Conference Compass

11/09/2025

What have you possibly overlooked as an academic conference planner?

The venue is booked.
Catering is sorted.
Registration is live.

But great academic conference planning goes beyond the obvious checklist. It’s the hidden details, from reviewer management to year-round engagement that really shape the experience.

Here are the 6 things organisers often forget (and how to fix them).

👉 https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0m-5wY0

12/08/2025

🎥 Watch here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0mjn9m0

At IMEX 2025 in Frankfurt, our CEO and Founder, Jelmer van Ast joined Paul Colston, the Managing Editor at Mash Media to talk about Conference Compass, our product Floq and the way that it utilises experiential design in event technology.

Join in on this lovely conversation in which Jelmer and Paul touch on some important topics such as:
➡️ accessible content
➡️ post-event content strategy
➡️ how to foster connection between all event stakeholders

Thank you Mash Media for this opportunity to have some meaningful discussions and a great reminder of the lovely time that we had at IMEX!

01/08/2025

☀️ August is quiet for events.

Perfect.

This is the month to work with what you already have.

Your last event's analytics are full of insights:
➡️ What did your audience really engage with?
➡️ Where was the highest ROI for sponsors?
➡️ What were the strengths and what could you improve?

We’ve put together a simple guide with concrete steps to turn your event data into a better plan for the next one.

👉 Read it here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0m6Dhd0

How are you using August to prepare for your next event?

23/07/2025

Halfway through the year and the product updates just keep coming 👇
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lXhg00

🔊 Audio captions you can listen to
Supports blind and low-vision users, reduces screen fatigue, and offers more flexibility in how attendees follow sessions.

🤝 Leads tab for exhibitors
See incoming contact requests, confirmed contacts, and those collected by colleagues, all in one place, with export options built in.

📥 Smarter attendee import
Clearer templates, better feedback, and safer syncing. Intuitive and easy.

🤳 Barcode scanning in the app
Scan a barcode on a badge or elsewhere and instantly access that attendee’s profile. Simple and fast for on-site connections.

✅ Accessibility Statement now live
Published on our website and aligned with the European Accessibility Act. A formal step reflecting ongoing work across the platform.

More additions to the platform are already on the way!

18/07/2025

📣 We’re hiring: Customer Success Manager (Based in The Hague)

Join our international, small and fast-paced team at Conference Compass! We're looking for an experienced Customer Success Manager to help deliver outstanding results for clients using our event management platform, Floq.

You’ll work with leading academic conferences and large, complex events: guiding clients from kickoff to delivery and travelling internationally to support them onsite.

📍 Based within 30 km of The Hague
🧠 Organised, proactive, and a confident communicator
🌍 Excited to work with major events and multicultural teams

Want to help shape standout event experiences for exciting clients?
👉 Apply now: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lRHsg0

14/07/2025

Gamification isn't just for fun, it's one of the smartest ways to drive engagement.

From boosting exhibitor interaction to keeping your app active, the right game mechanics can completely change how attendees experience your event.

We just published a quick read on how to use gamification strategically, with a link to our brand new Gamification Guide inside.

👉 https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lJSp20

Gamification is key to engaging events. Discover ways to incorporate fun elements that create lasting attendee connections.

01/07/2025

This week, Sjoerd is representing Conference Compass at the Association World Congress in Hamburg hosted by Association of Association Executives.

The Association World Congress (AWC) is an important event where association executives from around the world come together to discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities in our industry. Unlike large expos, AWC is a more intimate gathering that focuses on meaningful discussions and practical insights, but that makes it all the more valuable for us to attend.

We’re proud to be there as representatives of event technology. We are there to:
✅ Stay close to the real needs and priorities of associations
✅ Understand how technology can support their evolving strategies
✅ Bring back valuable insights that help us improve our platform and services

If you’re at AWC this week, reach out to Sjoerd. He’s there to connect, learn, and explore how we can support your association’s events and community goals.

26/06/2025

🚀🇬🇧 It’s Day 2 at TMS in London!

We’re back at stand F81 with the rest of the MESA team and ready for another full day of conversations. Sjoerd, Marlen and Paul are there again today, looking incredibly dazzling.

