators pushing for sustainability in a post-COVID world. Some of the loudest calls have been extremely close to home, with event organisers now ready to entertain the prospect of a paperless future.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What will paperless events look like?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve attended a webinar in the past few weeks &#8211; or even an online workout class &#8211; you\u2019ll have an idea of what we\u2019re trying to achieve with a truly paperless format.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even in the B2B landscape, the success of online conferences shows there is a big demand for eco-friendly alternatives. However, the current examples of technology being used (e.g. live streaming, Q&amp;As) represent the tip of the iceberg that\u2019s coming our way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With lighter restrictions on movement and large-scale gatherings, the process of creating a paperless event will focus on shifting as many applications as possible to the digital realm. Some potential solutions for paperless events include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Online check-in \u2013 with digital badges, tickets, and attendee lists.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Booking venues that support digital projection and signage.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Marketing through online channels.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Improving event websites and apps to give attendees all the information they require.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1122\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-1122x630.jpg\" alt=\"Event and apps website\n\" class=\"wp-image-1964\" title=\"-\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-1122x630.jpg 1122w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-1536x863.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-2048x1150.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-107x60.jpg 107w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/web-design-min-edited-scaled.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1122px) 100vw, 1122px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need an extra hand, our post on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/building-attendee-engagement-with-an-event-app\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Building Attendee Engagement with an Event App<\/a>&nbsp;shows how \u2018going digital\u2019 can give attendees a new and more memorable experience. Paperless events are a relatively new phenomenon, so there\u2019s ample room to explore alternatives and craft a strategy that works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why consider paperless events?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The premise behind paperless events may seem simple, but the benefits can be seen in a number of different areas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Cost-cutting<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Limiting the amount of paper bought is in itself a huge change that can save plenty of money. <a href=\"https:\/\/smallbusiness.chron.com\/average-cost-per-month-office-supplies-12771.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">According to estimates by Chron<\/a>, companies that use high volumes of paper end up spending over $1,000 (\u00a3780) annually on this supply alone. That figure is just for regular office use, so you can imagine how much higher it goes for conferences and exhibitions with lots of collateral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Digital logistics<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Paperless processes can also help event managers link up easily with their suppliers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizonconnect.com\/uk\/resources\/article\/less-paperwork-higher-profits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Verizon Connect<\/a>&nbsp;cites the convenience of an \u2018electronic trail\u2019 to update job statuses, which is particularly useful for delivery companies. Receipts and customer signatures can also be updated to ensure that event planners get their deliverables as soon as possible without having to wait for official documents to arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Online marketing<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>As we said earlier, marketing is another area where event planners can benefit from going paperless. For one, it provides the necessary leeway to&nbsp;<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/event-marketing-ideas-mastering-promotion-via-social-media\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"rank-math-link\">explore platforms like Twitter and Instagram<\/a>&nbsp;and make advertisements more interactive. Should there be any changes in venue or date, that information can also be sent and communicated in real time via emails and social media.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"420\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-420x630.jpg\" alt=\"-\" class=\"wp-image-1966\" title=\"-\" srcset=\"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-420x630.jpg 420w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-40x60.jpg 40w, https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/marketing-online-min-min-1-scaled.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the challenges to adopting paperless events?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite all the advantages, there is no denying the battle that organisers face when trying to reduce their carbon footprint.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, you must teach your employees how to use the technology required to go paperless. This is likely to be carried across to your audience, too, so you\u2019ll need trained staff to answer queries and troubleshoot any minor issues had by those who aren\u2019t as well-versed in some of the features you\u2019re deploying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cyber security will also play an increasingly huge role as paperless events develop. With data protection being a top priority for many business owners, the same should hold true for event planners. Essentially, the more technology you introduce to an event, the more ports of entry there are for hackers to potentially exploit. You\u2019ll need an event management platform with the highest grade of protection to defend against any unforeseen threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The challenges presented by paperless events are in large part similar to the challenges you\u2019d face when adopting any new digital solution. You have the potential to innovate the entire attendee experience, from the planning stages all the way to engagement. Thus, the benefits of hosting paperless events far outweigh the obstacles that businesses may face upfront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we continue to navigate a brief period of downtime on the physical event calendar, now is the perfect chance to consider how we can create a more sustainable industry. To this aim, paperless is definitely the way forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>COVID-19 has caused businesses all around the globe to re-evaluate and &#8211; in some instances &#8211; revamp their entire operating structures.&nbsp;The improvements have centered on &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":1967,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[349,6,22,364],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1957"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2223,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions\/2223"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eventscase.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}