SAN RAMON, Calif/PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 50% of tradeshow and event attendees indicate that social media is their primary channel to research business decisions.

Further, more than 20% of event marketers indicate that social media has the biggest impact on their sales goals and an overwhelming 60% indicated that social media was an effective lead gen tactic.

With all of these data points in mind, it should come as a surprise that only a small fraction of marketers' budgets are currently being spent on social media integration and monitoring strategies at events. In fact, 55% of marketers currently spend a mere $100 or less per month on these tools.

"Social media remains the most critical channel for marketers to embrace when it comes to displaying their innovation and content, capturing feedback and making deeper connections with prospects at events," said Alex Lee, General Manager of atEvent. "With tools such as customized mobile apps, marketers have the ability to leverage social media at all stages of the event lifecycle in order to engage their prospects before, during and after the event, turning one time prospects into lifelong brand loyalists."

For more information on atEvent please visit www.at-event.com.

About atEvent:

atEvent creates tailored apps designed to maximize the impact of your next event. atEvent apps are the industry's most integrated event marketing solution, enabling end-to-end event visibility for corporate marketers. With integration into the most widely used technology, CRM and marketing automation systems, atEvent apps provide corporate marketers with event-specific solutions that have real-time lead retrieval and nurturing functionality. They empower event marketers to optimize attendee experiences with relevant, real-time information, connections and interactive features.

* Alex Lee is the General Manager of leading mobile event app solutions company atEvent. With more than a decade of experience in the interactive marketing, lead gen and mobile industry, Alex leads the organization's business and corporate development activities. Alex holds degrees in Management Science & Engineering and Computer Science from Stanford University.

1. http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/direct/seo-said-top-digital-channel-for-b2b-and-b2c-lead-gen-23087/
2. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/15-social-media-statistics-every-business-needs-know-001509118.html
3. http://www.tradeshowexecutive.com/data/recentissues/TSX_ResearchRoundUp.pdf
4. http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/uploads/2012/12/event-technology-infographic.jpg
5. http://socialmediaweek.org/

SOURCE atEvent