If there’s one common experience every event manager shares, it’s the countless hours spent planning one big live event. Spending so much time planning and executing a successful event can be frustrating, especially when you run into technical issues or don’t have the right tools for the job.
Luckily, with sophisticated event software to help with registration, attendee tracking, and other automation tasks, you’ll save a considerable amount of time (and money) both before and during your event. Here are 10 ways you’ll save time with comprehensive event registration software.
1. Easily customize registration templates.
You shouldn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to registration forms. Event registrants may be turned off by filling out multiple questions and forms that don’t apply to the event at hand.
With software that includes customizable templates, you can quickly and easily create personalized forms to help increase attendee registration numbers.
2. Send automated emails.
As soon as guests register, they should receive a confirmation email. This is easy to automate, but it’s only the tip of the email iceberg. To keep guests engaged and excited, send them regular reminders, sneak peeks, and informational emails leading up to the event.
The best software programs integrate with your email marketing platform and allow you to send personalized, automated reminder emails.
3. Control your refund and cancellation process.
As difficult as it is to lose registrants, people will inevitably sign up for your event and not be able to make it. To maintain a good relationship with these registrants and hopefully bring them back in the future, having a quick way to cancel registrations and send refunds can help.
Look for registration software for events that automates the cancellation process.
4. Utilize QR codes and individualized landing pages.
QR codes are becoming increasingly valuable for event planning. The days of paper brochures and clipboards are long gone, and QR codes can offer a number of benefits in their place.
Build an informational website attached to a QR code printed on guest badges and signs throughout your event. This site can include maps, schedules, and any other important details.
5. Offer one-click upsells.
Offering upsells to your guests benefits both parties—they get an upgraded experience, and you earn more money. But when the upsell process is time-consuming, many guests decide it’s more trouble than the upgrade is worth.
Don’t lose out on valuable upsell opportunities. Find an event check-in software that offers one-click upsells.
6. Employ automated badge printing.
Far too many event managers are still stuck in the Stone Age with pre-printing and sorting badges. Instead, find a software program that will automate the printing process. As soon as a guest checks in, their badge should be printed so they can get on their way within seconds.
7. View updates in real time.
There’s no reason you should experience delays when checking attendee data during your event. To avoid wasting time looking for registrant data, use software that provides real-time updates. You should be able to track everything from successful check-ins and upsell numbers to attendance data and health accommodations.
8. Track attendance at each session.
It’s not uncommon to find a software program that will track your overall attendance rate by one method or another. But it can be tough to find one that tracks attendance and drop-off rates at every session, and rarer still to find one that gives you additional information on each attendee at every session.
Data is powerful: when you know who is in the room (and who stayed for the duration of the session) you’ll understand which speakers and events were most appealing. From there, tailoring future events becomes easy and more lucrative.
9. Integrate all event tools in one place.
Switching between your CRM, social media marketing program, email automation software, customer data storage, and payment processing tool can be a huge time waster. Conversely, if everything is integrated into your event software, you won’t have to switch between a dozen tools or copy data from one program to another. You can cut down hours spent navigating these apps when you use a comprehensive program that integrates everything in one place.
10. Replicate your materials from one event to the next.
Once finished with hosting one event, many event managers must then start from scratch when developing materials for the next one. On the other hand, utilizing sophisticated event software programs can help you store attendee information, custom registration form templates, and more, so that all you have to do is copy, paste, and switch out key information when planning your next live event.
While planning an event is a detailed process, choosing a sophisticated event planning software program will help you cut down the long tedious hours and allow you to focus more on providing your guests with an incredible experience.
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