Live event planning and management involves balancing hundreds of different tasks, but if you haven’t managed to build up enough excitement and anticipation for the event, all of your planning could be for nothing.
This is why lead capture and retrieval during the planning process, as well as throughout your event, is so important. Capturing and retrieving registrant leads allows you to gather demographic information that can help in tailoring your next live event. Without this information, you will not know how best to engage attendees or to bring them back again and increase repeat attendance rates.
What Is Lead Capture?
Lead capture is the process of gathering information from event registrants. The information you collect can vary greatly depending on what you are looking for and the questions you ask. An attendee registration form can be customized for your organization and the theme of your live event when you use the right event lead capture software.
Many event registration software programs allow you to customize registration forms. The basic information collected usually includes details such as the registrant’s name, email address, job position, and company. To dive further in, consider adding more thoughtful questions like asking about outside of work interests, and if they have preferences for event speakers, sessions, or activities.
Comprehensive live event software programs will allow you to gather and store information in real-time so that you can immediately reach out and engage with your registrants. It’s important to get in contact with registrants while their interest in your event is still fresh, which leads us to lead retrieval.
What Is Lead Retrieval?
Lead retrieval is the next phase of event planning. Once you’ve captured leads, it’s time to analyze them, sort them into groups, and use them to help keep interest piqued. Once your event is over, live event lead retrieval software allows you to use leads in post-event follow-up emails and to add them to future marketing campaigns.
The lead retrieval software program you choose for your organization should intuitively organize and store registrants’ information so that it’s easy to access. It should also be able to group registrants into the categories that were included in the registration form—demographics like job positions, age ranges, regional areas, and more.
During your event, a lead retrieval software program should continue capturing and storing information. This information may include which sessions guests attend, whether they stay for the duration, and whether they attend each day of your event through to its conclusion. This will allow you to optimize your follow-up communication.
When you’re able to track this information during an event it can help identify demographic trends in attendance. This allows you to further refine future events and marketing strategies.
How Can I Take Advantage of Lead Capture and Retrieval Software?
Lead Capture
First, let’s start with the ways you can use lead capture software to the fullest advantage. When you gather information on registrants you will be able to see the people your marketing efforts attract. This makes it easier to tweak marketing strategies to better reach your target audience and bring in more attendees.
You’ll also be able to adjust aspects of your planned event—certain session types, subjects, keynote speakers, even the food and beverage options—to better suit your registrants. While there’s only so much you can do before an event, you can always use this information when planning future events.
Lead retrieval software is also vital in event planning. Many event managers struggle with losing leads between registration and check-in because these registrants lose interest. Therefore, keeping them interested is crucial. To do this, you’ll need sophisticated lead retrieval software that uses the information gathered in the lead capture phase.
Lead Retrieval
Choose a lead retrieval software program that integrates with your email automation program to send personalized emails based to registrants. As lead retrieval software can group registrants based on demographics and interests, you will be able to send targeted emails to keep people excited.
After the event has ended, consider sending similarly targeted follow-up surveys. If your software can track guest attendance, you will be able to ask each attendee what they thought of specific sessions. With attendance drop-off rates recorded, you can ask for information on why guests may have left a session early.
Lead Capture and Retrieval Software for Live Events
Lead capture used to be done with paper and pen. Today it is so much more sophisticated.
These days, event management solutions evolve quickly. It’s crucial to build up anticipation and excitement in the lead up to an event, impress your guests with easy-to-use registration software, a fast check-in process, and personalized post-event communication.
When you choose sophisticated lead capture and retrieval software, you’ll be able to ensure that registrants receive relevant information and surveys. Tailor your event to fit your attendees’ unique interests and demographics.