Tag: Strategy

Top 8 Things to Remember When Managing Multiple Events

  • Event Management
  • EventUp Planner Contributor
  • September 18, 2024
Top 6 Attendee Retainment Strategies

No matter how you slice it, managing multiple events requires planning superpowers. But being an event planning rockstar doesn’t mean your job is easy.

In a world where companies need to be more visible than ever—while event budgets keep getting smaller—successfully planning and executing multiple corporate events simultaneously can feel like pushing a boulder uphill.

Don’t worry; making your life easier as an event planner is totally our thing!

So whether you’re new to managing events or you’re looking to streamline your planning process, EventUp Planner has the tools and resources you need to flawlessly execute your entire events calendar— while avoiding conflicts and without compromising quality. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through 8 tried-and-true strategies to make multi-event management much easier on you and your team members. Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get started.

Table of Contents

  1. Prioritize and delegate
  2. Automate and streamline your workflows
  3. Leverage past relationships
  4. Practice time management techniques
  5. Use tools and technology to work smarter, not harder
  6. Learn to effectively manage stress
  7. Focus on the event day
  8. Continuously learn and iterate

 

8 Tips to Successfully Manage Multiple Events at Once

If you’ve been an event planner for a long time, most of these tips shouldn’t come as a surprise. That said, there’s no harm in refreshing your knowledge— especially when it’s crunchtime!

If you’re new to the event planning game, these tips will help you get started on the right foot.

So whether it’s your first rodeo or your hundredth, keep reading to 8 proven strategies for managing multiple events at once.

Tip #1 – Prioritize and delegate

When juggling multiple events simultaneously, prioritizing events and tasks is key to maintaining timelines— and your sanity. 

Start by evaluating your calendar and ranking events from most to least important based on factors like size, strategic value, and deadlines. Doing so allows you to allocate your limited time and resources optimally.

Next, seek out support. Remember, you can’t run multiple events alone, and there’s no shame in needing help—in fact, it’s necessary for success! 

  • Look inside your organization to assemble a cross-functional team, leveraging diverse skill sets from marketing, ops, finance, and other relevant departments. Be sure to clearly define roles and responsibilities to avoid duplicating your efforts.

Need help cutting through the noise? The Eisenhower Matrix is a great tool for categorizing your tasks so you can prioritize your own workload and delegate lower priorities. With a skilled team sharing the load and a system for prioritizing your tasks, you’ll be able to execute multiple successful events without burning out.

Need ideas to set your event team up for success? Read more about how to motivate and engage your team in advance of the big day. 

 

Tip #2 – Automate and streamline your workflows

The more events you’re juggling, the easier it can be to drop the ball. But don’t worry, we’re not going to let that happen to you!

That’s why automation is your BFF as an event planner. You only have so much brainpower to handle all the tasks on your plate, so why not set and forget some of them?

EventUp Planner has intuitive marketing automations designed to make your life easier by minimizing repetitive tasks. It’s super easy to: 

  • Launch and promote your events
  • Interact with registrants
  • Track your campaigns

…all from one place. 

Email marketing getting you down? Use EventUp Planner to create fully-branded email templates once and use them for all your email campaigns! Plus, you can easily segment your lists and send timely messages to the right people at the right time. Learn more about how email cloning can save you time when managing multiple events.

In sum, don’t reinvent the wheel when running multiple events. Standardize what you can, use templates and checklists to make your life easier, and make sure you’re using event management software with powerful automation capabilities.

Tip #3 – Leverage past relationships with vendors and sponsors

When planning multiple events at once, leveraging past relationships with vendors and sponsors you’ve enjoyed working with can be a major timesaver. 

Not only does it shorten the learning curve, but you already know what to expect from a service and contract/policy standpoint—huge advantages when your bandwidth is stretched thin! 

Here are some common vendors to consider re-engaging to jog your memory: 

  • Venues (hotels, convention centers, restaurants)
  • Catering companies
  • Audio/visual production teams
  • Entertainment (speakers, performers, DJs, etc.)
  • Decor and design firms
  • Transportation and travel providers
  • Photography/videography teams
  • Etc.

Here’s an email template you can use to re-engage past vendors:

Subject: Upcoming Event Opportunities with [Company Name]

Dear [Vendor],

I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to reach out about some upcoming events we have on our calendar for [month/year]. As a vendor we’ve enjoyed working with in the past, we would be delighted to partner with you again.

[Provide brief overview of 1-2 major events and date ranges]

Your team’s [key strength – e.g. professionalism, attention to detail, creativity] really helped elevate our past events. If you’re available during these timeframes, I’d appreciate the chance to discuss how we may be able to collaborate again soon.

Please let me know your availability for a quick call or coffee meeting in the coming weeks. Thank you in advance!

Best regards,

[Your name and contact details]

 

When it comes to re-engaging past sponsors, it’s important to express gratitude for their previous support and reiterate the benefits of sponsorship. Here’s an email template you can use for sponsor outreach: 

 

Subject: Sponsorship Opportunities – [Event Name(s)]

Dear [Sponsor Contact],

On behalf of [Company Name], I wanted to express our sincere appreciation for your sponsorship of our [past event] last year. Your contributions helped make the event a resounding success!

We’re excited to announce our [upcoming event(s) name and date range], where we’ll once again be hosting [target audience] to [core event objectives]. I’ve attached a sponsorship prospectus outlining this year’s packages and benefits, including [highlight 2-3 key benefits].

Your organization’s previous sponsorship meant so much to us. We would be honored to have your support again as we aim to [state 1-2 event goals]. Please let me know if you’d like to discuss these opportunities further.

Thank you for your consideration!

Sincerely,

[Your name and contact details]

 

Remember: maintaining strong vendor and sponsor relationships allows you to hit the ground running when planning multiple events rather than starting from scratch each time.

 

Tip #4 – Practice time management techniques

Time management is absolutely essential when juggling multiple events at once. With constant deadlines, meetings, and unexpected fires to put out, practicing smart time management techniques helps you stay on track while avoiding burnout.

Here are 4 of our favorite time management techniques for you to try: 

  • The Pomodoro technique. Work in 25-minute distraction-free sprints, followed by 5-minute breaks.
  • Time blocking. Dedicate specific blocks for tasks like email, meetings, and solo work.
  • The 80/20 rule. Identify and prioritize the 20% of tasks creating 80% of results.
  • The two-minute rule. If a task will take less than 2 minutes, do it right away.

Everyone works differently, so experiment and stick with techniques that truly work for you. The right strategies can mean less rushing, fewer missed deadlines, and lower stress levels as an event planner.

It’s totally possible to show up as your best self for each event, no matter how packed your schedule is. Stellar time management can help you get there.

 

Tip #5 – Use tools and technology to work smarter, not harder

Effective project management is the backbone of successful event planning, especially when managing multiple events at once. Top project management tools like Asana, Monday.com, Trello, and Basecamp help keep your team organized and on the same page.

But communication is just as important. Tools like Slack enable real-time messaging across teams and locations, which is far more efficient than endless email chains.

To truly work smarter, leverage dedicated event management software that automates tedious processes like:

A leader in the event planning space, EventUp Planner consolidates these capabilities into one powerful platform—saving you hours and streamlining your entire event program. 

With the right tools, you can effortlessly coordinate details, engage attendees, and execute flawlessly across all your events, every single time. 

How do you find the right event management platform for your needs? Learn all abut the questions to ask and the steps to take.

 

Tip #6 – Learn to effectively manage your stress levels

It probably goes without saying, but as a busy event planner, you need to learn to effectively manage your stress levels. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Plus, frantic, overwhelmed leaders aren’t effective ones, and your team members need to be able to rely on you when it’s go-time (ditto for attendees and vendors). 

Here are some practical tips for keeping stress at bay:

  • Practice mindfulness and meditation. Even 5-10 minutes per day can ground you.
  • Prioritize exercise and movement, even if it’s just a walk around the block.
  • Maintain a nutritious diet and stay hydrated to keep your energy up.
  • Set work-life boundaries; unplug after hours when possible.
  • Lean on your support system, whether friends, family, or a therapist.

When you make self-care a priority, you show up as your best self: calm, focused, and ready to tackle whatever challenges arise. Plus, an empowered, resilient event leader raises the entire experience for everyone.

 

Tip #7 – Focus on the event day

How do you eat a cheeseburger? One bite at a time. Approach your event with that same single-minded focus.

If you let your mind wander to the next event on your calendar or get bogged down putting out fires, you’ll miss valuable opportunities to make this event a success. Attendees will pick up on your distraction, your team may feel unsupported, and important details could slip through the cracks.

Here are some of our top tips for staying present on event day: 

  • Do a mindfulness exercise in the morning to center yourself.
  • Limit digital distractions—silence notifications and check email at designated times only.
  • Rehearse your run-of-show and delegate duties to free your mental bandwidth.
  • Take regular breaks to rest, recharge, and nourish yourself throughout the day.
  • If issues arise, calmly troubleshoot and course-correct without getting frazzled.

The culmination of your hard work is finally here! By staying focused and mindful, you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in the wonderful experience you’ve created.

 

Tip #8 – Continuously learn and iterate

Even when the event wraps up, the learning doesn’t stop there. 

Insights from your people on the front lines are invaluable. Conduct a thorough debrief with your team, asking questions like: 

  • What went well? 
  • What didn’t? 
  • What would you do differently next time? 

Check in with stakeholders (leadership, sponsors, vendors, etc.) for their perspectives, too. Were their objectives met? What could be improved? This feedback is just as important.

Most importantly, gather attendee feedback through post-event surveys. Their opinions ultimately matter most—did you create an engaging, worthwhile experience? Let their candid input guide your future events. 

 

Flawlessly Manage Multiple Events with the Best Event Management Software

Pulling off multiple events at once isn’t for fairweather event planners. But the challenges are completely surmountable with the right mindset, tools, and resources.

That’s where we come in. 

At EventUp Planner, we’re dedicated to empowering planners to create outstanding attendee experiences while saving time and energy. Our all-in-one event management software helps you provide an amazing event experience for everyone involved—from pre-event to post-event, and beyond. 

Curious about how we can help you seamlessly execute your entire events calendar? Book a free demo today!

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How to Plan a Successful Trade Show: 10 Key Elements

  • Event Management
  • July 9, 2024
Essential Elements of a Successful Trade Show

Trade shows are a golden opportunity for companies to shine. With 84% of attendees holding buying power (according to Exhibitor Online), these events help exhibitors generate leads, drive sales, and put their solutions directly in front of their target audience.

