You know what the largest hurdle is when you have to manually collect event registrations? All things are!
Let’s take a look at the cold, hard truth. Dealing with registrant information with a spreadsheet can be prone to error and very time-consuming.
Inversely, online registration lets people sign up when they want to, and the responses are recorded in real-time and captured-24/7. It seems a lot easier, doesn’t it?
So whether you’re creating an event for ten people or ten thousand people, some kind of tool for online registration, like EventSpot, is a good bet to help simplify the process so you can concentrate on the event entirely.
Let’s look at some ways that you can make the process of online registration an easy and quick process.
1. Plan proactively.
Before you begin to put your online registration form together, you have to ponder and answer the following questions:
Do you have to have specific information about who’s coming or just a single RSVP or head count? Are you going to charge a fee to go to the event? Are you selling items there? There are a multitude of questions to ask.
2. Find out what the right lead time is for the event.
Just so that you make certain that you get the right amount of attendees to make certain that the event is a success, you have to figure out the amount of time you need to allow from the open registration moment until the point that the event happens. If you’re setting up a small event, then a month in advance is a really good idea. Big events may require months of planning in advance. It all depends on the event and how big it is.
3. Make certain that it is simple.
When you’re setting up your registration form, stay away from the urge to fill it up with lots of additional questions that are not unique to the event. Ask yourself whether or not this information will turn the event into a success. If you answer with “no,” then just don’t ask. If you’re uncertain, at the least, give answer options or just make it an optional question.
4. Make sure you’re smart about it.
You’ve invested a lot of energy and time in promoting and marketing your event. Make sure that you take advantage of this opportunity to measure your ROI by putting in a question that asks the registrants how they discovered the event. Did they locate you on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, poster, postcard, or local newspaper ad? Possibly, they heard about you from a friend. This information will be useful to help you figure out the kinds of marketing efforts that are going to pay off, and you can use this information when you’re setting up events in the future.
5. Give your registrants the information that they will need.
If you want people to actually register for your event, you definitely need to make a point of including vital information, parking information, directions, location, and date and time that they will need when they are thinking about whether they can attend or not. This information is going to be crucial.
Silvia Pellegrini
Silvia Pellegrini is an entrepreneur, event consultant, author, mentor, event manager, founder and managing director of Silvia Pellegrini Consultancy (www.silviapellegrini.co.uk). SP Consultancy is located in the heart of London, yet her consultancy and event planning enjoys an international reputation.
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