online-event-registration

Organising a conference can be daunting – a substantial guest list, conflicting travel schedules and countless other logistical requirements means this process is not for the faint of heart. Our experience in the industry has seen us plan and manage thousands of conferences, and had it not been for online event registration software, we’d have thrown in the towel long ago.

Without online event registration software at your disposal, organising a conference is near to impossible.

Manually consolidating multiple guest lists, as well as managing hundreds of RSVPs is not an option if you want to a) hang onto your sanity, and b) see your conference succeed.  Bar an act of God or another bout of loadshedding, event registration software can help to solve – and prevent – almost every single conferencing issue you encounter.

Here’s how online event registration software eradicates the following issues:

An RSVP process that’s akin to herding cats We all know that conducting a seamless RSVP process takes a whole heap of patience and an eye for detail. When it comes to a conference, managing the RSVPs of hundreds of guests from several different guest lists via online event registration software ensures that your guest list is always up-to-date. Thanks to real time updates, you’re able to tell – at a glance – who’s yet to respond, who’s accepted and who’s declined.

Long queues to register

In the eyes of an event planner, one of the most stress-inducing sights is a registration line that’s so long it snakes out of the door. Knowing your guests are getting more frustrated by the minute is preventable, however. Online event registration software makes check-ins quick and simple. With a self-check-in option, guests can simply find their names on an iPad and then confirm their presence without having to wait for a harried staff member to manually tick their name off.

Inadvertently seating a VIP with the rest of the guests

Your ability to ensure that your VIP guests are happy can make or break the reputation of your event. In other words, keeping your VIPs smiling throughout is paramount to your event’s success. Online event registration software enables you to control the access guests have to certain areas thanks to the use of QR codes. This ensures that VIPs aren’t mistakenly escorted to the general seating area, as well as making sure that VIPs – and VIPs only – are able to access exclusive areas.

Not having enough data about your guests

The more information you have about your guests, the easier it is to run a seamless conference. Online event registration software enables you to create custom form fields in your save-the-dates and email invitations. You’re able to ascertain all manner of data – from your guests’ travel arrangements, to their car registration numbers as well as their dietary and accommodation preferences.

Being faced with the same hiccups at every single conference

There’s always a guest who arrives unexpectedly – often with an entourage in tow. This can result in an incredibly awkward scenario that leaves everyone involved irate. Online event registration software records and stores all data, helping you to prepare yourself for situations like these. If you’re inviting the same guest to another event, and they’ve been flagged as someone who doesn’t RSVP, but always arrives, you’ll be prepared. What’s more, this enables you to build profiles of guests who’re frequently invited to your events – making it easier to predict how they’ll behave, and prepare yourself beforehand.

A low acceptance rate due to undelivered email invitations

Sending out hundreds of invitations – only to receive a fraction of replies isn’t ideal. Online event registration software helps to increase the delivery rate of your invitations, which in turn, facilitates a higher attendance rate. Software that takes email invitation best practice into account is key to ensuring your invitations land in the right inboxes.

As our negative impact on the environment becomes increasingly apparent, a global awareness of our actions and their consequences has come to the fore. We’re more mindful of the way our daily routines can help or hinder the earth, and things like recycling and re-using are now commonplace.

When it comes to events, the old school thinking that paper invitations are essential has been replaced by a preference for online invitations. The world of events plays a major role in the generation of invites – without an online alternative, these would have a massively detrimental effect on the environment. Where weddings are concerned, however, couples still seem to be under the (false) impression that paper invitations are somehow more prestigious than their digital counterparts.  If you’re still considering opting for paper invitations, these statistics may sway your opinion.

The average wedding generates a minimum of 1000 pieces of paper – roughly 12% of a tree.

While this may not sound too dire, if everyone opted for paper over online, we’d very soon inhabit a world entirely devoid of an essential component of our ecosystem. Let’s break it down: A wedding of 100 guests will generate: ‘Save the date’ = 100 pieces of paper. A postcard for RSVPs = 100 pieces. Thank you notes = another 100. Photographs = yet another 100. Gift registry forms = 100 pieces. Maps to your venue = 100. Don’t forget envelopes = a whopping 300. Your grand total? 1000 pieces of paper – a pretty substantial contribution to deforestation. This, added to the fact that the paper and pulp industry is one of the largest industrial users of water means that if you’re serious about having a green wedding, paper invites are a definite no.

Weddings with a low carbon foot print rely on multiple factors in order to reduce their environmental impact.

Choosing a venue that’s close by, as opposed to one that requires a lengthy trip is an easy way to reduce carbon emissions. Opting to use locally-grown, seasonal fare instead of ingredients that have travelled thousands of kilometers isn’t only a greener option, it’s often more cost-effective too. Eschew traditional thank you gifts by giving your guests a keepsake that’s kind to the environment, and won’t be thrown away as soon as the champagne headache wears off. Gifting your loved ones with indigenous seeds that can be planted as a commemoration of your nuptials is a popular option.

If you want your big day to be authentically green, don’t undermine your other eco-friendly choices by using paper invites.

Using online event management tools has multiple benefits – they’re not only earth-friendly but will assist you in streamlining a process that often results in many a pre-wedding argument. Sending out and receiving your RSVPs will be speeded up substantially, and you’ll also be able to record preferences like dietary requirements. All of this information can be instantly captured and updated on an iCal – compared to reams and reams of paper that is more often than not displaced, and then thrown away.

A common misconception is that online event registration tools mean you’ll have to compromise on the aesthetics of your invites.

Brides-to-be or event managers tasked with planning a wedding are often of the opinion that email invitations won’t look as ‘pretty’ as their paper equivalents. Luckily, this isn’t the case. Online event registration software enables you to create invites that are both pleasing to the eye and carbon neutral. What’s more, you’ll be able to link your invitations to a microsite – complete with RSVP functionality, a map to your wedding, a link to your gift registry and a photo album of your special day. In addition, you’ll be able to forgo paper thank you cards by sending out emails instead.

Planning a green wedding doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. By using online event registration tools, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your nuptials are both eco-conscious and a streamlined, well-organised affair that’s memorable for all the right reasons.

Image Credit: Wedding Mania