Event Promotion

Trying to figure out exactly what information you want to collect during the online event registration process can be tricky. Check out the sample registration form below for a July networking luncheon.



Five important things to include in your online registration process:

1. Request for Contact Information – Even if you already have contact information, it is important to remember that this data is always changing.  Online registration forms serve as a great way to verify the information you currently have in your database and update outdated or incomplete contact information.  Make all contact fields mandatory.  Be sure to gather complete information as some contact fields such as title change more frequently. 

2. Pre-registration Questions – Since every participant must complete an online registration form, use this as an opportunity to gather additional information from attendees. Use questions during the online registration process to learn more about your registrants such as what they want to eat or what they would like to hear the speaker talk about druing the conference.  Registration questions can also save you time.  Don’t bother calling each registrant to find out what t-shirt size they need or if they want to rent golf clubs; simply include these questions during the online event registration process.

3. Tell-a-friend Functionality- Never underestimate the power of viral marketing.  Increase online registration numbers by giving registrants the opportunity to forward the event information and registration form on to colleagues and friends who may be interested in the event.  Allow registrants to include a brief message as part of the online forwarding functionality so that they can help promote the event with comments like: “I am registering for this event right now.  It is going to be great.  You should definitely join me.” You also receive the benefit of branding your organization to prospects who would not traditionally be on your list. 

4. Pre-populated Fields – Save your registrants time by pre-populating fields such as name, title,  billing address, t-shirt size or any other information that is collected from event to event.   When the online registration process takes too long, potential registrants may drop out of the process before their registration is complete.  Although the intention may be to complete the online registration form later, your event invitation gets lost in an overflowing email inbox and the deadline for registration, or worse the date of the event itself passes before any action has been taken.  It is critical that you streamline and expedite your online event registration process so you do not lose registrants. 

5. Online Payment Collection - Mailing a check or faxing a credit card authorization form adds one more step to the registration process, not to mention your event management process.   Avoid frustration and save your registrants time by securely collecting payments online.  Permit registrants to input check numbers or purchase orders.  Most online registration systems are integrated with one or several of the e-commerce gateways such as Cybersouce, PayPal Express and Touchnet.   However, you should make sure any online registration company you are working with is PCI compliant. 

Online event registration increases efficiency for both the registrant and the event coordinator.  With online event management software, the options are limitless: create dynamic multi-track, multi-session conference registrations; allow attendees to modify their own registrations online; upload key documents such as an exhibitor prospectus; customize pages to match the look and feel of your branding and much more. 

To read more about registration forms and online registration services, please visit our website.