Mistakes to Avoid When Using Online Event Registration

Am I using the online registration system to its utmost potential?

Are my key stakeholders committed to online registration?

How much time do I need to set up the system?

Can people easily find the registration form?

Am I sure that the form works?

How difficult is it to use the online form?

Is the form too complicated?

Do I really need to know this?

Can I make the registrants feel more comfortable using the online registration form?

Are there several payment options?

Your event web site is thoughtfully crafted, with signposts along the way to gently but firmly lead people to your online event registration form. If designed properly, an online registration form saves time, effort and stress, both for you and for the person registering for your event. However, this isn’t always the case, and we’ve identified some common mistakes that hamper the effectiveness of this registration system. Ask yourself the following questions to avoid making these errors yourself.

If you’re going to offer online registration for your event, use it to its fullest capacity. Be committed to the project and pledge to use the system to its full capacity (given the caveats below about simplicity.). Make sure there’s a use for every bit of data that you collect. Keep your managers and committees up to date with live public reporting, so that you’re not called on every half hour for numbers. Keep the experience as smooth as possible for the attendee by using show/hide logic, ensuring they’re only asked questions relevant to their registration. Use codes to allow for VIPs and other comped attendees to register themselves, saving you time and effort.

Get everyone’s buy-in in your company that you need upfront, and thoroughly research the costs involved so there are no surprises when the form’s up and running. The biggest objection to moving to an online registration system is cost – but you should really focus on the value you will get from a system like this. The time saved translates into project hours best used elsewhere.

Set-up times for the registration system will vary depending on the complexity of your form, how much testing you need to do and whether you need to open ecommerce accounts. But it’s a given that set-up takes longer than you think! Don’t leave creating your registration form to the last minute. As well as actually developing the form, you may need to get approval from management for any and all changes, and that always takes time.

Don’t assume that people will know where to find the online registration form or that they’ll all land on the same page in your website. Have links to the online form from each of your web pages. Make the link a brightly colored button with a straightforward label such as “Register Now”.

In many of our blog posts, we mention the need for testing — not only of the registration form but also of your event website. Test the system yourself for look and feel, and then gather a variety of other people to use the system to register. Selecting a person who’s unfamiliar with online registration will cover newbie users, while experienced event planners can suggest alternate ways of asking for the information.

This is the main question to ask your testers, though the answer will vary depending on their level of experience with online registration systems. You should select a registration system that’s straightforward to use, and then design your form to be as clear as possible. Our white paper Writing for Event Websites to Boost Registrations gives advice on how to craft a well-designed registration form.

Even if your testers find your registration form easy to use, you should still ask yourself whether you’re paying for unnecessary options and special features. Keeping your form as simple as possible may mean that you can use just the bare bones of the online registration system. Always use just what you really need to suit both yourself and the registrant.

A key way to keep your form simple, and the registration process quick and painless, is to collect just the information you need to know. Your registrants may be the ones doing the data entry, but their time is limited too. It also helps the participants feel that you’re not invading their privacy. Keep the number of required fields to a minimum, and if you ask for information that seems out-of-the-ordinary (e.g. arrival time), explain why you need it.

We found several common concerns about people giving their data online to an often unfamiliar organization. The issue of privacy is always there, so post a privacy statement on your registration form. Write it in plain English and link to the legal statement if necessary. Make sure that your online form matches your event website in look and feel, and that your logo is prominent in the form’s header. People will rest assured that they’re in the right place to register and that they haven’t been directed to a scam site. Offer a phone number where a real person can be reached, for those who have trouble with the form. In this way, they won’t have to leave the page to get help, and they’ll have the security of having someone deal with their problem one-on-one.

Not everyone is comfortable entering their credit card numbers online, even if you explain how secure the process is. Although this may be the most efficient and cost-effective method for you to collect payment, you need to offer alternatives such as “pay by cheque” or “send me an invoice.” Stripe is a secure online payment method that lets you process credit cards without applying for a merchant account.

Thoughtfully considering these questions will improve the efficiency and usability of your online registration form. For functional tips on how to design a great registration form, check out our article Good Looking Registration Forms Get Better Results.

Mistakes to Avoid When Using Online Event Registration

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