Booking tickets online for events has become common place and you are still glued to the traditional method it’s time grab some acetone and let yourself into the online world.
Why?!?
Well, it has its benefits. First you can do away with tradional ticket windows and vendors. All money is accounted for systematically. You do not have to worry about any last minute stampeded for tickets. You can avail to a wider reach of audience. The opportunities are endless, you just have to get cracking at the idea.
But once you have gotten cracking at the idea, beware! Without a plan it might not just be as much of a smooth sail as you thought it would be. All the people who told you to go online would have disappeared and all you’ll be left with is a messy site to tackle with.
So here is a list of the key ingredients for your Event Registration Website.
Why is it Important?
One of the most vital features in an event registration website, following an event creation mechanism is that of an instinctive search option.
If the user has directly landed on the event page he was looking for then you are in the clear without good search options. But if I have to assume that the user intends to search for what he wants then you can be sure of one thing. Anything that needs a user to think for more than 10 seconds translates into that window being closed.
Should we assume that the user is more perseverant than the average user it has still led to a bad user experience and that is one term you don’t want your brand associated with.
How Should it Be?
While the implementation might be tedious the requirement is simple.
- Option to search the events by date.
- Option to filter the events by date.
- Option to filter events by location.
- Option to filter the event by names.
- Basically an option to filter the events based on any parameter that might be relevant and important to your website.
Why is this Important?
Incorporating an option to create courses from the front end is useful in two ways. First, without the use of the admin pages it keeps your system secure from unintentional clicks leading to the loss of data. Second, it allows you to give event creation authority to a third person, which is beneficial from the perspective of effort.
How Should it Be?
Ideally, front end course creation should be an option available to a selective group of users. This group should be assigned a different user role such as an Event Manager.
Further, the user must be required to login to create an event. The event creation form should consist of fields based on the back end of the system. An extra step of caution could be that the event is sent to an admin for review before being published onto the event registration website.
Why is this Important?
A feature that might seem trivial in the beginning can go on to create sweeping results later and a ticket verification system happens to be one of them. With the volume of event goers swelling it the effort required for verification will also be in an upswing.
Not only will lead to an added expenditure on manpower it might also give rise to a stampede situation at the event venue. (Mind you, this will later be termed as “mismanagement”)
And so, a it incorporate it from the start to avoid hiccups later.
How Should it Be?
Well, as complicated as this may sound it’s pretty simple. All you need is to send the user an SMS on successful event registration. This can then be used as a means of verification. So, move past verifying event attendees against a list and go the e-paper way!
On your end, you will have to choose a cloud communication service of your choice and then there’ll be some integration required with your event registration website. Event Espresso SMS Integration is a good example of this. (Of course this example is specific to Event Espresso.)
Why is this Important?
Yes, my fourth key ingredient for your event registration website is Social Media.
If you are wondering why this is important then you gotta be kidding me! Social media is all around is and if you do not use it effectively then the joke is on you.
How Should it Be?
In a single word, it should be INTUITIVE.
The social networking website icons should be placed strategically on every page on the event registration website to actually make it count. By strategically I mean always well within the user’s view without obstructing it.
If possible these icons should be accompanied with a snappy question or statement engaging the user further.
For example on the event page you can say, ‘Need Company? Invite a Friend’ or after a successful registration to event you can add, ‘Tell your friends what you’ll be doing on (event date)’
Why is this Important?
Discounts help increase sales. Period.
And you do not want to be thinking about setting up a system when the rest of the world is cashing in.
How Should it Be?
Yes, discounts definitely help increase sales but puhleassseee, do not abuse the use of discounts. The average customer tendency is such that when something becomes too easy to get they don’t want it anymore.
So be selective. For example, if you host events like a stand-up comedy event regularly around the same place then seasonal events are for you. Conversely if you are selling tickets for diverse events across locations then a better form of discount would be the first hundred buyer discount. Further, you can give discounts to credit card holders of a particular brand based on any tie-ups that you might have.
Opportunities are endless. You just need to pick yours.
Why is this Important?
An important aspect of any relationship is communication. The same holds true for an online ticket vendor and his customer.
Generally employed as a marketing tactic, newsletters are an effective way to communicate with the customers, track their reaction and more often than not increase sales. Further, in the worst case scenario it lets you remain in the customer memory. Just a flash of reminder in the mailbox can do wonders.
How Should it Be?
In the event registration context, a newsletter regarding latest events and offers should be sent to registered users. The email subject should be snappy enough to make the user want to open it. An example would be, ‘Book your Shakira Concert Tickets NOW and Win An Assured Prize’ or ‘Book 3 Tickets to the Shakira Concert and get the Fourth FREE’
Registered user would mainly consist of users who have previously registered for events through the website. Besides you could also have an option for website visitors to signup to the newsletter on your website using exit intent popups. Here again the call to action should be appealing enough for a user to sign up. Something like, ‘Want to Know When Shakira Will be Coming to Your City?’
Why is this Important?
While including the map might be a small affair it isn’t inconsequential. Sometimes small things go a long way and Maps happen to be one of them.
If the event goer has to travel to some place he might want to see the exact location and if this information is handy it will avoid the user switching windows.
How Should it Be?
Well frankly there is not rocket science here. You’ll have to implement this according to the system you are using. Also the map should placed in an important section of the users screen for immediate notice after going through the event details.
Why is this Important?
A generic payment system is that which serves a diverse group of people. This is particularly essential if you are catering to an international clientele.
You make a sale if they make a make a payment. You see how this is important.
How Should it Be?
Here’s an article that will help you deal with the payment gateway dilemma. While the article is specific for Gravity Forms the same logic can be used elsewhere too.
Why is this Important?
As many as 63% adults use their mobile phones to go online. Based on that stat making your event management system mobile ready in the most likelihood won’t hurt. The chances of losses with a non mobile ready site is highly likely though.
It’s your call now.
How Should it Be?
To begin with if you are using an open source system like WordPress you can start with choosing a responsive theme. It will be sufficient and on a budget.
At a later point based on the popularity of your system you could go the mobile app way! And if it has come to this I am sure staying on a budget is least of your concerns.
So that was about the key ingredients for your event registration website. Use them well and there’s no looking back. Over use any of them and you might just find yourself in a soup 😉
Watch this space and you’ll have the complete recipe to a successful event registration website.
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