SixSides Meeting Bookings: Configurable and ROI-Ready

Most event apps talk about feeds and agendas. The real value shows up when two people sit down and commit to a next step. SixSides includes meeting bookings out of the box. You enable it per event, set your tables, hours, and slot length, and we handle fair access, confirmations, and reporting. This post shows what you can configure and the signals leaders want in the post-event report.

Key Takeaways

• Meeting bookings are the fastest lever to prove event ROI.
• Built in: Meeting bookings are included in SixSides and can be enabled per event.
• Configurable supply: Start with 3 tables per 100 attendees, set hours and slot length, then adjust after Day 1 utilisation.
• Fair access: Capacity logic prevents double-booking and hides full slots automatically.
• Prove value: Capture bookings and utilisation; optionally prompt for post-meeting outcomes to quantify ROI.
• Keep channels simple: Use SixSides bookings alongside your existing community chat if preferred.

Why meetings are the shortest path to ROI

When attendees coordinate on LinkedIn, email, or Telegram, your event loses both momentum and evidence. People still meet, but you cannot quantify the value. In-app meeting bookings solve coordination and unlock measurement.

They also align with a simple principle: start with why. If your mission is to help every side of the community get value, then a clear, fair way to meet is one of the most direct ways to deliver it.

The problem with “ping me on LinkedIn”

External channels fragment the experience. Times clash. Spaces are taken. Most importantly, none of that activity appears in your end-of-event report. Leaders ask what the budget produced, and organisers are left with anecdotes.

Connect the feature to the mission

A bookings flow should serve the mission. Attendees find the right people. Sponsors meet buyers. Speakers meet peers. Organisers see the whole picture in one place. That context is what moves internal conversations from “what your app does” to “why this matters.”

Configure meeting bookings in SixSides

What organisers set

• Tables: the number available for each time slot. A practical starting point is 3 tables per 100 attendees.
• Hours & days: eg 09:00–17:00 across conference days.
• Slot length: 10–15 minutes for speed networking; 20–30 minutes for deeper conversations.
• Booking reasons (optional): short labels such as “partnership chat”, “demo”, “peer advice”.

Fairness baked in: once a slot reaches table capacity, it is hidden from everyone else. Attendees only see times they can actually book.

Notifications: invitees receive confirmations and reminders; organisers see accepted/declined status to manage no-shows.

Supply: tables, times, and slot length

Before the event, organisers configure:

• Tables: physical capacity per time slot. Start with 3 tables per 100 attendees.
• Schedule: days and open hours, for example 09:00–17:00 across three days.
• Slot length: 10–15 minutes for speed networking, 20–30 minutes for partnership chats.

Capacity logic automatically hides any slot that reaches table limit so attendees only see times they can actually book.

Demand: profiles that make intent obvious

Attendees browse profiles and tap Book a meeting. They choose a reason such as “partnership chat”, “demo”, or “peer advice” and pick a live slot. Keep the path to a confirmed booking under 30 seconds on a phone.

Fairness logic: prevent double-booking

Treat each time slot as a small pool of capacity. If there are 6 tables at 10:00–10:15 and 6 meetings are booked, the slot disappears for everyone else. This keeps supply and demand predictable and fair.

Notifications and responses

Push notifications alert invitees and remind both parties before the slot. Each invite carries a simple accept or decline state. Organisers can scan for risk, nudge no-shows, and balance traffic across the day.

Reporting leaders actually use

A good post-event report tells a clear story with a few honest numbers and one or two quotes. Aim to deliver it within 48 hours.

Core metrics

• Meetings booked and unique connections
• Table utilisation by hour and by day
• Acceptance rate and no-show rate

Outcome prompts that focus on value

After the meeting, prompt both parties to log an outcome in two taps:

• Follow-up booked
• Collaboration planned
• Opportunity created
• Useful chat only

Avoid person-ratings. Stay outcome-first. Aggregate results show which attendee segments gained the most value.

