When you run a franchise event that brings together owners, staff, vendors, and corporate employees, you have to master the art of:

• Juggling education sessions and keynotes.
• Acquiring sponsors and proving ROI to them.
• Managing attendee expectations and schedule changes.
• Creating an experience that strengthens loyalty and energizes everyone for the year ahead.

For Floor Coverings International (FCI), that event is their annual January convention. It's the one time during the year when their entire franchise community gathers under one roof.

Like many events, the FCI convention faced one major challenge: printed agendas were becoming increasingly cumbersome and costly to manage.

So, they made a bold decision: eliminate paper entirely and move to a digital-first approach with Guidebook. 

Not only did this solve their communication headaches, it saved thousands in printing costs and opened up a sponsorship revenue stream that covered the cost of their event app.

Let’s get into how they made it all happen!

Going From Paper to Digital In One Fell Swoop

Historically, the team at Floor Coverings International relied on printed agendas. But print came with built-in limitations.

For example, when last-minute changes popped up (as they inevitably do) they had to figure out a way to reprint the schedule. Not only was this expensive, it also robbed them of the flexibility they needed to manage efficiently.

The breaking point came when FCI ran an event in Mexico. With no easy way to reprint materials, even minor changes created major headaches. According to Jackie Adams (Senior Director of Operations, New Franchise Program):

“You can't just run over to Staples and get something printed when you're in Mexico.”

That was the moment it became clear that printing was unsustainable from a logistical perspective (not to mention the environmental impact).

So they made the switch. In a single move, they eliminated print entirely and went all-in on an event app powered by Guidebook.

“We eradicated [printing] literally in one fell swoop.”

Guidebook As The Ideal Event Tech Partner

What drew the FCI team to Guidebook wasn’t just functionality. It was the combination of value, ease, and trust. As Jackie Adams explained:

"I love the price, we love the value, it’s easy to work the app… I don’t have a reason to go look elsewhere."

Beyond giving FCI control and cutting print costs, Guidebook’s platform streamlined app building and maintenance by:

• Making it easy to copy the previous year’s app and using that as a starting point.
• Providing a dynamic schedule that the team can edit in real-time.
• Serving as an engaging hub where attendees can get all the information they need.

Turning the Event App Into $5K of Sponsorship Revenue

With paper agendas no longer being used, all convention attendees had to use the app multiple times a day. This meant that the convention app was now prime real estate for sponsorship.

With this premise, Jackie was able to secure a $5,000 in-app sponsorship with a national brand in the home services industry.

All attendees use the app multiple times a day as it’s the only place for the agenda, room assignments, evening event info, etc. So it was a natural sponsorship opportunity as it’s attendee-facing all day, every day.

So thanks to Guidebook’s technology, Jackie was able to:

• Eliminate printing costs.
• Solve logistical headaches.
• Bring in additional revenue via sponsorship.
• Make the event more green and sustainable.

Overall, Jackie summed up her experience of using Guidebook for the sponsorship as follows:

“It’s a great tool to help drive sponsorship if you understand the value it brings to your attendees.”

Results That Scaled With Growth

Over the years, Floor Coverings International’s convention has tripled in size, going from 375 attendees to 1,000+.

And with Guidebook’s scalability and ease of use, their convention app has grown as well. Instead of drowning in reprints, the team now has the ability to:

• Build schedules faster.
• Edit the agenda in real-time without needing access to a computer.
• Track metrics to prove ROI and strengthen sponsorship relationships.

As for the the $5K app sponsorship, it directly contributed to fundraising. It also showed sponsors that the event is a worthwhile investment that gets them valuable exposure, clear engagement metrics, and ROI.

FCI's Convention Success, By the Numbers

• $5,000 sponsorship revenue generated directly from in-app placement.
• 1,000+ attendees.
• 85+ vendors.
• 100% control with real-time updates and reusable frameworks.

In addition, the team saved thousands of dollars in printing costs, as a result of going fully digital.

We stopped printingany type of agenda/daily updates on paper so attendees must use the app.

Guidebook Results, Backed by Customers

Floor Coverings International isn’t alone in their success. Across the board, Guidebook customers are seeing wins in terms of money saved, revenue generated, and much more.

In fact, our annual customer survey revealed that:

• 100% of those using sponsorship features covered the full cost of Guidebook.
• 70% saved money by going digital.
• 100% said the app was easy for their audience to use.
• 94% reduced or eliminated printed materials.
• 88% saw a boost in attendee engagement.

The takeaway? What worked for Jackie and her team isn’t an exception; it’s what happens when event planners go mobile-first with Guidebook.

Top Insights From FCI's Sponsorship Success

Whether you run a convention, conference, or campus program, FCI’s story proves that monetizing your event app doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are a few lessons to take with you:

• Ditch the paper: When the app is the only source of truth, adoption naturally skyrockets, as does sponsor visibility and engagement.
• Sell visibility, not logistics: Sponsors value being where attendees already spend their time. So, don’t be shy about selling the value of your app.
• Think beyond cost savings: Eliminating printing costs pays off, but adding sponsorship revenue increases your event’s profit margins (and will more than likely pay for the cost of your event app!).
• Scale with confidence: A Guidebook app grows with you, no matter how big your event becomes.

Ready to Unlock New Revenue Opportunities with Your Event App?

Floor Coverings International proved that going mobile-first doesn’t just simplify event planning. It can actually pay for itself.

By eliminating print, improving attendee engagement, and securing a $5K sponsorship, their team turned an event app into a revenue-generating asset.

Their success is a reminder that an event app isn't just a digital agenda. It's a tool that drives ROI and strengthens relationships.

Book a demo today and learn how a Guidebook-powered event app can be a cost-saving, revenue-generating asset.