For hosts, a knockout trade show is an A+ marketing move. It strengthens your company’s brand presence, unveils new offerings, and facilitates those coveted face-to-face interactions. Exhibitors get a chance to stand out, reel in prospects, and give hands-on demos that make an impact.

And let’s not forget attendees! They gain exclusive access to industry insights, networking opportunities, and the opportunity to explore a smorgasbord of products and services in one convenient location.

Done right, a seamlessly executed trade show can spark major business wins: increased sales, deeper customer connections, and a serious boost in brand awareness. This post lays out 10 key elements that, combined with trade show software like Attendease, will help you plan an awesome trade show. Let’s dive in!

What Are the Benefits of Hosting a Tradeshow?

Trade shows are a smart move for businesses, offering valuable opportunities for hosts, exhibitors, attendees, and sponsors alike. Let’s take a closer look at how each key player can benefit from a well-executed trade show:

Benefits for your company

Hosting a successful trade show puts your company in the spotlight. We’re talking major street cred and brand recognition in your industry— just look at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Hosted by the Consumer Technology Association, this event has become a globally recognized launchpad for the latest tech innovations.

Benefits for exhibitors 

For exhibitors, trade shows are a golden ticket to connect with a concentrated pool of qualified leads and potential customers who are ready to buy what they’re selling. Face-to-face interactions let them impress prospects with live product demos, gather valuable feedback, and forge lasting business relationships.

At the SEMA Show, for instance, automotive aftermarket exhibitors get to rub elbows with over 132,000 buyers from around the globe!

Benefits for attendees

Attendees score an all-access pass to explore an exciting range of products, services, and cutting-edge industry trends— all under one roof. They can chat with experts, attend educational sessions, and network with peers and potential partners.

Benefits for sponsors

Trade shows help sponsors promote their brands and align themselves with a specific industry or major event. Secure a prominent sponsorship spot, and companies can amplify their visibility and reach their ideal audience with laser-sharp precision. Plus, it’s common for sponsors’ logos and branding to appear on promo materials (whether digital or physical) and event signage. 

Read more: Strategies to Increase Event Sponsorship: How to Get More Sponsors

10 Essential Elements of a Successful Trade Show

Planning a successful trade show takes careful planning and preparation. Keep reading for 10 crucial elements that every trade show needs to have: 

Element #1: An awesome venue

Nailing the perfect trade show venue is your first job. The space sets the tone for the entire experience. 

When scoping out potential locations, keep an eye out for facilities with ample square footage to accommodate exhibitors, attendees, and any speakers or special events on your agenda.

Convenient transit options and nearby hotels make life easier for travelers. Loading docks, freight elevators, and a flexible layout that allows for creative booth configurations are key logistical considerations. On-site amenities like WiFi, A/V equipment, catering, and even parking can seriously elevate the attendee experience.

Don’t forget to assess the venue’s branding opportunities, too. Can you plaster your logo everywhere? Are digital signage and promotional spaces available? Small details like this elevate your trade show from just “nice” to an absolutely unforgettable event.

Need help finding the perfect venue? Find an EventUp venue near you!

Element #2: An intuitive and optimized layout

With your venue locked in, it’s time to create a trade show layout that keeps attendees moving smoothly from booth to booth while enticing exhibitors with prime real estate. A well-designed floor plan is a delicate balancing act.

Tradeshows should offer a variety of booth options to suit exhibitors’ needs and budgets— from spotlight-stealing island booths to affordable inline spaces. But don’t go overboard here; leave plenty of open space for attendees to mill about freely. Nobody wants to feel like they’re squeezing through a crowded subway car!

Transform dead zones into lively hubs by strategically placing lounges, concessions, and sponsored activation areas throughout the venue. Get creative with intelligent zoning (for instance, grouping exhibitors by product category creates a natural traffic flow). 

With an intuitive layout offering the best of both worlds, your trade show will be an immersive experience that wows attendees and exhibitors alike. 

Element #3: Trade show software

Planning and executing a flawless trade show is no easy feat. However, having the right event management software in your corner can make this monumental task way simpler. 

Don’t go it alone—streamline every aspect of your event with an all-in-one platform that handles it all.

From trade show registration software to schedule management, marketing automation, and comprehensive reporting, Attendease puts every vital tool at your fingertips. Our best-in-class event planning software lets you check many tasks off your list with just a few clicks!

With Attendease as your event command center, you’ll free up time to focus on the details that truly elevate your trade show from just “nice” to a wildly successful, buzz-worthy experience. No more scrambling—just streamlined operations and happy exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees.

Get the free guide: Master The Art Of Choosing The Right Event Management Platform

Element #4: Engagement activities 

You’ve nailed the venue and layout. Now it’s time to get attendees pumped with engagement activities that keep the energy high!

Spice things up with gamification elements like a scavenger hunt or a trade show passport that encourages attendees to visit different exhibitor booths.

Offer prizes and incentives (who doesn’t love free swag?) for completed passports to encourage maximum booth circulation. You could even gamify things further with a tradeshow-themed game app that unlocks exclusive content or entries into a raffle for a grand prize. 

Get sponsors involved by offering premium branded prizes or letting them host activation areas along the engagement trail. With a little creativity, you’ll transform your trade show into an interactive space that attendees won’t want to leave. Now that’s how you deliver an unforgettable experience!

Element #5: A solid crisis management plan

Even with careful planning, unexpected emergencies can happen at any trade show. That’s why having a comprehensive crisis management plan is crucial for planners and venues alike. Collaborate closely with your venue’s team to understand their safety protocols and chain of command should an incident occur.

Key considerations to address in your crisis plan include:

  • Natural disasters (severe weather, earthquakes, etc.)
  • Security threats (active shooter, bomb threat, etc.)
  • Power outages or technical failures
  • Medical emergencies
  • Crowd control and evacuation procedures

Don’t forget to also establish a clear communication strategy for notifying exhibitors, attendees, staff, and emergency personnel. Plan ahead by evaluating your liability. With a robust crisis management plan in place, you’ll be prepared to respond swiftly and mitigate risks, ensuring your trade show prioritizes safety above all else.

Element #6: A comprehensive marketing plan

A successful trade show deserves a marketing strategy to match. Creating a comprehensive plan that leverages multiple channels is key to driving awareness and attendance. Here are some important marketing channels to consider: 

Social media

An active social presence lets you promote exhibitors, tease special activations, give sponsor shout-outs, and build major buzz around your event. Strategic hashtagging and influencer collaborations can amplify your reach.

Paid ads

Paid advertising allows you to expand your trade show’s visibility based on your desired budget and targeting parameters across social media and search engines. 

Email marketing

With higher ROI than social media, email marketing enables direct communication with attendees through compelling content and strategic automation.

Event website

A dedicated trade show website serves as a comprehensive information hub, providing attendees with everything they need to know—from exhibitor lists to session schedules and registration details.

Traditional channels

While digital reigns supreme, traditional channels like print ads, flyers, and radio spots still hold relevance for reaching location-specific audiences or demographics that respond well to these tactics.

Element #7: A proper exhibitor kit

A comprehensive exhibitor kit is a must-have for ensuring your vendors have all the resources they need to make a splash at your trade show. This handy packet streamlines planning and sets clear expectations, allowing exhibitors to focus on delivering awesome experiences.

An effective exhibitor kit should be distributed at least one month prior and include the following:

  • Exhibitor manual with all rules, regulations, and deadlines
  • Floor plans and booth assignment details
  • Move-in/move-out instructions and schedule
  • Event staff and venue contact information
  • Shipping and material handling information
  • Order forms for booth services (electrical, internet, catering, etc.)
  • Marketing opportunities like show guides and sponsorships

By equipping exhibitors with these materials upfront, you’ll avoid last-minute fires and keep operations running smoothly. A little preparation goes a long way in facilitating a world-class trade show experience!

Element #8: Clear and engaging maps & venue signage

Well-designed maps and signage ensure attendees and exhibitors can effortlessly navigate your trade show. But why just make them functional when you can elevate them into an engaging experience?

Integrate interactive map features like augmented reality (A/R) activations to build excitement as guests find their way around. Highlight key exhibits, lounges, and sponsored spaces through vibrant graphics and bold design elements. Don’t forget both print and digital versions—your trade show app software is the perfect place for a mobile-friendly map!

Prevent aimless wandering by strategically placing signage at all entrances, cross-sections, and washroom corridors. Get creative with custom illustrations, your company’s branding, and fun directional cues for an on-brand atmosphere.

By making maps and signage clear, fun, and experiential, you’ll keep attendees effortlessly flowing from one can’t-miss destination to the next.

Element #9: The right entertainment 

A little entertainment can go a long way in keeping the energy high at your trade show. The right act, performer, or activity elevates the overall atmosphere into a fun experience that attendees will fondly remember. 

When selecting entertainment, consider your industry and audience first. Here are a few options to explore:

  • Corporate comedians or improv troupes (professional services, B2B)
  • Dance performers or acrobats (hospitality, tourism, fitness)
  • Live music acts or DJs (music, nightlife, lifestyle brands)
  • Video game competitions or esports (technology, gaming)
  • Celebrity meet-and-greets (media, entertainment, consumer products)

Whether it’s interactive, audible, or just plain fun to watch, the right entertainment injects serious energy and creates buzz-worthy moments. An energized trade show experience = happy attendees and exhibitors.

Element #10: Catering and refreshments 

Providing catering and refreshments isn’t just about keeping people fed and hydrated. It’s a savvy way to encourage attendees to stay longer, plus it creates informal networking opportunities and increases overall satisfaction in the event. 

When vetting caterers, seek ones with experience handling large-scale events and the staffing/equipment to serve thousands efficiently. Variety is also key—offer a wide selection of cuisines and dietary options to cater to every palate. And don’t forget beverages! Well-stocked bars and plentiful coffee and water stations are a must.

The right caterer will collaborate with you on creative ways to integrate F&B activations throughout your floor plan, like sponsored snack stations or themed bars that double as Instagram-worthy hangouts. Because fed, happy attendees make for productive, memorable trade shows!

Planning an Amazing Trade Show: FAQs

Now that you know the key elements of a successful trade show, let’s dive into some frequently asked questions:

How long does it take to plan a trade show?

General wisdom states that you should start the planning process 12-18 months in advance for the best possible experience. The more lead time, the better for securing venues, selling booths, and rolling out your marketing campaigns. 

How much does it cost to organize a trade show?

While costs can vary greatly based on size, location, and scope—typically ranging from $15,000 for smaller shows to over $1 million for major expos and conventions—the potential returns make trade shows an extremely valuable investment. 