Today, we want to ask a few questions:

❓ If you're planning an association event, does your registration system support tiered ticketing, VIP-only access, or sponsored session visibility?

❓ If you’re running an academic conference, are you still asking speakers to fill out abstract templates manually, email them in, and then follow up with back-and-forth messages?

❓ Is your event app just an extra feature, or are you using it to create a truly personal experience for attendees, complete with relevant content and long-term value?

❓ And the big one: are you still trying to manually connect all these systems?

If you're unsure how to answer these, that’s exactly why we’re here.

Come by and we’ll take a look at your event, walk through the best-fit tech for your needs, and give you a clear next step. With over 15 years of experience in association events and large conferences, we know what works and what doesn’t.

🕛 Company pitches are happening again today at the MESA stand at 12:00
📲 Book a meeting via the TMS app
📍 Come see us at stand F81

Let’s talk. And maybe take another great photo while we're at it.

25/06/2025

It’s the first day of The Meetings Show in London! 🇬🇧

We’re live at stand F81 with the rest of the 🤝 Meetings & Events Support Association (MESA) team and ready for a full day of conversations, exciting meetings and talking all things event tech. Make sure to come by to say hi to Sjoerd, Marlen and Paul throughout the day.

Here’s what’s happening today:

🕛 12:00 to 12:20 – MESA Company Pitches
Want to hear more about all companies that are a part of MESA, including our own? Stop by for a rapid fire pitch session and a chance to speak to all these exciting companies!

🔥 15:00-15:20 – Campfire Session with Marlen at Stand F81
Marlen will lead a fascinating session on exploring how building a sales career and writing a novel follow very similar methodology. How can you create systems that help you reach your goals? Come by also for a chance to talk with other professionals and creatives.

🍽️ MESA Refresh Dinner this evening
Interested in joining? Reach out and we’ll send you the details.

📲 Don’t forget to book a meeting via the TMS app and come by stand F81 to see the platform in action or talk about event ROI, accessibility or your next big idea.

💜 Find out Floq bird in the distance!

24/06/2025

We’re heading to TMS! 🛫

From June 25-26th, you’ll find us at stand F81 at The Meetings Show in London, together with our trusted partners from MESA. Sjoerd, Marlen and Paul will be there, and we’re looking forward to connecting.

📲 Planning to attend?
Make sure to book a meeting via the TMS app so we can catch up.

➡️ Don’t miss what’s happening at stand F81:

🔥 A campfire session by Marlen (Wednesday 15:00, Stand F81), exploring how building a sales pipeline and getting in the results and writing a novel have more in common than you’d think. It’s a chance to reflect on how you can create systems that support your goals, be they creative or commercial, and to join a conversation with other professionals and creatives.

🔥 A Floq pitch as part of the MESA campfire sessions, taking place both days from 12:00 to 12:20.

👉 Here’s the full campfire session schedule to plan your visit: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0ld1BD0

Come by for demos of our platform, consultations on using event technology to increase event ROI, and conversations around accessibility, including how we’ve prepared for the Accessibility Act coming into effect tomorrow.

See you at stand F81!

23/06/2025

What if your exhibitors don’t come back next year?

It’s not just about how many people saw their logo.
It’s about who remembered them. Who followed up. Who was left thinking,
“That company adds value to this field.”

👉 Exhibitor ROI isn’t built on visibility alone.
It’s built on interaction, content, connection and you simply need to have the right tools to make all of that happen.

We work with associations and large-scale conferences where exhibitors play a huge role. So we wrote this guide to what they actually want in 2025 and how your event can deliver.
🔗https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0l9_6F0

18/06/2025

🔥MESA Campfire Session: you don't want to miss this one!

On Wednesday, June 25th at 15:00, Marlen will be hosting a campfire session at the MESA booth F81 and we are all so excited!

📖 Marlen will share how she’s been balancing two seemingly different worlds: writing her own novel and working in event technology. Turns out, the overlap is bigger than you'd think. Both sit on a foundation of discipline and storytelling to resilience and the art of connection.

💡 Whether you're curious about building your own passion project, want to learn how professional skills can fuel creative goals, or just want to hear about Marlen's book, this session is for you.

Come by, grab a seat (and a headset) and get inspired 🔥