Happy New Year!
This year as I said goodbye to 2016, I started reading an inspirational book about how to make 2017 my best year yet and I must admit it has some really great ideas.
Truthfully I am not a woman who likes resolutions but what I do gravitate towards is being intentional. In our very busy lives it seems to be easy to get caught up in being busy and reacting as opposed to creating what it is we want to accomplish. In 2017, I’m about streamlining and planning in order to make life more efficient.
That was a fairly lengthy intro to this week’s event management conversation about making your event registration process easier – through the use of technology!
Anyone who works with me knows that I am not the most technically savvy Calgary event planner. I share that because these programs have transformed what used to be a complicated and time consuming process to a simplified and seamless one, making registration for our clients easier and will produce similar results for you.
There are literally dozens of programs out there but I am going to talk about the two I have used the most Check In Easy and Event Brite.
Check In Easy
The first registration solution I want to share about is an app called Check In Easy https://www.checkineasy.com.
What’s great:
- What I love about it is that you are able to conduct a free trial with limited registrations.
- Simply upload the list of attendees from your normal excel spreadsheet and it can customize how you check-in people – for example by first name, last name, company etc.
- As you check in your guests you can receive analytics to let you know how many people have checked in, who did and did not attend and if your client asked specifically about any one person – all of this information is at your finger tips.
- You also have the ability to add as the event goes on.
- I believe this app helps to reduce line-up times for registration as it’s so much easier than flipping through hard copy lists and highlighting names.
Things to consider:
- You need iPad’s / tablets to do this so if you don’t own any – you may need to invest or look at rental options. You can also use your iPhone; however, the size might be too small for some of your staff to read (I might be one of those people ☺)
- Ideally you will not be in any place/venue that is too hot, also you will have to ensure you have access to the internet. I did have a Stampede event in a parking lot where the ipads overheated and so the back up paper list proved to be very helpful.
Event Brite
The second registration solution I want to share about is the app called Event Brite https://www.eventbrite.ca.
I have used Event Brite for events that require ticket sales or just rsvp, private events.
What’s great:
- The platform is super user friendly. It can be accessed from virtually anywhere.
- You can brand your site with the event or company branding your working with.
- As mentioned above, events can charge a ticket price with a small surcharge.
- Like Check In easy, it also has the ability to check guests in when they arrive. You can scan the code that it provides or just check guests off by name. Also the system allows attendee additions onsite and provides the useful analytics for your event check-ins.
Things to consider:
- Just as with Check In Easy you will require the necessary technology such as tablets or phones to conduct the onsite check-ins.
I would recommend both of these as great options to make your event registration fast and effective!
Finally, if you’re looking to make the overall event an exceptional experience, consider hiring Jennifer James Events to help with these details and so much more.
