There are a million things you have to take care of as an event planner. Event registration is just one of them. It’s one of your top priorities, of course, but it can consume a lot of your time.
So let’s talk about event registration and ticketing software.
What do online event registration sites do?
Online event registration sites can make your life easier in several ways.
First of all, it takes a lot of the hassle out of creating your own event registration form or page. You’ll still need an event website, but you won’t have to worry about ticketing—just the promotion.
Second, most event registration sites integrate quite easily with frameworks like WordPress and social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
There’s a lot more to them than that, of course.
But since event ticket booking websites have become very commonplace, they’re now locked in a digital arms race to offer event planners like yourself the widest range of benefits.
Let’s have a look at the most important ones.
When should you use an event registration site?
The short answer is: when you’re busy. And if you, like most event planners, is always in a horizontal state, you’ll want to look at the many benefits these sites offer.
1. Registration forms
Event registration software sites provide your attendees with an easy way to register for your event. They’ll provide event registration form templates that are quick and easy to fill out.
2. Customisation options
If the standard easy registration forms won’t do the trick, then find a site that offers customisation options. No technical expertise needed. Drag-and-drop systems to make registration forms are very common.
3. Attendee data
Online event registration sites will help you collect attendee data that you can use for later promotion of future events. Many will also provide a way to analyse the data to gain valuable insights.
4. Attendee databases
In addition to attendee data, some sites offer an integrated database of all your attendees. That way, you don’t have to capture their email addresses and other details more than once.
5. Multiple languages
If you’re organising events that attract an international audience, it’s good to provide all the relevant details in multiple languages. Most online conference registration sites can handle that.
6. Multiple currencies
As with languages, your international attendees might want to purchase their tickets using their native currency. Again, a good online event booking software will take the hassle out of currency conversion.
7. Payment options
While most people use debit or credit cards for online payments, there are other options available. Many registration sites enable customers to pay with PayPal, which makes event registration and payment a breeze.
8. Reserved seating
If you’re organising an event where attendees will be seated, it’s practical to have a way for them to reserve their seats. Some sites will even have a map of the venue seating arrangement.
9. “Copy event” feature
Seasoned event planners who organise recurrent events can leverage registration sites to simply copy event data over with the click of a button to save themselves valuable time.
10. Marketing tools
The most popular event registration sites will offer a slew of marketing tools you can use to supplement your existing tools. Many of these can even be automated to save you extra time.
11. Email marketing
One of the common marketing tools offered by event registration websites is email marketing. You can even import pre-existing lists into the system and directly message your subscribers.
12. App integration
A good registration system can save you having to buy other expensive software. But what if you already have a CRM system in place? Good registration sites integrate with common CRM and marketing software.
13. Attendee check-in
The most popular sites will also have on-site registration you can use on the day to check in your attendees. Say goodbye to paper check-in forms and say hello to a stress-free process.
14. Customisable look
If your budget is tight, look for a registration site that lets you customise the page layout. That way, you may not even have to invest in your own event website to get a unique design.
15. Ticket discounts
Part of your marketing strategy might involve offering early bird discounts to kick-start your ticket sales for the event. A good event ticket sales app will enable promo codes and other discounts.
16. Accounting system
All event planners know that the budget is a hassle to keep track of — and stick to. Some sites offer accounting along with the event registration and payment options to help you simplify the process.
17. Event surveys
Finally, you should look for a site that enables you to survey your attendees before and after the event. That way, you can optimise your upcoming and future events based on their feedback.
What are some examples of good event registration sites?
Since we’ve mentioned “good registration sites,” it would be appropriate to show you a few of them. That way, you don’t have to Google around relentlessly to compare and contrast.
1. Event Smart
Event Smart is a free event registration system that also offers two premium versions. The free features include unlimited events, payment options, users, registration forms, and reporting.
2. Eventzilla
Eventzilla is another free event check-in software that is free to use for free events, and only charges $1 per sold ticket for paid events. Features include mobile check-in, attendee surveys, and discount options.
3. Billetto
Toot-toot, that’s the sound of our own horn. Remember the 17 features we went through above? Billetto offers an assortment of features to make your event a success.
How to make the most of event registration
Now that you know what to look for and where to look for it, it’s time to look at how to get the most out of the event registration process. Make sure you follow the tips below.
1. Make registration easy
The more boxes people have to fill in, the less likely they are to buy. Make registration as easy as possible by only asking for details that are absolutely necessary.
Tip: Use a tool like JotForm to create custom event registration forms.
2. Collect the data you need
While you should keep registration simple, it shouldn’t come at the cost of valuable attendee data. Make sure you collect everything you need to market future events.
Tip: Use this guide to learn how to collect the most valuable attendee data.
3. Provide clear ticket information
Include as many details as possible on the event or registration site so your attendees know what they’re paying for. Make sure to include essential information on the tickets themselves as well.
Tip: Read this guide on how to design tickets with all the relevant details on them.
4. Include killer CTAs
Don’t assume that people interested in your event will know which action to take next. Make sure you include effective calls to actions to increase the chances of selling tickets.
Tip: Draw inspiration from this list of 31 calls to action and modify as appropriate.
5. Integrate social media
Friends bring friends. You want to encourage your attendees to spread the word to their network by incorporating social sharing elements. Also, make it possible for everyone to buy tickets directly from Facebook.
Tip: Use Hootsuite’s complete guide to social media for events to boost sales.
That’s all folks!
Hopefully, you now understand all the benefits of using online event registration sites.
If you feel like we’ve left out any important features that you simply can’t live without, make sure to drop us a comment below!