Turn signals into a narrative

Translate numbers into statements a CFO or board can defend:

• “312 meetings with 78% table utilisation.”
• “41% of meetings led to a defined follow-up.”
• “Tier A sponsors averaged 5.4 meetings per rep.”

Add one short quote from a sponsor and one from an attendee. That blend of data and testimony travels well inside large organisations.

What’s included out of the box

• Attendee profiles with Book a meeting actions
• Capacity-aware slot picker with real-time availability
• Accept/decline flows and reminders
• Reporting on bookings, utilisation by hour/day, and unique connections

You can run SixSides bookings alongside existing channels such as Telegram or Slack. Use external chat if your community prefers it; keep scheduling inside SixSides so value is measurable.

API-first architecture in practice

Keep a clear API between the mobile app and the organiser dashboard. Once endpoints exist for availability, bookings, notifications, and outcomes, the app UI comes together quickly and can evolve without rewrites.

Design shortcuts that still look good

Use sensible defaults and spacing rules so the first version is clean and usable. Borrow proven patterns from established design systems. Reserve full design sprints for complex flows or when traffic and risk justify the cost.

When to graduate to design ops

As usage climbs:

• Establish a component library and tokens
• Produce click-through prototypes for new flows
• Add analytics events and QA gates before release

Speed early. Discipline later.

Chat or integrate? Choose your messaging path

Many communities already hum on Telegram or Slack. For those, integrate or coexist rather than forcing a new channel. In-app chat earns its keep when it makes it easier to confirm a meeting, share a link, or keep all context in one place. Build the minimum that improves the attendee experience and measure it.

How to apply this in your company

1. Define success now. Pick three numbers you will send to leadership: meetings, table utilisation, and outcome rate.
2. Model capacity. Start with 3 tables per 100 attendees. Map hours and slot length to estimate maximum meetings per day.
3. Tighten profiles. Make it obvious who to meet and why. Add short reasons to speed decision-making.
4. Ship the first slice. API for availability and bookings, mobile UI for pick-a-slot, and push notifications.
5. Capture outcomes. Two-tap prompt focused on value, not ratings.
6. Close the loop. Send a one-page summary within 48 hours with numbers, a chart of utilisation, and two short quotes.
7. Decide on chat with intent. If your community already has a channel that works, integrate first.

Mini-case from the episode

On a recent call, we led with the why, not a feature tour. We explained that meetings are the heartbeat of event value and that bookings plus outcomes make that value visible. The conversation moved naturally to slot length, fairness logic, and the post-event report their leadership expects. By the end, the talk felt less like a demo and more like a plan to prove ROI.

FAQ

Can we change slot length?

Yes. Set slot length per event. Common choices are 10–15 minutes for speed networking and 20–30 minutes for partner chats.

How many tables should we start with?

A simple rule of thumb is 3 tables per 100 attendees. Review utilisation after Day 1 and adjust.

How does SixSides prevent double-booking?

SixSides tracks capacity per time slot. When a slot hits table limit, it disappears from the picker so no further bookings can be made.

Do we need in-app chat to use bookings?

No. Keep your community’s preferred chat if you like. Use SixSides for scheduling so availability, confirmations, and reporting stay in one place.

What post-meeting data can we capture?

Beyond bookings and utilisation, you can enable a quick outcome prompt (eg follow-up booked, collaboration planned, opportunity created, useful chat only) to evidence value.

How quickly can we turn this on?

Enable Meeting Bookings in your SixSides event settings, set tables, hours, and slot length, and publish. Most teams configure it in minutes.

TL;DR

• SixSides includes meeting bookings. Enable per event, set 3 tables per 100 attendees, hours, and slot length.
• Fair access is automatic. Full slots hide themselves; attendees only see bookable times.
• Prove ROI fast. Report bookings, utilisation, and (optionally) post-meeting outcomes.
• Keep your chat. Use any external channel you like; do scheduling in SixSides so value is measurable.