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Just imagine you are going to have a virtual event. You have a great lineup of keynote speakers, the best platform, pre-event promotional activities and the best social media marketing strategies. Now, you are all set for the virtual event, and you do not get the optimum number of registrations. All your hard work will go down in the drain. Only 39% of the marketers say that they were able to generate the optimum registration count. Let us make sure you fall into these 39% ones. Let us discuss how you can boost your registration count for your virtual event.
Promotion Focused Strategies for Boosting Registrations
The promotion period is just like an incubating period for virtual events. Promotion drives meaning to any event. Promotion phases are ideal for working on groundbreaking registration counts. Let us discuss some promotion-focused steps that can help us with registrations. These steps are good to go if you already have a virtual platform for your virtual event. In this way, you can better concentrate on registrations in the promotional period. Moreover, you can channel your steps according to the chosen platform. Let us get started with the steps.
Creating Pre-Event Hype & Teasers
When you plan a virtual event, you have a mission. You have an imaginative idea that how it would go. In addition, it involves your motivations, aims and ideologies. You are intended to create value or an impact. You take an approach to present or convey those aims and motivations. However, are you 100% sure that people would like your approach?
Well, no event planner is sure. No one can be about this. Therefore, we have a way that can help in this regard. The best way is to release teasers or some limited information or content about your event. Your potential attendees would think about whether it is something that they want to attend. They would react and express. The response is what you would target. This can be like testing your event in advance.
If the response is positive, you are good to go. On the other hand, if you are met with backlash or negative responses, you can work in the lacking. This would save time and cost for both sides. You can observe what things are worth it to put your efforts. It would be just an impression of your virtual event. However, it can save you and pay a lot. This also helps to build hype about the event as well.
It would be a responsible thing to do as well. Now, this would help you generate the right registrations for you. More people would register as they would. These people would be the ones who are interested in your events. With the hype, you can reach more of your potential attendees. With the right strategies, this technique is very fruitful in generating more registrations for virtual events.
Agenda Promotion
Your virtual event stands on the foundation of an agenda. It is the crux of your event. Many event planners focus on promoting their keynote speakers. That is equally important too. They promote your event to their audience, which is great. However, many people look at the holistic picture. Agenda plays a pivotal role. Your agenda will sell your event. If you market your event agenda well, you will attract more attendees. Now, when it comes to the agenda. Make sure you formulate and present it in a smart way. You could have your agenda with a selection of sessions. Having multiple aspects of your agenda will attract a variety of audiences. This, in turn, would boost your registrations.
Be careful about one thing when promoting your agenda. Remember to promote your known agenda. This can include your keynote speakers, titles or brief descriptions of your sessions or entries. Agendas evolve as well. Marketing something that could be later struck off can create a bad impression. Make sure that you do not include anything that is not confirmed yet. It will be highly unethical and risky. People might lose interest.
On-Demand Virtual Event Experience
Caring about the convenience of the attendees is one great way to receive more registrations. Many people do not attend because they are running around the clock. They cannot fit the event in their packed schedules. However, if the marketers make the event an on-demand experience, that is very fruitful. Although a live virtual event is great, but many people just miss it. If the people know that they can access an event anytime and participate, they will register. Because that would ensure their convenience. They would think that the registration fee is worth it.
There can be many circumstances when people cannot attend an event. Such as prior commitments, emergencies, or simply getting to know about the event late. For such scenarios, providing the ease of a post-event or an on-demand experience is very beneficial. This strategy can change the game for you. This would increase attendee satisfaction as well. They would give positive feedback. In this way, your reputation is also in good books.
In addition, using this strategy, you can charge a little more too. Although the registration fee would be slightly high, attendees would appreciate the value addition.
Role of Event Website is Crucial
Your website plays a pivotal role when it comes to registration count for your virtual event. The event website is the hub or nucleus of your virtual event. It has to be comprehensive, user-friendly and visually appealing. According to a study, websites drive 80% of your potential registrations. Your website needs to hold all the relevant information about your virtual event. Remember, it is the face of your virtual event before the event. It is the first thing people check to know about the event. Make sure it strikes a lasting impression on the visitors.
Let us discuss some effective strategies to empower our event website to get more registrations.
Make your Website Comprehensive but Concise in Information
You have to put the right information on your event website. Make sure you do not display any unnecessary information. When any potential attendee sees the website, it must give them all they need to know about your event. It must answer all their questions concisely. Be to the point. It would to easier to grab in mind.
You must put the registration portal or widget on every webpage of your website. In this way, the attendee would also be to register or start a conversation with your representative anytime. This provides ease of access and cuts the hassle. In addition, make sure it is updated regularly.
The crux is that it has to be very user-friendly. The ease would increase the chances of making a registration. Remember, if the initial impression is great, further it is good to go. That would be a lasting impression.
Get your Website a Visually Appealing UI
It is a must to please the eye. This, in turn, leads to the heart. Remember, the UI design of your website must feast the eyes of your potential attendees. In this regard, getting assistance from a professional is highly recommended. Make sure you have the right colour palette. Understand colour psychology. You need to put the logos of all sponsors. That would be great. As people might like to connect with a particular company’s community. In this way, your event could be an effective medium. These logos must be there on your homepage. Get the best transitions and HD images and videos.
In addition, you need to present your notable attendees and keynote speakers as well. Make sure you have a separate and detailed webpage about your sessions and event activities. Your agenda must be up as well.
Another helpful thing to do is to make your website integrated with all your social media platforms as well. This would create a comprehensive online presence for your virtual event.
Optimizing the Registration Process
Always remember, your event registration strategy is the most crucial thing in an event lifecycle. Now, you have to be very wise in this. If an attendee clicks your registration widget or your registration webpage, they are interested to attend the event. You have to make sure that the process involves simplicity. Any complexity at this stage, you lose a registration. If the client encounters ease, you have scored it. You must put their convenience as a top priority. It would definitely increase your registration count. This, in turn, would build mutual trust and credibility. Moreover, the attendee would make a positive impression.
Simplicity is the Key
Keep the number of required data fields very less. In addition, make sure that there are less pages. Only ask for the truly essential data. Get pre-loadable fields for your returning attendees. The process must be based on relevancy and ease of function, and navigation. Streamline your registration process with relevant things. Remember to cut the hassle.
Get Efficient Payment Functions
The most anxiety-causing thing is an error message after entering the payment and account details. Test and retest the functions. Make sure to have the mechanism to send a confirmation email immediately. This creates a lasting impression. Have clear refund and privacy policies. This builds credibility.
Concluding Remarks
All the strategies mentioned above come great into play. However, there is a secret to having an optimal registration count. That is to keep the attendees at your top priority. Misplaced priorities in planning events always keep us at a loss. Remember to work for their ease, convenience and satisfaction. They give meaning to your events. Give value additions. Go the extra mile and introduce complementary things. Strike some innovation in this regard. In the end, do not forget to channel this priority in your marketing, promotions and event.
