Looking for ways to reduce waste and encourage greater sustainability when planning events? Sure you are! Many event planners have placed an emphasis on sustainability in recent years, implementing new practices to reduce waste. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, check out the following paperless event planning solutions.
QR Codes
Quick Response (QR) codes are a great way to provide information to guests without relying on paper. When a guest encounters a booth and wants to learn more about the respective company or product, he or she can scan the booth’s QR. Some people assume that QR codes require a special tool to read, but this isn’t the case. Guests simply snap a photo of the QR code, at which point a QR app will interrupt the code. QR codes can point to a specific website or web page, download link, app downloads, social media accounts and more.
Beacons
An alternative to QR codes is a beacon device, such as Apple’s signature iBeacon. Using Bluetooth low energy (BLE), these devices transmit data to nearby guests’ smartphones. Beacons can be used to track how many guests attend an event, notify guests about upcoming speakers and activities, and send guests information about event sponsors. So instead of handing out brochures about their products or services, companies can send this information directly to guests’ smartphones using beacons. Beacons have become increasingly popular in the event planning industry — a trend that’s likely to continue thanks to the many benefits they offer.
Email Invitations
Invitations are an essential part of any event or conference. Instead of sending paper invitations, however, consider sending digital invitations via email. Sending traditional invitations through the USPS consumes time, money and paper. But you can avoid the headaches of paper invitations by emailing them to guests. Not only will this reduce your paper usage, but you can also rest assured knowing that recipients will receive the invitations, assuming you enter recipients’ email addresses correctly.
Mobile Apps
Smartphone apps can also free of you of the traditional paper binder when planning events. One popular app that’s being used by professional event planners is TimeTune. Available in both a free and paid (pro) version, it’s an all-in-one schedule planning tool. Some of TimeTune’s features include the ability to schedule routines, design schedules for other people, create custom tags to categorize and curate your activities, prioritize daily activities, set reminders, customization through the use of widgets and more.