Audience response. This term causes some great meeting-planning minds to shake their heads and give up. We have put men on the moon, landed spacecraft on Mars, and created the Twinkie, but asking a question and getting a response has not been made easy or cheap.
Yes, there are systems like Spot Me, ARS, BusyEvent, and others, but they do much more than simple audience response and some can be astronomically expensive. Some of these systems allow attendees to join social networks, text each other, view event programs, download sponsor brochures, and connect in the virtual world, in addition to offering audience response. These systems are very useful, have a place, and can be extremely important to your event if the tool fits the job. If all you need is yes/no, however, these systems are like going duck hunting with a howitzer.
If you do not need all the firepower, Poll Everywhere might fit the bill (disclosure—I have nothing to do with Poll Everywhere except for being a customer). This is a handy little system that allows for one thing and one thing only, and that is audience response: you ask questions and the audience answers.
The system itself is based on SMS text messaging. Throw out a question, and attendees use their mobile phones to text the answer. Simple. They can also use Twitter and the web to answer as well.
How easy is it to get started? You start by setting up your questions in a web-based application, which takes about 5 minutes; you then download a PowerPoint Slide that, when opened, is preformatted with the question, responses, and how to answer. Once opened, the slide will update answers in real-time, and for cool factor, attendees can watch the graph move as the answers come in. Simple and fun to watch.
Cost-wise, Poll Everywhere is a bargain compared to some systems. It is a monthly service, and costs range from free to mucho dinero, with most event planners coming in at about $65.00 per month. Have a one-time event? They have a solution for that; you simply pay the monthly fee based on your group size and then downgrade your account to a free one after the event. Imagine a total audience response solution for a 250-person event for $65.00. Are you having 700 people? The cost only jumps to $140.00.
Some will say, “Not everyone uses text messages,” and this is true, but at a recent event, we had an 85% response rate from the audience. I am most likely safe in saying that is probably in line with the averages of some of the more robust solutions that require extensive setup and hardware as well as audience handheld units.
Here are the nuts and bolts
Advantages:
- Ease of use
- Fast setup time
- No hardware required for deployment (beyond existing A/V)
- Questions can be added in close to real-time (as fast as you can type)
- Answers can be via SMS, web, and Twitter
- Great if audience response is a last-minute add to the program
Drawbacks:
- Internet connection required
- Not everyone uses text messaging
- It is a one-trick pony and does not offer more robust services (Author Note and Clarification– The only reason this is a drawback is if you are looking for a solution that delivers networking, will allow attendees to view the conference program, etc. If you are looking for audience response, move this to the “Advantages” list).
- Requires an A/V setup (which, if you are having a meeting, you probably have)
- Spotty mobile phone connections in some venues
I think that you will be astounded by how easy and simple it is to use. You can try the system for free, so bounce a poll around the office for fun.
