This is 2016 – phones are used for so much more than texting and playing Snake! So, enough with the ‘please switch your phone off’ request at the start of the conference! At Get Invited, we believe that phones should be kept on. Do you agree?
- Phones aren’t necessarily distracting. Users could be making notes of interesting points made by the speaker, or setting out questions they’d like to ask at the end of the session.
- Live tweeting is a great promotional tool for the event (and future events you will run). Why would you want to stop guests doing this?
- If the WiFi is too slow, suggest that the venue upgrades it. It will be a serious selling point for their future events.
- Business doesn’t stop. It’s less distracting for other delegates if guests can reply to urgent emails there and then, rather than leave every few minutes to check if that all-important email has arrived.
- They make life so much easier. Taking a picture of a useful slide during a presentation, or a snapshot of a stall at an expo that sells a relevant service is so much quicker than scribbling down the details (then inevitably losing the sheet of paper!).
If it’s essential that a certain part of your event is phone-free, let your guests know in advance. Mark on the invite that it’s unplugged so your guests can set up out of office auto replies. Remind everyone with a quick, polite announcement at the start of the event that it’s device-free. It’s also a good idea to be clear about your phone and/or tablet policy. Should they be switched off or simply silenced? Are photos allowed? Is there a social media blackout? If so, when will it be lifted?
Do you think phones should be switched on during an event? Join the debate on Twitter or leave a comment below!
Want to contribute? Send us an email with an outline of your article idea.
All rights reserved. Built in Belfast.