By connecting face-to-face with your target audience, you can drive brand awareness, generate high-quality leads, boost sales, and strengthen customer loyalty—delivering substantial ROI.

Why should I use trade show software to run my event?

Leveraging all-in-one event management software like Attendease streamlines every aspect of planning—from online registration to email communication, sponsorship management, reporting, and more. 

How can trade show software help me market and promote my event?

Built-in email marketing, social sharing, customizable registration paths, and more equip you with all the tools needed to drive awareness and process registrations from a centralized platform. All this is available to you (plus more) on Attendease! 

Make Your Trade Shows Even Better with Event Management Software

Planning a great trade show doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Instead, create an amazing experience that everyone will love while staying sane along the way with tools to:

  • Template and automate key workflows (create once, clone as needed)
  • Simplify planning and management of your trade show across team members 
  • Consolidate reporting in one dashboard
  • Deliver a fully-branded trade show experience

Attendease is the event planner’s Swiss army knife for a reason. If you’re curious about how we can help make your next trade show a stress-free success, get in touch with us today. 

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6 Best Retention Strategies for Membership Groups

  • Event Management News
  • June 5, 2024
6 Best Retention Strategies for Membership Groups

Professional associations, non-profits, and online interest-based groups all have one thing in common: the need to retain and renew their member base.

The soaring popularity of online communities—through digital platforms like Meta, Slack, Discord, and others—has led to an overall change in membership retention strategies. 

Plus, in an inflationary economic climate, how do you encourage membership renewals when people are cutting their spending? 

Personalizing the member experience, regularly engaging their member base, and sharing valuable content and resources are only a few of the ways top membership groups attract and keep their hard-earned members. 

In this article, we’ll explore 6 of the best membership retention strategies to use this year—and how event management technology is central to these efforts. Let’s dive in! 

What is Membership Retention, and Why Does It Matter?

Retention is everything for membership organizations and online groups. Not only does it keep your revenue steady year after year, but retention also contributes to a thriving, valuable community. 

But what is membership retention? It measures your ability to keep your existing members over time. 

Why does it matter so much? The stats say it all:

  • It costs 5x more to acquire a new member than to retain an existing one
  • Retaining 5% of your members can increase annual revenue by 15-25%

Consistently delivering value-adds, building a strong community, and personalizing the member journey are proven tactics. And, as more groups and associations go digital, an excellent user experience is essential to stay top-of-mind.

Ultimately, cultivating long-term loyalty creates stability and growth opportunities you can’t afford to miss. Membership retention allows you to maintain a solid foundation to keep building upon.

READ MORE: 3 Event Marketing Tips and Tricks for Associations

6 Proven Membership Retainment Strategies

Ready to level-up your member experience? Let’s explore 6 strategies for increasing membership retention this year. 

  1. Personalize the member experience 

One of the most effective strategies for improving member retention? Personalization. By delivering customized experiences, you deepen connections with your community over time.

It starts at onboarding. Successful groups provide tailored onboarding tracks based on member interests, goals, and characteristics. This helps new members see value from the start. 

For example, professional associations like the American Marketing Association deliver personalized learning plans based on their members’ indicated goals and interests. 

Personalization extends to ongoing communications, too. Use member data to:

  • Segment audiences
  • Customize emails, content recommendations, offers, and more

For instance, the National Geographic Society curates content picks customized to different member profiles. 

By making members feel understood and providing relevant experiences, you earn loyalty for the long-haul. Attention to the individual member journey is key.

  1. Regularly share valuable content and resources

Want to keep members sticking around? Give them content they can’t get anywhere else. Offering exclusive access to premium videos, articles, reports, and other resources is a winning retention strategy.

Consider offering members-only webinars and exclusive access to on-demand replays. Or hook members with discounts on enticing events like conferences, in-person training, and meet-ups. 

Up the ante by featuring influencers and industry experts as presenters. The National Writers Union, for instance, hosts monthly “craft talks” by successful authors exclusively for members.

These value-added content pieces give members what they’re looking for:

  • Continuous learning opportunities
  • Deep insights into their interests
  • Access to subject matter experts

When an organization consistently delivers high-quality, tailored content, members have no reason to leave! Exclusivity builds loyalty.

GET THE WHITEPAPER: How Event Technology Can Enable More Engagement
  1. Use event management technology to your advantage

Using the right technology is a game-changer for membership retention. An all-in-one platform puts powerful retention tools at your fingertips.

Take Attendease by Tripleseat for example. Our platform allows you to:

  • Engage members through interactive tools. Live polling, Q&A, and surveys help you to understand member needs and preferences. 
  • Gain insights from powerful event analytics. Track essential metrics like event attendance, content engagement, and more to make informed decisions about your membership base. 

We’re basically your command center for strategic retention. 

It’s true: the right event management software streamlines and optimizes every retention effort. From understanding your members better to refining how you deliver value over time—the impact is huge.

  1. Track crucial membership metrics

Data-driven decisions are necessary for effectively retaining your members. But first, you need to track the right key performance indicators (KPIs).

The most important KPIs to monitor? Retention rate and churn rate are critical windows into your membership health:

Retention Rate = # of Members Renewed / # of Members Eligible for Renewal
Churn Rate = # of Members Not Renewed / Total # of Members

Other important membership metrics include:

  • New member acquisition numbers
  • Event attendance and engagement rates
  • Content consumption metrics
  • Revenue from membership fees, events, etc.

Clear insight into your KPIs helps you identify issues, test improvements, and ensure your retention initiatives are making the intended impact. Be sure to consistently review and optimize based on the numbers for long-term success. 

  1. Reward member loyalty

Recognizing and rewarding your long-standing, loyal members is a powerful retention strategy. Offering special incentives and discounts shows your appreciation and gives them added value.

For example, the American Automobile Association (AAA) provides discounted rates on hotels, rental cars, and tourist attractions for members. Consumer Reports offers loyal subscribers savings on renewal fees after 5+ years.

In addition to monetary perks, you can reward loyal members in other meaningful ways:

The key is tapping into what your loyal members truly value. Personalized rewards reinforce their decision to stick with your organization year after year.

READ MORE: Using SEO to Increase Association Event Attendance: 3 Steps
  1. Regularly collect and implement member feedback

Consistently gathering feedback from your members is crucial for retention. You need to stay dialed into their evolving needs, interests and pain points.

The opportunities to collect member input are endless:

  • Post-event & post-webinar surveys
  • Quarterly “check-in” emails
  • Online community forums & discussions
  • Social media listening
  • Focus groups & interviews

Make it an ongoing process to review this voice-of-the-member data. Analyze it for trends and areas to improve the member experience.

When you proactively listen and adapt based on feedback, you show members you’re invested in their success. This level of engagement and responsiveness is what keeps them sticking around long-term.

Boost Member Retention with Powerful Event Management Technology

With seemingly endless ideas for how to drive retention, you’ll find the best results come from using event management technology to help you work smarter, not harder.  

Consider Attendease by Tripleseat your partner in boosting membership retention. 

Access the following with our robust tools: 

Contact us to explore how to create the best membership experience possible this year!

Learn More!

Save Money and Trees: How to Run Sustainable Events

  • Event Management News
  • May 30, 2024
How to Run Sustainable Events

Events can be a great way to expand brand awareness, educate an audience on a given topic, or even form important connections within your industry. But if you aren’t careful when planning your event, it can also lead to unanticipated environmental harm.

According to MeetGreen, the average conference produces 4.17 lbs of waste per attendee, per day (2.56 lbs of which will go to a landfill). Compounded across a three-day event with 1,000 attendees, this adds up to just over 12,500 lbs of waste—roughly equivalent to the weight of four compact cars.

With attention to detail and an open mind, it’s possible to run a more sustainable event without blowing your budget on pricey “green” alternatives. This post explores exactly how to do it, including how event management software can play a key role. Let’s jump in!

How to Run a Sustainable Event: 6 Tips

Ready to make your events greener without breaking the bank? Here are 6 ways to get started. 

  1. Understand the carbon footprint of your event

Waste is a huge contributing factor to your event’s environmental impact. 

But before you can figure out where to make eco-conscious swaps, it’s important to understand the types of waste events produce. 

“Even with a good composting and recycling program at the venue, a mid-sized corporate trade show with around 5,000 attendees will still go through tons of waste,” shares Shawna McKinley, Events Sustainability Specialist. 

Some examples of common waste streams include: 

  • Disposable coffee cups, including lids
  • Food packaging and serviceware
  • Food waste
  • Vinyl banners
  • Name badges
  • Audio-visual waste (lightbulbs, batteries, cables, etc.)
  • Carpet
  • Plastics that can’t be recycled by municipal programs  

…To name only a few. 

However, the carbon footprint generated by your event goes beyond waste alone. 

McKinley suggests becoming aware of the carbon footprint generated by event-specific activities. This includes air travel and ground transportation, the energy used by hotels and venues, catering, and more. 

The graphic below shows the typical breakdown contributing to an event’s carbon footprint (based on a mid-sized national association conference tradeshow with around 5,000 attendees): 

Keeping these distributions in mind as you plan your event will open up opportunities to select greener alternatives at every stage.

GET THE FREE GUIDE: Learn the pieces that you need to run your multi-session event online!

  1. Make eco-conscious swaps for common waste types

Now that you understand where events typically create waste, you can choose greener alternatives. 

For example, if you know that most event waste is sent to landfills, any of the following strategies could enable you to divert event items to more sustainable alternatives:

Limit usage of paper signage, brochures, and other print materials

Unfortunately, attendees often toss these into the garbage—even if designated areas for recycling exist. Event planning software with a mobile event app or electronic files can communicate much of the same information without the need for paper!

Work with environmentally-conscious vendors

If these options aren’t made obvious by your vendors, ask. They may have eco-friendly solutions available, even if they don’t publicize them.

Choose refreshment options that require fewer waste products

For instance, a coffee bar with porcelain mugs will reduce waste from disposable cups, while a buffet-style meal will produce less trash than providing boxed meals for attendees. Even better, encourage your attendees to bring their own reusable mugs and utensils!

Identify options to reduce food waste

The more accurate your attendee counts are throughout the registration process, the closer you can get your order to what you’ll actually use. In addition, ask about options to donate unused food or to send it off for composting, rather than throwing it away.

Even implementing one of the above strategies can help your event significantly reduce waste. 

  1. Plan your event with sustainability in mind from the jump

Planning is your superpower. Use your skills and abilities to make greener choices from the get-go!

Here are examples of choices you can make in order to reduce your event’s greenhouse gas emissions:

Choose a central location that minimizes travel requirements

Holding your event in a major conference center rather than a more rural or suburban market ensures that more attendees and team members will be able to take direct flights instead of carbon-generating multi-leg journeys.

