7 Event Registration Tips to Boost Your Attendee Conversion
It is not enough that your events are the talk of the town, the next big thing or the most anticipated one in history. Event managers have now come to find out that even the simplest of things could ruin the experience ever before it starts. Speaking of, this is the category where event registration tips fall.
For every event planner and manager out there, ensuring your attendees have the most seamless event registration process is entirely on you. Fortunately, we know a thing or two about that – and we will go ahead to share those with you.
TL;DR
You can boost your attendee conversion by trying these several tips:
- Optimize your registration page for mobile to ensure it’s fast and easy to use.
- Simplify the process by keeping forms short and be upfront about costs.
- Offer multiple payment options to accommodate diverse attendee needs.
- Enable group registration with incentives like discounts or freebies.
- Gather essential attendee information relevant to your event.
- Keep registration secure by hosting forms on your own website.
- Cater to traditional attendees with options for paper registration.
And there are some marketing strategies to boost your event registration:
- Promote your event aggressively across online and offline channels.
- Use social media creatively to engage your audience and drive registrations.
- Leverage speakers and sponsors to extend your reach and credibility.
- Place clear ‘register now’ buttons throughout your digital platforms.
- Implement a member get member program to incentivize attendee referrals.
What Is Event Registration?
Event registration is the entire process where attendees sign up to join your event all the way till the point when they arrive onsite and collect their badges. Your event registration is the starting point that sets the stage for everything else. As an event planner, nailing this step is crucial because it’s not just about getting people in the door—it’s about ensuring the right people are there to make your event a big success.
Whether you’re organizing a conference, trade show, or any gathering, the goal is clear: you want the right mix of participants who can connect, share ideas, and contribute to the event’s success. A smooth registration process can be your first chance to make a positive impression and gather key info that helps you tailor the event experience.
By collecting attendee details upfront, you can personalize their journey, plan effectively, and foster the event engagement. This means attendees feel valued and prepared, setting the stage for productive networking and meaningful interactions. Essentially, event registration is the backbone of your event planning, influencing everything from logistics to overall impact of your event.
Event Registration and Check-In Tips
1) Optimize for Mobile
About 80% of all internet users own a smartphone. Of these, an even larger percentage prefer to check things on their phones than with their desktop computers. This is because we now consume content on-the-go, and the same thought should go into your registrations page.
Make sure the mobile page is optimized for a seamless experience. By that, we mean making the peg responsive such that it fits different screen sizes perfectly. Likewise, make sure the page loads fast – seeing as 7% of conversions are lost with every one second delay in page load speed.
2) Simplify the Process
Time is important, and no one wants to spend too much time than necessary trying to get into your event. Thus, your registration page should be as short, simple and straight to the point as needed.
Only request valuable information and leave out all the noise. Likewise, make sure you don’t put hidden fees at the end, presenting them upfront instead.
At the same time, you might want to do away with Captchas. Having been proven to cause a drop in registration conversions, you don’t want to hurt your event that bad before it even starts at all.
3) Multiple Payment Options
Thinking PayPal is everywhere, or making such other generalizations as to payment platforms, can hamper certain potential attendees from registering for the event at all. This is why you should always consider allowing multiple payment options so that people from anywhere can have a shot at registering too.
To do so would be to implement support for both credit and debit cards. Likewise, supporting cards from overseas is a great pick for if you’re expecting attendees from other parts of the world.
4) Enable Group Registration
You might not know this, but you (the event planner/ manager) stand to gain more from group registrations than the attendees themselves.
When people register in groups, it becomes easier to plan seating arrangements for them. At the same time, you get to get the payment as a lump sum since the group head would be the one to handle the expenses.
Now that you know why they are great, you could push people into group registrations by offering a freebie with their package, discount on the total amount, and more.
5) Gather Relevant Information
Remember the first point on keeping things simple? Well, you also have to know what the essentials are before going for simple.
For example, an event where food will be served will probably need a page on dietary restrictions, food allergies and such other information to plan ahead.
While keeping things simple, also plan ahead in line with the programmes and provisions for the day. If it contributes to the overall attendee experience, then it should be on the registrations page.
6) Stay On-Site
Internet users are now more in tune with cybersecurity protocols, so you should not spook them with your event registration. The best way to do so is keeping things on your website using event management system rather than having them redirected to a new URL.
Thus, have it such that your registration forms are built directly into your website, not hosted on some third-party platform.
Even if you were going for the latter solution, make sure it is a secure URL, carries your branding information and all that.
7) Cater to the Traditional
Did you know that some of your attendees would still like to fill out their registrations on paper? That might sound old fashioned and traditional, but doesn’t make it any less true.
For these people, you could provide an option for them to indicate such interest on your website. On doing so, they should get a downloadable form which can then be sent to you via regular mail.
Depending on the target audience you are dealing with, you might never have anyone go for that option. When you do, though, you know that you have met that particular attendee at the very point of their unique needs.
Marketing Strategies to Boost Event Registration
In essence, a successful event starts with packed and valuable attendees queueing for registration. Try some of these tips to boost yours:
1. Promote Your Event
Getting people to your event starts with spreading the word. Whether it’s online, offline, or a mix of both, you need a solid plan to get noticed. Social media is your friend here—not just for posting, but for jumping on trends that can boost your reach. Think videos and eye-catching visuals that make people want to click ‘register’. Tailor your message to fit your crowd—whether they’re startup buffs or corporate pros.
2. Leverage Your Speakers and Sponsors
Your event’s speakers and sponsors are your secret weapons. Ask them to shout about your event to their followers and give them ready-made posts and graphics to share. Show off their expertise with a series of posts that build excitement and trust.
3. Spread Clear CTA Buttons All Over Your Landing Page
Make it easy for people to sign up by putting ‘register now’ buttons everywhere—from your homepage to the end of your blog posts. Keep it simple and direct so nobody gets lost on the way to signing up.
4. Member Get Member Program
Turn your past attendees into your biggest cheerleaders. Offer them perks like discounts or exclusive content for bringing in new faces. This not only grows your guest list but also builds a community of excited attendees who can’t wait to join in.
Conclusion
So, there you have it—seven key tips to supercharge your event check-in and ensure your attendees have a seamless experience from start to finish and four additional marketing tips to boost your event registration.
But why stop there? Imagine having all these registration tips seamlessly integrated into a user-friendly app that handles check-ins effortlessly too. That’s where Micepad’s event registration and check-in app comes in. With intuitive design and robust features, Micepad wants you to seamlessly streamline your event management process, reduce administrative headaches, and provide a top-notch experience for your attendees.
Ready to take your event planning to the next level? Request a demo of the Micepad event registration and check-in app today. See firsthand how it can transform your events into unforgettable experiences. Let’s make your next event a resounding success—starting with smooth, efficient registration and check-in processes that set the stage for greatness.
