Why delegate packs still deliver at events

In an increasingly digital world, maybe they seem like a throwback.

We have websites and apps now, right? Why would you need a printed guide?

Perhaps I'm biased as I started my career as a print designer. In fact, it was working on the university newspaper that gave me the idea and confidence that I could become a graphic designer. So I’ll always have a soft spot for print.

But even so, this is about more than just nostalgia. There are numerous real-world benefits to printing your event guides.

Flick, don't click

As great as apps and websites are, there’s something more convenient about the tactile nature and immediacy of a delegate pack. Everything is all in one package. It’s been curated by the event organisers.

There’s no clicking, scrolling or loading. Just flick through and boom, there are your speakers, there’s your agenda, there's your floor plan. There are your lovely event partners and sponsors. And they've all got adverts that hundreds of eyeballs can't miss.

There is one specific function of a delegate pack. It should inform. It should never be design over substance. It should ensure that all the information is clear, obvious and user-friendly.

They are more than just handouts. They can form a crucial part of the event experience.

No WiFi, no problem

A big part of event planning is pre-empting problems. Sad but true. I said before that printed items may seem like a throwback. But just because it's an older tried-and-tested idea, that doesn't make it a bad thing.

If your agenda and event information is online-only, consider this: What if the WiFi or phone signal at the venue absolutely sucks? What if someone loses their phone at the event? What if (imagine it) someone doesn’t want to install an app just for your event? This would lead to a very poor and confusing attendee experience.

A printed delegate pack solves this by having an one-all-in guide ready to carry round. Yet despite everything I've said about print vs online, it's not an absolute choice of one or the other.

A website or app can also be used for any attendees who may find that preferable for accessibility or any other reasons. A printed guide can (and really, should) complement a digital offering.

They are more than just handouts. They can form a crucial part of the event experience.

All part of the job

Consider this: delegate packs can also make your job easier. How so? Well, it’s the job of event planners and organisers to make the day as smooth as possible for attendees.

Rather than needing to explain how to download an app, what the WiFi password is, what time lunch is, where conference room 3 is... how about putting printed delegate packs near the registration desk? That way, with an easy-to-find, easy-to-read delegate pack you're putting the answers in your attendees’ hands. Literally.

A delegate pack can go a long way to helping attendees understand what's on offer at your event and free up your time for the millions of other jobs that need to be done.

Naturally they can't answer every question, but there’s an immediate understanding of what a delegate pack is. It's likely an attendee would pick one up, look for the answer and only then ask the organisers, rather than heading straight for the information desk.

Smile for the camera

The benefits aren't just for the attendees. Delegate packs are a great marketing tool for organisers, sales teams and exhibitors.

People will carry them around the venue which creates a great photo opportunity. Every time I've designed a delegate pack for an event, I've seen the on-site photographer capture pictures of attendees looking at the guide, considering which session to attend next.

It looks brilliant in the photos. It shows real engagement. Plus, it gets your brand into photos that otherwise could just look like any other event.

And on the subject of branding, anything that continues the visual identity of your stage backdrops, slides and other signage can only create stronger brand recognition among your audience for future events.

Object permanence

Often, the nature of events is that once the doors have closed and everyone has gone home, we immediately look forward to what's next.

We can be quick to publicise the next event and neglect all the hard work of previous years. For example, once an event is done - bye bye 2025, hello 2026 - the website or app flips straight on to the next event for ticket sales.

Yet while websites and apps can be updated and deleted, a printed guide is a constant. They can stay in homes and offices for months, if not years. They can easily be scribbled in, with spaces left for notes about sessions, or for writing email addresses for any new connections without business cards. (Another print item that I'd say still has a huge benefit as well).

And if someone does want to throw your delegate pack away (how could they?!), you can reduce the environmental impact by encouraging for it to be recycled. And before this, you can ensure it is printed in an environmentally friendly way by using FSC-certified paper.

With an easy-to-find, easy-to-read delegate pack you're putting the answers in your attendees’ hands. Literally.

Make time for lead time

I’ve made a lot of delegate packs over the years for one-day events, summits and larger conferences. I know they can be intricate with many moving parts. They require good teamwork between marketing, events, sales and designers at the production stage.

And the biggest flaw for anything printed is lead time – typically there will be a week or so between sending the file to print and you receiving it for use at the venue.

The problem with this is any last-minute changes won't be reflected in the printed guide. But that's the nature of events. Things can change at any moment without warning.

And if anything has changed? Attendees can scribble it into their printed delegate pack and it's job done, rather than checking their phone throughout the day for reminders.

But that's when a hybrid approach of a printed guide AND a website/app can work wonders. Include those vital words 'agenda subject to change' and 'correct at time of print' and inform visitors they can find details of changes online. Plus, add a QR code in for easy access to the event website.

Are you going back to pack?

So, event planners, are printed event guides currently a part of your operational strategy? If not, consider how printed delegate packs can provide value to your events and attendees.