I speak at 60+ events a year, and at least half of them have some sort of event app for attendees. Event apps are incredibly convenient, providing instant access to information such as:

• Education schedules
• Twitter feeds
• Exhibitor info
• Building layout
• Special events and more…

They’re awesome, but they can be too expensive for budget-conscious groups. But a handful of clever companies have created do-it-yourself app sites to let almost any event create an app for free or (relatively) cheap.

Guidebook is one of the major players in this arena. If your event has fewer than 200 attendees (or fewer than 200 people at an event who would download the app), you can build your own event app. Attendees download the generic Guidebook app then search for your event. If your event is more complicated, such as concurrent education sessions or higher attendance, you can upgrade to the extras, starting at $500. The $3500 level lets you have unlimited concurrent sessions and even lets you sell sponsorship space to offset the cost.

Your new app will work on a wide range of platforms, including BlackBerry, Windows and, of course iOS and Android devices.