Beacons are the latest tech gadget that venues can use to interact with attendees on mobile. Plus, they’re small and, most importantly, inexpensive. But what can you really do with them? FanMaker founder and CEO Jason Cole explained some basics.
Beacons are incredibly affordable at about $40 apiece, “so it’s not like installing WiFi.” It’s based on a low energy Bluetooth signal and uses a passive connection, so works regardless of connectivity, transmitting up to 200 feet. The beacons have a two-year battery life.
Because they interact with individual phones, beacons allow facilities to gather information about every attendee. “By tracking people through their smartphones, you’re getting information about the total number of people who are walking into the arena with a phone as opposed to just the people who purchased tickets.”
“They will let you know everyone who walks in and out of the game and when,” and when a fan walks by a beacon, they can be rewarded with points for arriving early or participating in location-specific activities.
Beacons allow for very personalized content referencing an individual’s name and specific information about them.
“Personalizing your message allows you to build loyalty with the fan by having more value in the communication with them,”
Cole said. Filters for personalization include options for fan preferences, seat location, recent purchases, social influence, and many more.