Book venues that can be easily accessed by public transportation

Ideally, this will minimize the number of attendees who will need to drive or take cabs to the event. You could even introduce a ride-sharing program to reduce ground transportation. 

Look for hotels with sustainability programs in place

Hyatt, for example, has a program called World of Care that outlines their commitment to “advancing environmental action so that destinations around the world are vibrant for our colleagues, guests, customers, owners, investors, and communities.”

Insist on LED light bulbs when possible

Not only do these bulbs use less energy to produce the same output, but they should also help the venue save on its utility costs.

Look for vendors whose meals and refreshments are locally sourced

Transporting out-of-season produce or foods that aren’t available locally results in the production of greenhouse gasses. 

Serving organic, vegetarian meals helps as well, as both commercial farming practices and the production of commercial meat are associated with higher emissions.

Eliminate print materials as much as possible

Forgoing print materials saves both print costs and the costs of the labor required to design, print, distribute, and clean up print materials. 

Look for traditionally paper-heavy processes like event registration to identify opportunities to reduce. For instance, event registration platforms allow you and your team to streamline registration without the burden of collecting and storing paper forms. 

Get as close as possible to your actual attendee counts

This won’t just reduce the waste associated with overbuying. It’ll also reduce the costs these overages add to your event bills. 

Not only will many of these steps help make your events as green as possible, but they can also help keep your costs low.

LEARN MORE: Hit your registration targets by following 4 easy steps to boost your event registration by 20%
  1. Take your event online

There’s no doubt about it: attendee travel is a huge source of emissions for events. To mitigate this, why not consider taking all or part of your event online?

Virtual and hybrid events—including conferences, seminars, press conferences, and more—continue to rise in popularity. Not only do they make your event accessible to attendees in different locations, but they also significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your event. Going online can also help lower costs related to venue, catering, security, labor, and more. 

You could also consider running more virtual events throughout the year to complement your annual conference. This is a great way to keep attendees engaged and eager for the next event! 

LEARN MORE: Looking for industry-leading virtual event software? Look no further than Attendease by Tripleseat. 
  1. Educate attendees on sustainable best practices

Of course, you can take all the steps in the world to make your event as environmentally friendly as possible. But if your attendees aren’t aware of their role in making the event sustainable, they may unintentionally hinder your efforts.

That’s why running a green event requires a commitment to attendee education. The following tips may help:

  • Make it measurable. Depending on the capabilities of your venue and vendors, see if it’s possible to quantify your green initiatives. For example, if you’re able to measure the amount of waste generated at the end of the event, set a goal that’s lower than a previous, similarly-sized event by a specific margin.
  • Be vocal about your goals. People love to feel like they’re part of a project or movement! So don’t be shy about announcing your efforts to make your event as sustainable as possible. If you’re trying to reduce your waste by 50% compared to another event, share this number as a part of your event announcements and encourage every person to do their part.
  • Integrate reminders into your event app. Use built-in notifications or an event FAQ to share your goal as well as the specific activities attendees can take to be a part of the effort.

If you’re trying to reduce waste, it may help to limit the number of places where trash can be disposed of versus recycled. You could also staff a team member near the receptacles to help remind guests of your goals (paper signage doing the same would be undesirable for obvious reasons!).

  1. Manage sustainability shortfalls (be realistic)

It’s worth keeping in mind that there are no waste-free or perfectly sustainable events. 

Attendees will toss items into the trash and forget to turn off the lights in meeting rooms, not out of ill intent but out of habit or because sustainability is the last thing on their minds in hectic event environments.

Trying to make environmental sustainability fun can help. 

Vicky Martín of ACCIONA Producciones y Diseño shares one example of having done so at a past event with the Active Sustainability website: “For the ‘Día de la Música’ festival, we encouraged the audience to exchange used plastic cups for books and magazines under the slogan ‘turn your waste into culture.’” 

She also writes about using, at a different event, “an iPad application which enabled guests to know about their carbon footprint or C02 emitted according to the means of transport they had used to go to the event.”

If all else fails, you can estimate the total carbon emissions produced by your event and purchase carbon offset credits through companies like Terrapass. 

Not only will doing so help to mitigate the damage associated with conferences and other events, it may allow you to advertise your event as being “carbon neutral.”

Start Small for Sustainability with Event Management Software

You may not be able to make all of these changes at once. But every step made in the direction of environmental-friendliness matters!

Take a look at your upcoming events, and see which swaps will be the easiest to make. Talk to your venue and vendors about the green options they offer. As your sustainability program grows in sophistication, add more and more of these practices until you’ve created a truly green event.

Looking to reduce cumbersome, paper-heavy processes? Considering moving part or all of your next event online? Attendease by Tripleseat has you covered. 

  • Support in-person, online, and hybrid events with one platform
  • Seamless online registration for all event types
  • Secure payments with Stripe, Microsoft, Apple, and/or Google Pay
  • Template and automate key workflows to make multi-event management easier

We uncomplicate even your most complicated events—and help make them a bit greener in the process. Want to learn how? Book a demo today.

Learn More!

6 Easy Ways to Facilitate Networking At Your Next Healthcare Event

  • Event Management News
  • May 21, 2024
6 Easy Ways to Facilitate Networking At Your Next Healthcare Event

For many healthcare professionals, the real value of a conference lies in networking.  

Healthcare conferences and seminars provide opportunities to reconnect with existing colleagues. They also provide valuable ways to meet new partners, clients, and friends. Some people may not attend a healthcare event expressly to network, but almost everyone will agree that networking is beneficial.

As an event planner in healthcare, it’s up to you to incorporate easy and effective networking opportunities into your event program. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. 

In this article, we’ve compiled 5 ways you can facilitate networking at your next event without breaking a sweat. You’ll also learn how event software for healthcare can make networking even easier for your attendees—and for you. Let’s dive in!

6 Ways to Build Networking into Your Healthcare Event

Creating networking opportunities for healthcare professionals doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are 6 ways to facilitate networking at your next healthcare conference or seminar.

1. Make sure your conference planning app has social integration

When planning your healthcare event, consider using a conference planning app that integrates with social platforms. 

Not sure which solution to choose? Start by reflecting on what would make networking easier for your attendees. 

For instance, an integration with LinkedIn can provide valuable insights into who is attending, which companies or organizations they represent, and connections attendees may already have with them. This can save attendees time and effort as they prioritize who they’d like to connect with during the conference. 

When your conference planning app has social capabilities, attendees can begin networking before the event, use it to network during the event, and continue to network even after the event. 

GET THE FREE HANDBOOK: Master The Art Of Choosing The Right Event Management Platform

2. Adapt the traditional format to include networking-focused activities

Meeting someone influential or inspiring is a major draw for many conferencegoers. As the saying goes, “Your network is your net worth.” 

With this in mind, you can adapt the format of your healthcare conference to improve the chances that attendees will make valuable connections. 

We recommend using a “speed dating” format. In short, attendees are paired with each other based on differences in discipline and job seniority in order to forge connections that would normally be unlikely (e.g. experienced and early-career healthcare professionals). Each pair has a predetermined amount of time to chat before being ushered to their next pairing. 

The key idea is that adapting the standard conference format to include networking-focused activities can benefit everyone involved.

3. Provide attendees with a mobile-friendly, interactive schedule

Another way to help your attendees network is to provide them with an interactive schedule they can access from their mobile devices. 

Allowing your attendees to build their schedules on the fly gives them the ability to prioritize their itinerary and optimize their time—including where and when to network. 

  • EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease) delivers interactive, mobile-friendly schedules as a feature of your event website. This means your attendees can access their schedules without needing to download an app!

Giving attendees full control of their conference timetable allows them to make informed choices about which networking opportunities to pursue. Plus, access to their schedules means attendees can discover moments to network they might not have otherwise known about. 

LEARN MORE: How to Boost Engagement During Healthcare Meetings and Events

4. Create an online community for your attendees

Extend the networking possibilities past the duration of your healthcare conference by creating an online community. 

Through an online community, group, or forum, your attendees have the opportunity to cultivate professional connections even before they arrive at the event. 

First, choose a service to host the community or commission a developer to create a custom solution. Your attendees can log in and fill out professional profiles they will share with the rest of the community. They can reach out to other attendees, browse the list of who will be in attendance, and get an idea of who might be a valuable connection. 

Once the conference is over, attendees can stay connected and keep the fruitful conversations going!

5. Design the layout and setup of the conference with networking in mind

Another consideration is the layout and setup of the conference space itself—especially breakout areas. 

Areas where people congregate, like tea and coffee stations, influence networking because people naturally gravitate towards them. The shape, size, and placement of these points have an effect on how easy it is to start, join, or leave a conversation. 

The key is to build a space that encourages movement. If people are sedentary, there will be fewer opportunities to network. So instead of having fixed seating, for instance, we recommend having high-top tables or modular seating so that attendees can easily move around the space. 

LEARN MORE: Healthcare Events: Ideas for Every Size and Type

6. Host dedicated networking sessions or activities

Finally, consider setting aside specific time slots in the conference schedule purely for networking. This could take the form of:

  • Networking lunches or dinners where attendees are seated strategically to encourage new connections
  • Cocktail hours or receptions focused on mingling
  • Topic-based roundtable discussions that group attendees by interests
  • Organized networking walks, runs, yoga classes, etc. to combine wellness and networking

The key is carving out dedicated time where the sole focus is on the attendees meeting each other. This removes the pressure of having to network on top of absorbing content from lectures and panels.

The networking-centric time slots could be optional so attendees who prefer can use them as free time. But for many, having it built into the agenda may be the nudge they need to prioritize meeting others.

Simplify Your Healthcare Event Planning with a Powerful Suite of Tools

With endless opportunities to network online, healthcare conferences must provide an experience that offers real value to attendees. Networking opportunities need to be front and center. 

Encourage healthcare professionals to gather with ease. From small to large and complex events, plan and manage all of your events with one flexible platform: EventUp Planner by Tripleseat. Book a quick demo to learn more about how our complete event management software and automation platform can help you plan your next healthcare event with ease.

Learn More!

Post-Event Survey Questions to Ask (+ Email Best Practices)

  • Event Management News
  • May 9, 2024
Best Practices When Sending Post-Event Surveys Blog Banner

Some may think an event is over when the guests leave the venue, and the doors are shut, but event managers still do much more work. Part of the work is to gauge attendees’ satisfaction and measure the event’s success. Today, we will share some best practices to help you create effective event surveys to measure this success.

