Infographic – 23 Event Registration Form Rules to Sell Out Events
23 Event Registration Form Rules To Sell Out Events
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- Make your registration form match your event website.
Its good for your branding and helps to maintain trust with your registrants.
- Make the form inviting and easy to use to – perfectly align elements and be consistent with spacing, colours and fonts.
Your registration form is one of the first impressions of how well your event will be organized.
- Have a clearly visible and friendly cancellation policy.
Here is how to write a good cancellation policy -Link to cancellation policy post.
- Show the name and phone number of a real person registrants can contact.
Most people won’t call, but people like to know that it’s an option. It’s also easier for you to get any issues immediately.
- Keep text short.
When’s the last time you read some long (or any) text on a website?
- Make the form foolproof.
We all know that people don’t follow the instructions.
- Host the form on a secure server.
Many registrants are savvy enough to check for a few basic security items before entering their credit card numbers. If you don’t have them they won’t register.
- Have a clear and prominently displayed privacy policy.
Depending on your target demographic, some people will look for this.
- Anticipate questions registrants may have and be sure the answers are easily found.
This will help registrants, but also minimize the number of calls and emails you get too.
- Limit the number of registration options so that it’s easy for registrants to make a decision.
Make it easy for people to decide. If you have multiple registration options, make the one you want them to pick the first one. (or already selected for them).
- Don’t show a separate registration surcharge or convenience fee, just work it into the overall cost.
No one likes getting dinged with extra fees.
- Only ask for details that you will really use.
Extra fields on your form adds clutter and slows people down. If you don’t plan to fax anything to a registrant, why ask for a fax number?
- Avoid asking for personal information such as SIN/SSN, passport number, birthdates, etc.
People don’t like giving it and in most cases you probably don’t want to be responsible for having it.
- Let people register without creating an account.
Creating and account especially with a third party provided adds major friction to your sale.
- Don’t allow outside advertising on your form.
Advertising = bad first impression
- Don’t use Flash animation on your form.
Flash (animation) is in the past. It’s distracting and just unnecessary on a registration form.
- Test your form in different browsers including on mobile devices.
What works/looks good in one may not in another.
- Keep links that lead people away from your form to a minimum.
The goal is to keep people focused on the form until they click the submit button.
- Never use shopping cart software for event registration.
It looks unprofessional and confuses people to add a registration to their cart, see options for shipping and to check out.
- Don’t frustrate registrants with captchas.
Plus they just aren’t needed. If you have a problem getting automated registrations then you probably aren’t using a proper registration system.
- Test, test and retest your form.
You better find any problems before your registrants do. It’s unprofessional and could cost you a registration.
- Get the least computer savvy person you know try the form to see if they get stuck.
You might be surprised at what people get stuck on.
- Ask your online registration provider to review your form. They should do this for free and a good provider will be able to offer some suggestions.
There is always something that can be improved.
May 13th, 2014Share this page:Share this page:
