Have you ever wished for a better way to manage basic but critical processes like event registration?
If so, you’re not alone.
Have you ever tried to sign up for an event only to wind up frustrated by an unnecessarily complex or confusing process? Maybe you felt so fed up you abandoned your registration altogether.
Unfortunately, this happens to potential event attendees all the time, but it certainly doesn’t have to.
With the right events planning solutions, you can exact greater control over the entire attendee experience, which benefits them by creating a better experience from start to finish, while providing you with actionable insights in the process.
Event registration should be as easy and hassle-free as possible, and that’s where event technology proves invaluable.
Check out our strategies to simplify event registration and discover how using event technology can optimize the experience for all stakeholders.
Common challenges with event registration
Event registration can be complicated when event managers overthink exactly how much information they need to gather at the outset.
This looks like a registration form cluttered with too many fields, such as name, email address, mailing/billing address, zip code, and even an area code.
While this might be necessary information, it can appear overwhelming on a simple sign-up form and result in discouraged attendees who might even abandon their registration altogether.
Other common challenges with event registration are:
- Fields are not required, though they should be
- Password fields are not protected
- Using single-step instead of multi-step forms
- Having too many non-essential questions
- Not using conditional logic
- Not explaining why you require sensitive information
- Not using field labels
- Making phone number fields required rather than op
How to simplify event registration
Fortunately, there are ways to simplify the event registration process so you never miss out on another attendee registration.
- Offer Paper Forms
- Publish the Registration Link
- Accept Different Payment Methods
- Encourage Group Registration
- Re-Confirm to Eliminate No-Shows
- Include Simple, Relevant Questions
- Make it Mobile-Friendly
- Provide Seamless, On-Site Check-In
- Use Event Registration Software
Offer paper forms
Although so much of our daily communication and interactions are conducted online, there is still a small group of people who prefer to do things on paper.
By offering paper forms, you accommodate all of your potential attendees.
You can easily do this by having a “print page” icon on your registration page with instructions about where to mail the form and any registration fee(s).
Publish the registration link
One surefire way to lose potential attendees is by sending them on a wild goose chase to find your event’s registration form.
You should ensure that you include a link to your registration form on your website to provide attendees with easy and obvious access.
If the registration is completed on your company’s website, attendees are more likely to trust the process of submitting their payment information. This is also an easy way for you to streamline the registration process by allowing registrants to autofill their information that is already stored in your database.
Accept different payment methods
Accepting multiple forms of payment is helpful for attendees because it doesn’t limit them at the time of registration. You should offer different options like a variety of major credit cards and PayPal, as well as the ability to process foreign credit and debit cards.
Attendees should also be able to use their payment information that is saved on your company website (if applicable) to expedite the online registration experience.
Encourage group registration
Group registration is helpful because it allows you to organize guests by the group they plan to attend with; however, each member of the group will still have to register individually.
This can be beneficial when planning seating arrangements and useful for people who will attend a special event with other family members because the head of the party can pay for the entire group.
Reconfirm to eliminate no-shows
Empty seats never look good at an event. One way to help avoid no-shows is by re-confirming with registered attendees.
This can be as simple as sending a text or email allowing the attendee to click a button and confirm that they still plan on being present at the event.
Re-confirming attendance empowers you to plan accordingly when it comes to food, beverages, or freebies.
Include simple, relevant questions
Less is more!
Make your registration form minimal and only ask simple, relevant questions like name, address, and billing information. If you need to include a few more questions at the end of your registration, you should; however, we recommend indicating them as preference questions.
Another component you can add is an optional survey for guests to fill out. Or you can offer attendees the chance to upgrade to a VIP ticket.
We caution you not to go overboard, though. Stick to the basics – simple questions and confirmation, followed by a short and sweet thank you page.
Make it mobile-friendly
Filling out a registration page should be something that can be done easily and on the go.
No one wants to schedule a time to sit down at their computer just to fill out a registration form.
If potential attendees want to register while they are out and about, they should be able to.
To make sure your registration is mobile-friendly for multi-taskers, ask yourself some questions:
- How does the page look when accessed on a mobile device?
- Is the information legible and conveyed clearly?
- Does the format fit on the screen of a mobile device or is there a lot of zooming and scrolling required?
If necessary, you can create a specific registration option for those who prefer to register on a mobile device.
Provide seamless, onsite check-in
The event registration process is just the preview to the experience of the main event so make sure you set your event up to at least meet, if not exceed expectations.
An attendee’s perception of your event can be instantly damaged by an inefficient or time-consuming check-in process.
Attendees should be able to simply scan a barcode and print their own badge or ticket instantly. The quickest and easiest check-in will ensure that attendees embark on your event with a positive mindset.
Use event registration software
The event registration should be the simplest part of preparing for your event. With event technology, you can optimize the entire experience for attendees and streamline your process to make your efforts more efficient and effective.
Using an event registration software allows all information to be stored in one place.
It makes it easy for you to effectively and concisely communicate updates regarding your event information, as well as collect data about potential attendees.
Some benefits of an effective event registration software are:
- Increased attendance
- Increased revenue
- Reduced costs
- Time savings
- Decreased number of errors
- Consistent access to real-time information
- Improved customer satisfaction
Your attendee list is arguably one of the most important components of event planning because it gives you the basis for everything that you will plan after.
Event registration software is a great way to make the registration process easier for attendees while also providing your company with accurate information.
Streamline event registration with Expo Logic
At Expo Logic, we work to provide online services that will empower your team to kick-off an event as effectively and successfully as possible.
Our solutions and services reflect decades of experience spent listening to our clients and continuously developing our solutions to meet each event’s unique needs.
We offer innovative end-to-end solutions based on your specific event goals and objectives.
Expo Logic’s robust platform of events planning solutions are customizable to your event and our customer service team is recognized for keen attention and responsiveness to every customer’s needs.
When you work with us, our team becomes an extension of yours.