What Are Post-Event Surveys?

Post-event surveys are used to gather feedback and insights after the conclusion of an event. These surveys typically consist of questionnaires designed to capture the opinions and experiences of participants, attendees, and stakeholders involved in the event.

Why Are Post-Event Surveys Important?

The information collected through post-event surveys serves several important purposes:

Evaluation of Event Success

Post-event surveys help organizers assess the overall success of the event. Participants’ feedback provides insights into what aspects of the event went well and what areas need improvement.

Understanding Participant Satisfaction

Surveys gauge participant satisfaction by capturing opinions on various elements such as content, speakers, venue, logistics, and overall experience. They serve as a means to engage with attendees and show that their opinions and experiences are valued.

Marketing Insights

Post-event surveys can provide valuable insights for marketing purposes. Understanding what aspects resonated with participants allows organizers to highlight these elements in future promotional efforts.

Improving Future Events

Feedback obtained from post-event surveys guides organizers in making necessary adjustments and improvements for future events. It allows them to tailor upcoming events based on the preferences and expectations of the audience.

Best Practices for Post-Event Survey Emails

Email Timing

When discussing follow-up survey emails, the earlier is always the better. You should never wait more than 24 hours after an event to send a follow-up email. That’s because people will remember their experience better and share their feelings more accurately right after the experience happened. For this reason, it’s important that you have your follow-up emails ready to be sent and preferably scheduled to be sent automatically. Having an email marketing tool will be key to providing you with scheduling capabilities so your emails are sent automatically at the time of your choice.

Audience Segmentation

By segmenting your audience, you are able to ask questions that relate to each group in addition to being able to isolate the results for each of the audiences surveyed. For example, instead of getting a total average satisfaction rating among the entire audience, you can analyze how each segment felt about the event. Some audiences you may consider general attendees, VIP attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, etc. 

Email Message

When sending a feedback survey, don’t forget to add a personal message to the email with the survey link to thank them and share a personal note of your perspective of the event. This will keep things human and genuine so you can build a long-lasting relationship with each person. The message may vary according to each audience you are messaging.

Survey Design

Regarding feedback surveys, the design would translate into both email design and the survey webpage. Your current email marketing tool should take care of the email part, but keeping that consistency across the survey page is also important. Tools like EventUp Planner can help you keep that design consistent while allowing you to manage all these moving parts straight from one unique platform.

Best Practices for Post-Event Survey Questions

Most post-event surveys will focus on what worked (so you can repeat) and what didn’t (so you can improve next time). In order to gather the information and analyze it, you should consider what types of questions to ask.

Types of Post-Event Survey Questions

Objective questions are easier to measure. For example, rating the overall event experience from 1 to 10 or answering yes/ no questions. These types of questions will be easier to translate into a chart so you can better visualize and understand the data.

On the other hand, open-ended questions may be helpful at times. If someone rated the event as “poor,” you will want them to share what made them feel that way. So, it is necessary to balance objective and open-ended questions to get enough data to analyze and decide for your next event.

The best practice is always first to capture your Net Promoter Score (NPS) question. That’s because the person responding to your survey can share their overall sentiment after the event without being influenced by other questions you may ask throughout the survey. Other survey questions may induce a rating that is worse than what you would normally get simply because you reminded them of less-than-stellar experiences that were not top of mind to start with. 

Download Our Event Reporting Guidebook
Download Our Event Reporting Guidebook


25 Example Post-Event Survey Questions

NPS Example Questions:

1.     How would you rate the event from 1 to 5 (or 1 to 10)?

This question provides a quantitative measure of overall satisfaction to help organizers gauge the success of the event and identify areas for improvement based on the average rating.

2.     How likely would you recommend this event to a friend/ colleague?

This question offers a quantitative measure of overall satisfaction and provides insights into the potential for repeat attendance or referrals for future events.

Objective Example Questions:

Here are some examples where you can use a dropdown or a checkbox style of question and add a field for “other” if the attendee wants to add more information. This way, you can capture both qualitative and quantitative data:

3.     How did you learn about the event?

Understanding the channels through which attendees discover events is essential for refining marketing strategies and allocating resources effectively to reach target audiences.

4.     Why did you decide to attend this event?

This question uncovers attendees’ motivations, informing organizers about the aspects of the event that resonate most with the audience and guiding future programming and content decisions to align with these interests.

5.     What were your favorite sessions/ speakers/ exhibitors?

Understanding attendees’ favorite sessions, speakers, and exhibitors provides insight into what aspects of the event resonated most with them, enabling organizers to tailor future events to better meet attendees’ interests and preferences.

6.     How would you rate the venue, food, attractions, etc.

Rating the venue, food, attractions, and other amenities helps organizers gauge overall satisfaction with the event experience and identify areas of improvement for future events.

7.     Did this event meet your expectations?

Assessing whether the event met attendees’ expectations offers valuable feedback on the event’s effectiveness and helps refine event planning and execution to better align with attendee expectations in the future.

8.     If you have no barriers, would you like to attend this event again next year?

Exploring attendees’ willingness to attend the event again offers a gauge of overall satisfaction and informs organizers about the event’s potential for long-term success and attendee loyalty.

Open-Ended Example Questions:

Lastly, you should always have at least one open-ended question to gather additional feedback:

9.     Was there anything you disliked about the event?

This open-ended question allows attendees to express concerns or grievances not captured by structured questions, providing valuable qualitative feedback for addressing specific pain points and improving future event experiences.

10.  Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?

By inviting attendees to share additional thoughts, organizers can uncover unexpected insights, positive experiences, or suggestions for innovation that may not have been covered by predefined survey questions.

Other Example Post-Event Survey Questions

11.  How did the event contribute to your professional development or industry knowledge?

Understanding how the event contributed to attendees’ professional development or industry knowledge is crucial for assessing its effectiveness in providing value and fostering professional growth.

12.  Were the topics covered in the event relevant to your interests and expectations?

Ensuring that the topics covered align with attendees’ interests and expectations helps tailor future event content to maximize engagement and relevance.

13.  How would you rate the overall logistics and organization of the event?

Evaluating the logistics and organization of the event provides insights into areas of improvement for smoother operations in future events.

14.  Did you find the networking opportunities at the event valuable?

Assessing the value of networking opportunities informs organizers about the effectiveness of networking sessions, guiding future efforts to facilitate meaningful connections among attendees.

15.  How effective was the use of technology and multimedia in enhancing your event experience?

Gauging the effectiveness of technology usage can help guide future decisions on integrating innovative tools to increase participant engagement.

16.  Were there any technical issues or improvements you would suggest for future events?

Identifying technical issues and suggestions for improvement enables organizers to address shortcomings and enhance the overall event experience for future participants.

17.  Did you feel a sense of community and engagement throughout the event?

Measuring the sense of community and engagement throughout the event helps in understanding the success of community-building efforts and fostering a vibrant event atmosphere.

18.  What impact did the event have on your professional or personal development?

Understanding the impact of the event on attendees’ professional or personal development provides valuable feedback for refining future event goals and content to better meet participant needs.

19.  How valuable did you find the post-event resources provided, such as presentations, recordings, or additional materials?

Assessing the value of post-event resources guides decisions on resource allocation and content creation, ensuring that the materials provided align with attendee expectations and learning needs.

20.  Were there any measures taken to accommodate diverse needs that you appreciated?

Understanding the effectiveness of measures taken to accommodate diverse needs provides valuable insights into the inclusivity and accessibility of the event and guides future event planning.

21.  How would you rate the accessibility and inclusivity of the event for all participants?

Rating the accessibility and inclusivity of the event for all participants informs organizers about areas needing improvement to create a more welcoming and equitable environment for future attendees.

22.  Did you utilize any post-event resources for extending your learning or networking?

Evaluating post-event resource utilization indicates the relevance and usefulness of provided materials, informing decisions on future resource development and distribution strategies.

23.  What aspects of the event stood out to you as particularly positive or noteworthy?

Identifying positive aspects of the event highlights successful elements that can be leveraged in future events to enhance overall attendee satisfaction and engagement.

24.  Were there any aspects of the event that you think could be improved for future editions?

Soliciting feedback on areas for improvement enables organizers to address shortcomings and implement changes to enhance the quality and effectiveness of future events.

25.  What suggestions do you have for enhancing the overall participant experience in future events?

Gathering suggestions for enhancing the overall participant experience guides strategic planning efforts and helps ensure that future events are more engaging, enjoyable, and valuable for attendees.

Ideal Post-Event Survey Length

One thing to remember is that the longer the survey, the lower the conversion rates will be. Aim to have no more than ten questions for better conversion rates. Multiple choice, radio buttons, and other objective questions demand less effort and can win higher conversion rates than asking too many open-ended questions. So try only to ask what you absolutely need. You can also offer incentives to motivate people to provide feedback, such as a discount code for the next event, a cash/ gift card incentive, or a draw-entry to win a prize.

Social Media Listening for Post-Event Feedback

Another way to gauge event performance, especially for larger events, is to listen to what people share on social media. Social listening tools will be able to create reports to filter messages using your event hashtag, talking about you and your event, and, more importantly, analyzing the overall sentiment during and after the event. That means analyzing the words used in relation to the event and defining them as positive or negative experiences. You can also analyze a word cloud to learn the most used words around your event.

Gauging Event Success with Post-Event Surveys & EventUp Planner

You got the answers to your survey; now what? Tools like EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease) can help you visualize your survey data so that you can analyze results and make better decisions for your next event. In addition to creating unique surveys for all your audience segments, you can also compare survey results from different events to determine which events perform better and why. We live in a data-driven world, so we must listen before taking action to thrive. Follow-up and surveys are where it starts. 

Do you need a tool to help you with email marketing, survey capabilities, and data analysis? Check out what EventUp Planner can do for you.

Let’s Talk

4 Easy Ways to Boost Event Registration by 20%

  • Event Management News
  • May 7, 2024
4 Easy Ways to Boost Event Registration by 20%

You’ve spent countless hours and resources planning an amazing event. But what happens if no one shows up? 

Event registration can make or break the success of your event. A seamless event registration process leads to more attendees and higher revenues. A leaky process, on the other hand, leads to missed opportunities and diminishing ROI. 

Let’s examine an often overlooked but important source of attendees for your event: incomplete registrants AKA the people who stalled midway through your event registration process.

The Baymard Institute found that abandoned cart rates averaged almost 70%, sometimes going as high as 84%. Event planners, that’s a lot of lost registrants for your event!

