techsytalk’s Epic Guide to Event Tech Trends in 2015: MOBILE PAYMENTS

Welcome to 2015. Another year filled with promise and potential. An opportunity to re-organize your life and get back on top of the game before the year takes over. Like many event planners, you’ve probably resolved to figure out this “technology” thing that everyone seems to be talking about so I’ve put together this guide to help you understand some of the big trends to be on the lookout for in 2015. I’d recommend taking a bit of time this month to research a few of these topics and see how you can implement some of them at your upcoming events. Forcing yourself to test out new technology trends is the most effective way to get the experience you need to make technology a driving force in your life and your events.

We will be featuring a new trend over the next few weeks to inspire you. We started yesterday with our first prediction – data.

MOBILE PAYMENTS

If you haven’t been following the news about Apple’s new payment system or Google Wallet, know this – more and more attendees are going to be making purchases from their phones. We’ll likely see users download more brand apps to ease the process of purchasing their favorite products, but we’re also going to see more event ticket purchases happening on mobile. This also applies to payments for all types of things – donations at fundraisers, splitting the bill at dinner, or ordering your Starbucks on the go. This is important because it also means that our attendees will be using their phones to buy tickets to our events, exchange money at the event itself and even make donations. By being prepared for mobile payments, you can arm your event to take advantage of these opportunities.

Our Techsy Tip: Check with your web developer and ensure that your site is mobile optimized. Ideally you want a responsive web site – a site that will look great on a computer screen, tablet and smart phone. Test your website from mobile to ensure that buttons are easy to click, photos are viewable and transactions are easy to process. If needed, create a mobile app for your business to craft a great brand experience from smart phones.