InterviewsInterview with Corbin Ball, Founder of Corbin Ball & Co., International Speaker, Consultant and Writer
Corbin Ball is indeed one of the pioneers in the world of event technology. He is founder of Corbin Ball & Co., a meetings technology international speaker, consultant, and writer who not only has 20 years of experience running international technology meetings but also helps event organizers use technology to be more efficient and productive.
Moreover, he is the only person to have been awarded both Meeting Professionals International Supplier of the Year and MPI's International Chapter Leader of the Year awards. In 2012, Corbin was also listed as one of "The 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry" by Successful Meetings and MeetingNews magazines.
We reached out to him and asked him to share his career path with our audience and share with us his expert viewpoints about event technology.
Please tell us more about your career in the event industry.
Corbin Ball: In the past, I was a Head of Conference Operations for a large engineering association running citywide technology meetings around the world. In 1997, I transitioned to become a speaker, consultant, and writer focusing on event technology. I have presented to groups in 35 countries on how to use technology to improve the business process for events and to enhance the attendee experience.
Which professional achievement are you most proud of?
Corbin Ball: I have had the opportunity over the past 25 years to help event professionals improve their events using technology. It has been a period of sweeping tech changes including the significant adoption of web technology, the rise of mobile technology, social media, virtual event tech, and much more. I think the pinnacle of my career is being inducted into the EIC Hall of Leaders in 2018, considered to be the highest recognition award in the events industry.
Please tell us more about your organization. (What are its mission, vision, most popular event, biggest achievement, etc.)
Corbin Ball: My company, Corbin Ball & Co. is an event technology speaking, consulting, and writing company with the goal of helping international clients save time, improve productivity and improve the attendee experience with the proper use of event technology.
How do you determine whether an event was successful or not?
Corbin Ball: Satisfaction scores from attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors as well as meeting the specific measurable objective outlined during event project creation.
Which are the most common mistakes when organizing events?
Corbin Ball: The most common mistakes are the inefficient use of technology to streamline the planning process and improve the attendee experience. Additionally, I feel that the majority of problems experienced at events can be reduced or eliminated with thorough pre-planning with backup plans for critical elements in place.
What are your thoughts on event technology and its impact on the event industry?
Corbin Ball: Technology, when properly used, can benefit nearly every aspect of the event planning process. It can greatly streamline the planning process, reduce errors and improve the attendee experience. Technology should not be the end alone, but a means to the end to create better events.
What is your thoughts on hybrid events?
Corbin Ball: I believe that hybrid events will have a substantially larger market share post-pandemic. There are multiple benefits outlined in my article here. However, they will not be for every event. Planning for two entirely different audiences substantially increases the complexity and cost of an event.
About us:
Agorify is an advanced End-to-End True Hybrid Event management platform specializing in midsize to large complex events with multiple stages, engagement features, long event timelines, continued on-demand periods, a large volume of onsite or online attendees and exhibitors, monetization opportunities, and much more. To learn more about the features and benefits of Agorify, Book a demo.