Fortunately, with thoughtful retargeting and a series of strategic emails, you can boost attendance to your event—gaining back as many as 20% or more of your event registrations that stalled along the way! Event registration platforms can help you get there. Keep reading to learn how. 

Let’s Do The Math on Incomplete Event Attendees

Let’s say your event ticket is $100. If 400 people begin the registration process, but only 70% of them follow through, that leaves 30% incomplete—which translates to $12,000 in missed revenue. Yikes!

If you successfully revived even 20% of those prospective event attendees (24 people), that would be $2,400 with a little effort on your part. You just have to know what you’re looking for. 

If you don’t believe this could have a massive impact on your event strategy, plug in the numbers from your own registration statistics, and see what that missing revenue would be—you might be surprised!

You’ll likely find that the potential revenue is well worth the minimal time and effort it takes to set up a retargeting campaign. Event registration software can streamline the process. 

GET THE FREE CHECKLIST: Take the guesswork out of designing an event registration strategy that drives your customers to buy!


4 Strategies to Boost Event Registration

Ready to increase your event registration numbers with minimal time and effort? Explore the following 4 strategies: 

  1. Run an automated email campaign

When it comes to event registration, event analytics are your friend. 

First, navigate to the registration module of your event management software. Once there, you should be able to compile a comprehensive report that will identify all of the partially completed or incomplete registration forms. 

Next, you can set up a series of automated yet personalized emails to go out to these people who have abandoned their registration process, regardless of where in the funnel they dropped out. 

Did you know that registration abandonment emails typically have much higher open and click-to-open rates than other marketing emails? That’s because prospective attendees are already familiar with the event and just need a little reminder or encouragement to complete their registration form.

By creating an email campaign filled with engaging event content, keynote speaker highlights, or even a discount for your prospective attendees (more on this below), you can increase your event registration revenues considerably.

  1. Catch registration problems early in the game

Sometimes people drop out of the registration process due to design flaws in your event registration forms. Other times prospective attendees may have questions about some of the required information, or concerns about data security. Or they may have simply become distracted before they were able to complete your form.

You can set up an automated email to go out to these potential registrants as early as the same day as a registration form is abandoned. The email should be a gentle reminder that they have not completed the registration process, along with an invitation to contact you for technical assistance if necessary. 

If you think it might apply, you can also include some reassuring language that directs prospective attendees to your event’s legal policy or terms and conditions. The tone should be friendly and lighthearted. Here are some great examples of effective emails to inspire you.

  1. Send a reminder about an upcoming registration milestone

If your event invitation contains an early bird discount, you can use the upcoming deadline as a reason to send another email reminder to your incomplete or abandoned registrants. 

Make sure you send it at least a few days, if not a week before the deadline, in order to give them adequate time to take advantage of the opportunity. Sending another one the day before the deadline is not taboo, either. 

Remember, these are people who have already shown interest in your event. They just need a little nudge.

  1. When all else fails, offer a special deal

You’ve already sent out as many as two emails, and no response yet. 

We don’t recommend sending more than three well spaced follow-ups in total, as too many may be considered aggressive. On your last attempt, make it count—your incomplete or abandoned registrants might need a small incentive in order to convert.

After your traditional milestone deadlines have passed, try offering a special discount or incentive, either at or just under the early bird rate. Clearly communicate that this offer is for those prospective attendees who have initiated the registration process earlier on. 

  • With event registration software like Attendease by Tripleseat, you can even provide unique promo codes to manage this process. 

Sometimes price is the main barrier for prospective attendees not having completed their online registration the first time around. Offering a slight savings may be just the motivation to help them make up their minds and commit, once and for all.

LEARN MORE: Not sure how to effectively price tickets to your next event? We’ve got you covered with our in-depth ticketing guide. 

Boost Your Registration with a Powerful Event Registration Platform

Event registration can make or break your next event. Fortunately, you don’t have to master this process alone.

Attendease by Tripleseat provides powerful event registration and ticketing software that makes it easy to customize a seamless experience for your attendees. 

It’s never been easier to: 

  • Manage pricing categories, promo codes, and group passes
  • Create unique registration forms for specific pass types
  • Save registration forms to use again in future meetings and events
  • Schedule your fully branded registration experience to go live at any time you’re ready

For more information on how we can help you boost your event registration, get in touch with us to book a demo.

Simplify the Complexity of Managing Your Meetings and Events with a Powerful Suite of Tools

Make your attendees gather with ease. From small to large and complex events – plan and manage all of your events in one flexible platform – Attendease.

Learn More!

4 Proven Event Formats for Launching Your Next Pharmaceutical Product

  • Event Management News
  • April 25, 2024
Apple event 2021

This is an exciting time for your pharmaceutical company. 

You’ve spent countless hours doing R&D, passed all regulatory requirements, and you’re finally ready to bring a revolutionary new product to market. But whether this is your first launch or your fiftieth one, you know this phase is only the beginning. 

An engaging introduction to the market is crucial for your new product’s success. So, how do you effectively engage your audience, increase brand awareness and trust, and ensure your product starts off on the right foot—all at the same time? 

You plan a successful product launch event.

In this guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of planning a memorable pharmaceutical event to launch your next product. Let’s dive in! 

What Is Experiential Marketing, and Why Does It Matter?

Whether you’ve gawked at the lineups outside an Apple Store the week after an Apple Event or stumbled upon a unique pop-up during your lunch break, one thing is for certain: experiential marketing is more popular and more effective than ever!

Experiential marketing—sometimes also referred to as event marketing—consists of direct, one-on-one engagement with the consumer in a branded offline or hybrid experience. 

At its core, experiential marketing encourages interactivity, engages the consumer’s senses, and helps to promote a positive, humanized brand impression that can be seen, heard, and felt.

Pharmaceutical companies can learn from the success of companies like Apple who use event marketing to generate serious buzz and sell out their new products. 

GET THE HANDBOOK: Not sure how to choose the right event management platform for your needs? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. 

Key Considerations for Pharmaceutical Event Planning

The first thing you should consider is the type of event that would ultimately make your launch more successful. The key is to create something that your audience will find engaging, informative, and memorable.

For instance, if your audience is healthcare professionals, you might consider a webinar series to launch your product and provide training. Or if you’re looking to connect with the general public, a virtual press conference with medical experts might work best.  

In general, pharmaceutical launch events typically involve a combination of educational presentations, panel discussions with experts, and media engagement to generate awareness and interest in the new product. 

Pharmaceutical Product Launch

4 Top Formats for Your Next Pharmaceutical Event

Next, let’s discuss the best event formats for your next pharma product launch: 

1. Keynote Event

Delivering a keynote address at a major conference is a powerful way to launch your latest pharmaceutical product. This format allows you to showcase your latest innovation on a prominent stage, often in front of thousands of healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry leaders!

A compelling keynote typically features a charismatic speaker—such as a renowned expert or company executive—who delivers an engaging presentation that highlights the groundbreaking science, clinical benefits, and patient impact of the new product. 

For example, at the 2017 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, Novartis delivered a keynote address to launch their new psoriasis treatment, Cosentyx. The presentation featured impressive efficacy data and patient testimonials, generating buzz and excitement among dermatologists in attendance. 

Keynote addresses are ideal for hybrid events, as many are live streamed to reach a global audience. So if you’re looking for a way to elevate your brand and inspire a highly targeted audience of healthcare professionals, a keynote with a strong media focus is ideal.

LEARN MORE: 35 Creative Product Launch Event Ideas to Try This Year

2. Industry Trade Shows and Conferences

Trade shows and conferences are the perfect place to connect with healthcare professionals, industry experts, and potential partners or investors. These events provide an ideal platform to showcase the latest drugs, therapies, and medical devices your company has to offer. 

For example, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting—the world’s largest oncology conference—is a prime venue for pharmaceutical companies to present clinical trial results and introduce new cancer therapies. 

Consider setting up exhibits, delivering presentations, and holding press conferences to generate interest in your product among the medical community and media. 

Plus, by engaging with healthcare professionals and industry leaders at these events, your company can effectively raise awareness about your new product and establish valuable connections within the industry. It’s a win-win!

3. Virtual Press Conference

When launching a new pharmaceutical product, consider hosting a virtual press conference. Doing so allows you to effectively reach a wide audience of journalists, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders. 

A well-organized virtual press conference typically includes presentations by company executives, medical experts, and key opinion leaders, followed by a Q&A session. 

For example, Biogen held a virtual press conference in June 2020 to announce the FDA approval of their Alzheimer’s drug, Aducanumab. The event included presentations by company executives, medical experts, and patient advocates, discussing the drug’s potential to slow cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.

Ultimately, virtual press conferences allow your company to deliver a compelling narrative around your new product, generate media coverage, and build excitement among relevant stakeholders—all without breaking the bank. 

LEARN MORE: Healthcare Events: Ideas for Every Size and Type

4. Webinar Series

Webinars are another powerful format to launch your latest pharmaceutical product. This format allows you to deliver in-depth, informative content that showcases the science behind your new product while providing valuable insights to medical experts. 

A well-structured webinar series typically consists of multiple sessions spread over a period of time, each focusing on a specific aspect of the new product, such as its mechanism of action, clinical trial results, and patient management strategies. 

Gilead Sciences, for instance, successfully launched its hepatitis C medication, Harvoni, in 2014 through a series of educational webinars. These events highlighted the drug’s high efficacy and convenient single-pill regimen, providing healthcare professionals with the knowledge and confidence to prescribe the new treatment. 

By leveraging event management software, a webinar series can help your company educate and engage with healthcare professionals and ultimately drive the adoption of your new product. 

LEARN MORE: Best Practices for Hosting a Webinar Event

Uncomplicate Your Pharma Event Planning with Event Management Software

Launching a new pharmaceutical product requires careful planning and execution.

By choosing the right event format—whether it’s a keynote address, trade show exhibit, virtual press conference, or webinar series—you can showcase your product’s unique features, share compelling clinical data, and establish your company as a leader in the field. 

Need a helping hand with your pharmaceutical event planning? Attendease provides a powerful suite of tools to manage all of your events—large and small—in one place. 

Learn more today!

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6 Killer Revenue-Boosting Ideas for Your Next Fundraising Event

  • Event Management News
  • April 16, 2024
6 Killer Revenue-Boosting Ideas for Your Next Fundraising Event

Fundraising events are mutually beneficial for all. Not only do these events provide nonprofits with funds to power their mission, but they also offer a meaningful experience for donors, allowing you to steward stronger relationships. 

One of the best events to raise serious funds and engage donors is a charity auction. A charity auction is a high-energy, flexible event that is sure to excite any audience, whether it’s taking place online, in-person, or as a hybrid combination of both. 

