When hosting an event, you naturally want everything to go as smoothly as possible. You want your attendees to have the best experience from the moment they get to your registration landing page to the moment they walk out the door when the event is over.
So many factors go into the attendee experience—the speakers, the venue, the food, and more. However, you may be surprised to learn that your chosen event registration software is one of the most significant factors in determining guest satisfaction.
The software you choose will affect every part of your event, so pick one with features that will leave your guests wondering when they can attend your next event. With that in mind, here are five things to consider when choosing event registration software.
1. Can It Create One-of-A-Kind Landing Pages?
You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and with events, that first impression happens before guests even get to the front door. Potential registrants will see your landing page before deciding to attend, so optimizing that page is essential.
Make sure you choose a software program that allows for custom branding, simple navigation, reliable links, and a quick and painless registration process. Don’t lose out on potential guests because your landing page is less than impressive—instead, blow their minds with how easy and exciting the registration process can be.
2. Can It Offer a Variety of Ticketing Options?
The best event registration software offers different ticketing tiers. Some examples of these tiered tickets include VIP tickets, group discounts, or early bird sales.
Once guests arrive at your event, your software should be able to manage easy upsells to VIP status for those who didn’t select it when first registering. This touch will make the experience more convenient for attendees and open up additional revenue opportunities for you.
3. Does It Utilize QR Codes?
Your guests want to be wowed from the moment they register for your event, and that includes making everything as easy as possible for them. As an event manager, you should avoid asking your guests to download a separate app for your individual event.
This might seem odd, given that many events now use apps, but hear us out.
First, many attendees won’t have excess storage space on their phones, and the last thing they want to do is sort through their photos and apps to free up extra space. Second, they won’t appreciate having to download and navigate a new app they will never use again once your event is over.
Instead, embrace QR codes. You can print these on guest badges and signs throughout your event space. Guests can scan the QR codes, which will take them to whatever you want them to see, allowing them to navigate around the event.
4. Will It Streamline the Check-In Process?
Before the first day of your event, guests will have already formed an opinion on your brand due to the registration process and the communication they’ve received. However, the first in-person impression happens right when they walk in the door, and you want it to be good. First off, this means no bottlenecked lines.
The event check-in software you choose affects the length of the lines at check-in. You should select one that makes upgrading a simple one-click process.
Most importantly, it would be best if you choose an event badge printing software that utilizes on-demand printing. On-demand printing streamlines check-in as there won’t be piles of pre-printed badges for your employees to sort through. Instead, the second a registrant is registered, their badge is printed, and they’re officially checked-in.
5. Can It Provide Real-Time Data?
Speaking of checking in, the first piece of data your software program should collect is the moment your attendees are checked in. From there, you should choose an event analytics software that will update your data in real-time.
Real-time data offers many advantages. People may register but not show up, and being aware of who has checked in and when will help you better plan and save more money in the process.
For example, accurate attendance numbers mean you won’t spend excess money on overbuying food and beverage items (and you’ll have enough for everyone to eat). Real-time data can also give you a precise count of needed seating so that you don’t rent too many or too few chairs. There’s nothing worse than an overcrowded room where guests are forced to lean against the walls or sit on the floor because the event managers failed to provide enough seating.
Instead, ensure your software provides precise real-time analytics so you’re prepared, and your guests are happy.
Choosing the Perfect Software
The event management software you choose should always prioritize creating the best guest experience. You want your guests to feel valued from the beginning of the registration process to the last minute of your event. Keep attendees happy and ensure repeat guests by paying attention to the details.
Infographic
When organizing an event, you naturally aim for everything to run smoothly. Choosing the right event registration software is key to ensuring this. Check out this infographic for five things to consider when selecting event registration software.
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