Wristbands aren’t just fancy accessories anymore; they’re heavily used in big events to help the planners, staff, and the attendees to have an easier and better time in the occasion. But how exactly do wristbands make this possible? Here are some cool ways these tiny accessories have changed how big events are done.
1. Who Gets Where – Quick Classification
Of course, there’s the fairly obvious benefit of color-coded bands that quickly identify attendees. This is especially useful in concerts where people are trying to figure out which gate they’re allowed to pass. Can they go backstage or perhaps they can be just a few steps away from the artist? Your wristband can tell so much with just its colors and all security has to do it look at it and let you in if your color meets criteria.
2. Quick Voucher Claims
Another cool way wristbands are being used today is as a free food or drink voucher. The way planners approach the idea may vary. Some put little paper attachments to the wristband that can be ripped off and exchanged for a freebie. Others will simply put a mark on the wristband while the more tech-savvy might choose to have the wristband “scanned” to see how much free drinks and food they have left. It definitely speeds up the process and is perfect for attendees who want to prepay.
3. Savings on Ticket Printing
Another great innovation that came out of using wristbands for big events would be to save on tickets printed. This works best for events that cover several days like conventions. No need to print a different ticket for each day; just give them a color-coded wristband which shows if they get an all-access pass, a first-day pass, or a last-day pass.
4. Instant Brand Ambassadors
There’s also the fact that wristbands are visibly seen by others, making the wearer a walking and talking brand ambassador. With the right logo printed onto the wristband, it can quickly catch the eye of the public and perhaps encourage them to also be part of the event.
5. Totebag Reminders
Some custom designed totebags today are built with special add-ons that can be “read” on site. This will inform the staff whether the wearer has access to certain services or products. Some can even choose to load their tote bags with a predetermined amount of snacks and or promotional gifts to let their audiences bring them home to keep them reminded of the brands they encountered during the event.
6. Limit Fraud
Wristbands also help limit fraud, especially if you’re trying to avoid scalpers in your event. By allowing your attendees to wear wristbands, there’s also a very low chance that they can be stolen or passed off from one person to another as a way to get into the event. Some big event planners go as far as put in chips or RFID to help with the identification of the wearer.
7. RFID in Connecting Attendees
An impressive way RFID or Radio Frequency Identification was used in an event in Belgium is by allowing attendees to connect with each other. Prior to the event, they can register their wristbands online and connect it to their Facebook account. If they somehow get a few feet from each other during the event, they can press a heart-shaped button integrated in the band. From there, the program sends their Facebook profiles to each other and who knows what happens after that.
8. Surprise Gifts
Some events also use the wristbands to give their attendees surprise gifts. In fact, there’s an event in Las Vegas where attendees were given free gifts based on their wristband. The staff just scanned their RFID bands to figure out exactly what they would get at the end of the event. It’s definitely a cool way to top off an already exciting day of connecting with your favorites.
Of course, those are just some of the innovative ways that wristbands are being used to aid big events. As technology gets better integrated into these wristbands, you’ll find that event planners will find newer and better ways to use this as a tool to make each experience better.