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Online_Registration_Getting_People_to_use_it
| Online Registration, Getting People to use it.
By now most event planners know about the benefits of using
online registration in terms of saving time and money and in the
added convenience. So let’s assume you’re sold on the benefits
and you’ve gone out and set up an online registration system.
Now what? Before you can reap the benefits of the system, you
have to get people to use it.
With that in mind we’ve come up with a few tips on how to get
event participants to use your online registration system.
Educate your customers: Your customers may be used to faxing and
phoning-in registrations, or they may think it’s too
complicated, or just wary of providing information over the
internet. Whichever it is, you should let them know why you are
using online registration. Outline the benefits for them and for
you. At a minimum they need to know that your online payment
option is secure, that the form is easy to use and will make the
process of registration easier and more efficient for all
involved, and lastly, that you have a solid privacy policy about
the use of information you collect on your registrants.
Make online registration the preferred or only option: If you
can get away with it, having online registration as the only
option would be ideal because it saves you from having to do any
manual data entry. If that’s too great a leap, you should still
make it clear in all your promotional materials and on your
event website, that online registration is the preferred method
as it will make things much easier for both you and your
customers.
Make it obvious: Make the link to the online registration form
prominent in all your promotional materials and on your event
website. If you send an invitation or print an ad, make sure
your customers’ eyes are drawn to information telling them where
to register online. On your event website, give large,
prominent, obvious clues e.g. “Click here to register online” in
big letters or have a big “Register” button. If you must provide
phone and fax registration numbers, make them less prominent.
Simplify the online form: Make sure your online form is clear,
concise and easy to use even for internet beginners. Keep text
and graphics to a minimum and use colours and fonts that are
easy to read. A confusing or hard to read form will quickly
discourage people from registering online and make you look
unprofessional.
Provide incentives: Bribery is a great way to get people to do
something. We all have a price. Offer incentives to customers
who use your online registration system. Offer discounts or
random draw prizes, for example, available exclusively to online
registrants.
For more ideas and advice about online registration, please
visit our website at www.eply.com or feel free to contact us at
info@eply.com or 1.800.507.3759.
About the author:
Jim Romanik is the President and founder of ePly Services Inc.
(www.eply.com). ePly provides custom online registration and
payment processing services for conferences, business meetings
and other events.
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