To help your nonprofit bring this engaging fundraising event idea to life, we’ll explore six innovative ideas to increase your ROI. But first, let’s uncover the fundamentals of charity auctions.  

What is a Charity Auction? 

Auctions involve guests bidding on fun, unique, or luxurious items, and the highest bidder takes home the prize. There are three types of auctions:

  • Live auctions involve an auctioneer announcing items and accepting bids from the audience, whose members either state their bids aloud or raise a paddle.  
  • Silent auctions traditionally involve showcasing auction packages around a venue and guests submitting paper bids. However, paper bids can easily get disorganized, making it much more difficult for your team to effectively stay on top of incoming bids. Instead, use mobile bidding software so your participants can submit bids right from their phones. We’ll discuss this feature in more detail in the next section! 
  • Online auctions are hosted through online auction software and allow guests to bid from wherever they are, whenever they’re able to. 

Auctions involve an extensive planning process, including item procurement 9-12 months in advance, pre-event ticketing and registration, and logistics like booking the venue, catering, and technical equipment. This is why it’s essential to take ample time to prepare and get your team ready to host a show-stopping event! 

6 Ideas to Accelerate Auction Fundraising 

Auctions have the potential to be highly lucrative, but to make the most of your fundraising efforts, you need the right strategies. Let’s jump into six proven ways you can accelerate your ROI and meet and exceed your goals. 

1. Invest in the Right Auction Software 

Technology is a powerful force to increase efficiency and fundraising power for any event. OneCause recommends investing in auction software with intuitive features like:

  • Event management: Look for fundraising software that empowers your team to easily manage every step of the event planning process, including facilitating contactless check-in and check-out, generating custom ticket packages, sending segmented communications to guests, and more. 
  • Mobile bidding: With the right mobile bidding tools, participants can submit bids right from their phones, set maximum bids, and receive outbid alerts to bring them right back into the action.  
  • Item management: Easily track the status of your item procurement efforts, bundle items into packages, and create solicitation letters to send to donors and corporate sponsors.  
  • Gamification: Feature leadership scoreboards, fundraising thermometers, and engagement drivers like live chat for remote events to keep participants tapped into your event.  
  • Data tracking: Use software that will automatically generate real-time data reports so you always have a full picture of how your fundraising strategy is performing. 

Keep in mind that the right fundraising tool won’t just help you run auctions but will also make it simple to host fundraisers of all types, including walkathons, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and more. Invest in an all-in-one fundraising software to get the most bang for your buck. 

GET THE FREE GUIDE: Leverage Effective Ticket Pricing Strategies & Sell Out Your Events

2. Incorporate Social Fundraising 

Social fundraising draws on the power of your supporter’s social networks to raise donations for your cause. The most common examples are: 

  • Peer-to-peer: Create a peer-to-peer fundraising page associated with your event and allow supporters to create their own personal fundraising pages alongside it. Donors can share their pages and solicit gifts from their networks, expanding the reach of your nonprofit. Make sure to work with comprehensive peer-to-peer fundraising tools to make the process as easy as possible for your participants. 
  • Giving days: Conduct a time-intensive, hyper-condensed online fundraising campaign, aiming to reach a specific goal within 24 hours. Think #GivingTuesday, but planned specifically to boost energy and awareness leading up to your auction. These campaigns thrive on social media, where donors can help spread the word. 
  • Challenges: Participants complete some sort of challenge (ex, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge) and donate to your organization after doing so. They share a video of the challenge with their networks and challenge a few friends to continue the trend. 

Begin social fundraising in advance of your auction to help raise awareness and build excitement. At the event, announce how much was raised before your event even started to thank participants and show the power of social fundraising in action.  

3. Tap Ambassadors to Support Your Fundraising Plan 

Ambassador fundraising leverages peer-to-peer fundraising by tasking ambassadors (your most loyal and involved supporters) to raise funds before, during, and after your auction. 

There are three steps to successful ambassador fundraising: 

  1. Select ambassadors. Look to your board members, volunteers, people with social media clout, your event planning committee, and any honored guests coming to your event, like community leaders, to help.
  2. Define your program. You’ll need to outline how you will leverage ambassadors (ex, social media promotion), what your ambassadors’ goals will be (ex, selling the most tickets), and how you will onboard ambassadors. 
  3. Motivate ambassadors. Use an ambassador leaderboard and incentives (such as special prizes) to motivate supporters. 

Ambassadors can prove to be a valuable way to spread the word about your event, increasing attendance and total revenue. Make sure to properly prepare your ambassadors with any information they may need about the event, check in with them regularly, and thank them for their efforts.  

GET THE FREE CHECKLIST: How To Boost Event Registration

4. Create an Event Microsite 

Create an event microsite to provide guests with the information they need to participate and engage their networks. Include information like:

  • A short introduction to your nonprofit. 
  • Explain how you’re using the proceeds to benefit your cause. 
  • Rules for bidding and instructions on using your mobile bidding software. 
  • Event schedule. 

Then, include information about the items available for bidding: 

  • Name and number of each item. 
  • Specific but brief description of the item. 
  • Market value, starting bid amount, and minimum raise amount. 
  • High-quality photos. 

Make sure that you generate an auction item list that aligns with your supporters’ interests and fits their budgets. This way, you can garner the most amount of bids possible. 

LEARN MORE: 5 Tips to Streamline Web Communication for Healthcare Events

To spread the word, have members of your staff and volunteers share the link to your microsite widely on multiple channels, such as:

The different types of platforms nonprofits can use for multichannel marketing, repeated below
  • Social media
  • Your website
  • Email
  • Text messaging
  • Direct mail
  • Print ads
  • Flyers
  • Radio or TV slot 

Taking a multichannel approach can help you increase touchpoints with supporters and keep your organization’s event top of mind. Pair your content with strong calls to action to register or donate early so you can spark engagement. 

5. Add Raffles to Spike Giving. 

Raffles are a quick and easy addition to any fundraising event, including auctions. Simply sell raffle tickets throughout the event and draw a winner at the end of the night! 

To add this to your event, make sure that your raffle is: 

  • Desirable for your guests. Take a deep dive into past raffle sales and auction item interest to determine what your audience historically has been willing to bid on. 
  • Worthwhile to raffle instead of auction. Ensure you’re raffling off an item that you’ll cover the price of, and raise additional revenue by selling raffle tickets alone. 
  • Not competing with your auction items. Remember, your raffle is supplementing your auction. You don’t want to raffle off something that’s going to draw the attention away from your main attraction! 

Consider selling raffle tickets ahead of your event. You’ll give guests a taste of what your event will entail (like a preview of an auction item) and build interest. 

Keep in mind that raffles are technically considered gambling by the IRS. Check the laws of your state to determine if you’re able to host a raffle at all or if there are specific guidelines around how to conduct your own in-person or online raffle. 

6. Gamify Your Event  

Using gamification is a powerful tool to add competition, fun, and fundraising momentum to any event. Leverage the following gamification features to amp up giving: 

  • Bid scoreboard: Assign numbers to guests so they can bid with their numerical identity rather than their names. Project a leaderboard of who is winning each item and by how much for some friendly competition. 
  • Fundraising thermometer: Project a fundraising thermometer displaying how much has been raised by the event in tickets, bids, and donations so far. Set a realistic stretch goal number and challenge guests to reach it by the end of the night! 
  • Prizes: Offer incentives to ramp up giving for the night to the top bidders, such as free branded merchandise, a lunch with your organization’s leaders, or discounted tickets to your next event.  
  • Memory-style tile game: Make use of a memory-style tile game that displays sponsor logos. This will spark friendly competition between attendees while boosting your supporters’ engagement with your sponsors. 

Gamification encourages guests to raise more and enhances their attendee experience. Check-in with your event guests regularly to assess their engagement and add in more gamification tactics as needed. 

Implement Six Revenue-Boosting Strategies To Amplify Your Charity Auction

Through this guide, we’ve explored six revenue-boosting strategies to amplify your charity auction. Mix and match ideas or add your own unique twist on them to meet your audience’s preferences. By analyzing your donor data, you can make more informed decisions on how to organize events that will inspire generosity and resonate with donors.

LEARN MORE: Healthcare Events: Ideas for Every Size and Type

Make Fundraising Easier with Event Software

Incorporating charity auctions into your hospital fundraisers can be a game-changer for boosting revenue and engaging your supporters. 

To streamline the planning and execution of your fundraising events, consider using an event management software like Attendease! 

With features like branded event websites, simplified registration and ticketing, marketing automation, and robust reporting, our tools can help you save time, reduce stress, and create more successful fundraising events that drive your mission forward. 


Book a demo to learn more today!

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Event Ticket Pricing Strategies [2024 Guide]

  • Event Management News
  • March 27, 2024
product-school

How much you decide to charge for tickets can make or break your event. In this guide, we will cover proven ticket pricing strategies to help you determine your ticket prices and ensure the financial success of your event.

1. Determine Your Event’s Value

Before exploring ticket pricing strategies to drive event revenue, you’ll need to revisit your event design. In a talk with Anthony Vade, Director of North America at Event Design Collective, we learned just how crucial this step is.

Revisiting your event design means closely examining your stakeholders (attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, leadership, etc.), what they want to get out of the event, and what value the event will bring them. Once you know your event’s value, you’ll be able to apply a price tag to it confidently.

Here are a few key things Anthony Vade made note of around value:

Information Delivery Is No Longer Enough

While you might think that sharing information through presentations and workshops is what your audience wants to pay for, remember that information is now widely accessible and free thanks to the internet. For your event to have value to your stakeholders, it will need to provide connections and experiences, along with the information.

Experiences Carry More Weight

Some virtual events may be free, while others charge premium amounts if attendees want access to a deeper in-person or online experience. Intimacy, networking, and the chance to form close connections are major reasons why people are willing to pay more to attend events.

Events Provide Value When They Change the Behaviors of Their Stakeholders

Consider the following:

  • Why do your stakeholders attend your event, and what do they leave with?
  • What pain do they enter with, and what gains do they exit with?
  • How does your event create transformations for your audience?
  • What actionable takeaways is your audience walking away with?

All the above translates into your event’s unique value that, when articulated correctly, is worth investing in.

ANTHONY VADE QUOTE

2. Uncover Your Event’s Value

How do you know that what you perceive your event’s value to be is correct? Will your stakeholders see it the same way? Following the methodology by the Event Design Collective, the way to uncover this is first to map the stakes for all your high-impact stakeholders:

  • What is at stake?
  • Who is involved?
  • What is their contribution?
  • What are their expectations?

