There are many ways to stay connected when you are on-site for your event. You can use cell phones, radios, or smoke signals, but they are not always the best choice for the job.
Sometimes you just want to say “Ballroom Number 2 is Set” or “The Speaker has entered the building”, nothing major or earth shattering but essential nonetheless.
One of the tools that we have been using lately is GroupMe.
The Premise is pretty simple:
Start groups with the people already in your contacts. When you send a message to a specified group, everyone instantly receives it.
It’s like a private chat room that works on any phone.
Why GroupMe is Perfect for Event Teams
When you have to broadcast a message, you need to do it quickly and have it go to the right people. Your team, vendors, clients, and others can all sign up for the service, and now you will be able to broadcast the right message to the right people in seconds.
No more individually adding people to a message; just choose the group, type, and launch. People can even be in multiple groups so you can have the A/V Group, the F&B Group, the Education Group, etc. I love that. When a meeting room is set, I can hit the group that cares and let them know. I did not broadcast it over the radio or send an email that may not get seen until tomorrow. It is done and people can reply quickly and easily.
Here is a little more from the publisher:
GroupMe is the best way to chat with everyone you know. It’s absolutely free, whether you’re talking to a group of friends, or texting with one person. Best of all, it works on nearly every phone, via push or SMS. With GroupMe, it’s easy to reach anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Does it Work?
Yes. It works and it works well. GroupMe is totally free and a member of the Skype Family (Microsoft) so you know that the tech is reliable. Check out what some others are saying:
Getting Started
Getting started with GroupMe is really simple. Download the app (available for iPhone, Andriod, Windows and Blackberry) and follow the prompts. That is it, pretty simple and you can get going right away.
Beyond the Event
GroupMe has even been useful off the show floor or away from the meeting rooms. I have groups for client web projects we have going, groups for family and even friends. The app really does fill a need that I never knew I had. It has been awesome.
Because it is free, it is easy to try out, no muss no fuss and you do not even need your credit card. Give it a go and let me know what you think. I am always excited to see how a suggestion pans out, good or bad!
