Increase online registration

Offer member-centered registration

Every professional in your association is unique, so your event registration process should reflect that.

Some of the people you invite may be student members who are just starting out in their careers. Others could be longtime professionals or exhibitors who attend every year. Use these tips to tailor the registration process:

• Offer different pricing options
• Use pre-filled forms for people who have registered before
• Display relevant tracks or session suggestions
• Offer custom registration paths

When your audience feels the registration process is tailored to them, they will likely sign up and look forward to the event.

Personalize event marketing strategies

Generic email blasts won’t cut it anymore. Personalized messaging grabs attention and creates relevance. For example, if you’re targeting student members, mention how the event can help them grow. You can highlight benefits such as:

• Earning certifications
• Meeting mentors
• Learning new skills
• Expanding their professional network

If your association is also targeting exhibitors, focus on how the event will help them get new leads and boost brand awareness. Such strategies will ensure your message grabs the attention of every group to increase event sign-ups.

Make online registration for events effortless

If your event sign-up is too lengthy or confusing, people may ignore it. Ensure your registration process is straightforward and has only a few simple steps.

Additionally, create a mobile-friendly registration form, since many members will likely register while on the go. Other ways to streamline event registration include:

• Send sign-up links in emails
• Offer single sign-on options (SSO)
• Auto-save the registration progress

At Showcare, we help simplify event registration with intuitive technology. Our platform can connect directly with your Association Management System (AMS) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. The integration helps returning members avoid having to fill in all their information again.

Do you want to learn how to create event registration online? Explore our technologies to boost event attendance.

Use growth marketing to capture every lead

Association members can start signing up for your event and abandon the process midway. In some cases, they may have been distracted and will need a reminder to return and complete their registration.

Growth marketing helps you guide them without being too pushy. Instead of losing their interest for good, you can reconnect through different methods. For example, you may send friendly messages or emails with a link directing them to the registration page.

You could also post ads on different websites they visit to keep your event fresh in their minds. Seeing the same message several times might eventually prompt members to complete their forms.

At Showcare, we can boost audience growth and help your association turn ‘almost sign-ups’ into full registrations. Some strategies included in our omnichannel outreach are:

• Retargeted ads
• Phone calls
• Event landing pages
• Phone call outreach

Build buzz with your existing channels

Your members are already reading your emails, visiting your website, and checking out your social media. So, you won’t always need new tools to promote your event. You can simply use what you already have in a creative way to build excitement and get more people to sign up.

Add a call-to-action (CTA) to your regular newsletters and online member portals. A simple button labeled ‘Save Your Spot’ or ‘Register Now’ will encourage members to take immediate action. You may also include banners and short messages about the event in the things you’re already sending. For instance, add them to email confirmation and membership renewal texts.

Association members often look forward to interacting with popular speakers and industry leaders. Build excitement with your platforms by sharing a glimpse of what they can expect.

If a popular speaker is coming, share a fun quote or a short video clip. You can also post pictures from last year’s event or share a quick video of your team getting ready. Other exciting things to help you build buzz include:

• Countdown posts
• Testimonials from past attendees
• Social media polls

When you utilize your existing channels to maintain excitement, your event remains top of mind, leading to more registrations and high member engagement.

Leverage data and insights

Do you want to make smarter choices when planning your next event? Then, start leveraging data to track patterns and predict the outcome. Use the information gathered from previous sessions to identify the online event promotion methods that are most effective.

Identify which members often sign up early, since they are most likely looking forward to another event. Other helpful details you can pull from past data and use to improve registration include:

• Number of members who attended each session
• Drop-off points in the registration process
• The average time it takes members to complete registration
• Speakers or topics with a repeat audience
• The registration pages leading to the most sign-ups
• The members who engage most with your content

At Showcare, we make it easy to benefit from event insights by offering a powerful data warehouse that uses machine learning to track patterns.

With our solution, you won’t have to guess what you need to do to increase event sign-ups. You’ll be able to optimize registration efforts at every level and make smarter decisions without wasting time.