Collaborate with your team and ask them to share their perspectives on what they think those stakeholders want so you can validate your hypotheses. You can do this by asking major stakeholders like attendees, event owners, and sponsors directly if your ideas are accurate and if they’re willing to pay what you’re planning to charge for the event. If you’re right, you’ve validated that what you’re about to offer is indeed what they want and are willing to pay for. If you’re wrong, then you can take that feedback until you get it right. Once you validate your stakeholder’s goals, you can then:

  • Analyze how your event will help them achieve what they’re looking for.
  • Justify the investment or expense of your event (e.g., buying a ticket or sponsoring a tradeshow booth).

3. Calculate Your Event Ticket Price

How Do You Determine Ticket Price?

Setting the right ticket price for your event involves a careful balance to attract attendees without compromising your financial goals. Here are key steps to help you determine the optimal ticket price:

Step 1: Establish Your Break-Even Point

Before setting your ticket price, calculate the total cost of organizing the event, including venue, refreshments, staffing, etc. Determine the minimum number of attendees required to cover these expenses and break even. This foundational step ensures that your pricing strategy aligns with your financial objectives.

Step 2: Analyze the Competitive Landscape

Conduct a competitive pricing analysis to understand the rates for similar events in your industry. Align your ticket prices with or slightly below the average to remain attractive to potential attendees.

Step 3: Explore Different Pricing Models

Consider innovative pricing models to enhance attendee engagement and increase revenue. Options such as early bird pricing, member discounts, or bundle pricing can create value for attendees while maximizing profitability for your event.

Step 4: Get Attendee Feedback

Engage with your audience by getting their input on ticket pricing. Conduct surveys through email or social media to understand their willingness to pay and the value they associate with your event.

Step 5: Assess & Adapt

Your initial ticket prices are not set in stone. Monitor attendee response and adjust prices based on the observed demand. If events consistently sell out, consider increases. If events consistently have low attendance, you may need to make price adjustments to attract more participants.

How to Determine Your Break-Even Ticket Price Point

Before you start thinking about pricing, you should know your numbers. Use a budget template to calculate your projected expenses and revenues. You then have an educated perspective on how much your tickets should cost in order to cover the expenses.

How to Research Other Events

Research other events in the market that are relevant to you:

  • Regardless of location, similar events may give you a good idea regarding size, attendance, and pricing.
  • Similar events near you which might compete against your event. Why would people choose to go to your event instead of a competitor’s?

Understanding the competitive space will indicate the range of ticket prices you should consider and the expected attendance numbers from similar events.

How to Forecast Ticket Sales

Based on your previous events and your competitors, you should be able to develop a realistic sales forecast. How many people are likely to attend the event? How many people can the venue hold? Once you find this number, you can divide it by the Break-Even point found earlier to calculate the minimum price you should sell your tickets for to pay for all expenses.

If you offer different purchasing options, bundled pricing may work for you. You can create perceived value by adding multiple items into one bundle at a reduced price compared to having all items purchased separately. This is also a good way to motivate the purchase of add-on items, such as meals, transportation, accommodation, activities, parties, and more.

4. Set Up Common Ticket Types, Pricing Strategies, & Sales Tactics

Once you have determined how much you should be selling your tickets for, draft your strategy to sell the tickets. Here are some different event ticket pricing strategies you may consider.

Early Bird Ticket Pricing & Tiered Early Bird Ticket Pricing

There is no surprise here: early bird sales are the easiest way to create awareness about the event and push sales in the early months of promotion. You can create a multi-tiered early bird strategy to push for even more event ticket sales. Here is an example of how to use the multi-tiered early bird structure:

First 50 tickets at $100
50-100 tickets at $125
Regular price at $175

One thing to keep in mind is that you should never extend your early bird rate. Doing so trains your audience to wait instead of acting, which is the whole point of the early bird strategy.

Timed Batch Event Ticket Pricing

Similarly to tiered early bird, you can create a tier based on milestone dates. You can create as many tiers as you wish, adding price increases as it gets closer to the event date. Make sure the increases are significant enough to make people want to purchase it early. An increase of at least 10% is recommended. Here is an example of timed batch event ticket pricing:

Purchase by March 1st at $100
Purchase by March 14 at $125
After March 14, the regular price is $175

Odd/Even Event Ticket Pricing

This is an old marketing trick we all have heard of. Prices ending in odd numbers, such as 5 and 9, tend to outperform even numbers in terms of sales. Whether this is an old psychology trick or the real deal, it doesn’t hurt to try. You can test this strategy in different events to compare the results.

You should avoid cents and stick to a whole number—for example, $75 or $79 instead of $70.95. The price with no decimal numbers is perceived as lower, even though it may not be.

Bundled Event Ticket Pricing

If you are offering different purchase options, bundled pricing may work for you. You can create perceived value by adding multiple items into one bundle at a reduced price compared to having all items purchased separately. This is also a good way to motivate the purchase of add-on items, such as meals, transportation, accommodation, activities, parties, and more.

Event Up-Selling Strategy

If you don’t want to increase the total cost by using the bundle price, you should consider up-selling after the ticket purchase. That means you focus on selling the tickets for your event and contact them later to up-sell other items, such as meals, transportation,  accommodation, after-parties, etc. This way, you can guarantee the event ticket and worry about items with lower margins later.

Event Ticket Price Discount Strategy

Whether you give a percentage discount of a fixed dollar amount, a discount can make all the difference based on the perceived value of the discount. Follow the “Rule of 100”, which uses percentage discount for ticket prices under $100 and dollar amounts for prices over $100. Here are some examples:

Ticket priceDiscount (%)Discount ($)Better Option
$1020%$2.0020%
$2020%$4.0020%
$10020%$20$20
$50020%$100$100

Use Scarcity To Drive Event Demand

If your audience knows your previous event was sold out, chances are they might feel rushed to get their tickets early for the next event you host. With this in mind, you may choose a smaller venue to host your initial event as a strategy to increase demand for future events. Don’t forget to announce the selling-out situation when promoting a new event to encourage your audience to move quickly to secure their event tickets.

Offer a Top Tier Ticket Package

A premium ticket package and other cheaper options may make lower-priced tickets seem more attractive, increasing demand and sales. Even if you don’t sell too many higher ticket prices, this can help with regular-priced tickets. The VIP offers, which may include exclusive access perks, will appeal to a segment of your attendees who are looking for the best.

Promo Codes

Create promo codes for specific segments that can help push sales through referrals. For example, you can create a special code for your speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors so they can share the event with their audience. This will help increase your promotion reach, as your “partners” will promote directly with their audience, who might not necessarily know you and your event. Partners will feel more motivated to promote the event, knowing they are offering their audience a benefit while strengthening the relationship with you. Provide them with assets to share on social media to help with the event promotions.

Similarly, you can create promo codes for niche influencers in your industry so they can share the event with their audience.

5. Use Unique Ticket Pricing Strategies for Virtual Events

Ticket pricing strategies are even trickier when it comes to hosting virtual and hybrid events. As these events become more popular, the industry is in the process of figuring out the best ways to monetize these events. Here are a few ways you can price your virtual events:

Offer Flexible Event Ticket Pricing Options

Sliding scale: Rather than having a set price, you can offer attendees a sliding scale to give them options for how much they can afford according to their financial situation.

By donation: You can also offer attendees to pay by donation, so they choose how much to pay for the event. In this case, it can be wise to add a “suggested donation amount’ to educate them on the value of the event.

Free, excluding premium components: Another route you might consider is hosting your event free of charge but charging premium amounts if attendees want to get access to specific event components like the online networking platform, high-profile speaker sessions, or exclusive content. This option lets you set several ticket tiers so attendees can choose what suits them most.

Anchor Your Ticket Price On Desirable Experiences

In addition to offering an exciting program with a diverse agenda, you can anchor your price on additional experiences your event can provide, including:

Networking opportunities: Give your audience more points of interaction to create and strengthen connections. You can justify a healthy ticket price for your virtual event when you give attendees an exciting opportunity to connect with peers meaningfully.

Exclusive touch-points with experts: The chance to connect with experts privately or in small groups can be a huge selling point for attendees who value one-on-one time or exclusivity. This can take the form of private meetings or limited-capacity Q&A sessions where guests can connect with people at the very top of their field for an opportunity to pick their brains.

On-demand flexibility: Many virtual events are free to watch live but paid to have on-demand access to watch the recordings. This can be a good way to attract ticket sales as well.

6. Develop Strategies for Where & How To Sell Event Tickets

Your sales strategy should cover the channels you’ll be marketing through and how the sales will be executed.

Sell Event Tickets Online

Ensure customers can buy tickets to your event online. Selling online not only makes it convenient for customers, but it also frees up administration time for you and your team. One of the easiest ways to offer online sales is through an event registration platform. In addition to scheduling and attendee log-in capabilities, this type of platform offers features like different pricing categories, promo codes, and group passes.

Sell Event Tickets At The Door

It could work in your favor to offer tickets at the door as well as online, though this depends on the type of event. People could turn up at the last minute, which could help you fill up your event. However, you might want to charge slightly more at the door to encourage people to buy well before the event.

How to Use Marketing Channels to Sell Event Tickets

As for marketing, you should explore the different channels you’d like to market through.

  • Search engines – You can use pay-per-click (PPC) or search engine optimization (SEO) to reach more potential leads through search engines.
  • Social media – Leverage your social media channels. Social media could be a highly impactful way to get your message out there, generate awareness for your events, and reach a large group of people without expensive paid advertising. Concentrating on the two or three platforms your target audience uses the most is helpful. Ensure your attendees spend time on these platforms and that the content you share is tailored to your target audience and the platform.
  • Customer database and re-targeting – Email your customer database and consider re-targeting leads who’ve shown interest in your events.
  • Your network – Ask your event-management team, caterers, vendors, and other partners to help generate word-of-mouth interest in your events. Ask them to forward emails to their network and share posts on social media.
  • Advertising and sponsorships – Expand your reach through billboards, radio advertising, local press, social ads, other paid advertising media, and related channels like sponsorships.

Leverage Effective Ticket Pricing Strategies & Sell Out Your Events With EventUp Planner’s Event Ticketing Platform

Sold-out events are the result of careful ticket pricing strategies and sales rather than chance. With a detailed ticketing strategy designed for your target audience, you’ll be better positioned to generate awareness, accelerate ticket sales, and sell out your events.

Want to learn more about how to sell out your events and make them a financial success? Download your ticket pricing strategies guide today. Or book a call with our team to learn how EventUp Planner (formerly Attendease) can help you.

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