Event Registration – Macworld / iWorld Checks in Event Attendees 5 Times Faster

How annoying is it to be stuck in a conference registration line that’s so long you miss the first session you’d planned to attend?

For years, long snake-like lines were an issue for Macworld/iWorld, the ultimate annual iFAN event. But, in February 2013, attendees, speakers and exhibitors checked in five times faster than in previous years. How’d that happen? Event organizers IDG World Expo used ACTIVE Network’s Conference^TM onsite Scan and Go technology and expert advice from ACTIVE’s a Professional Services team.

First Impressions: Event Registration Experience

Why is improving the event registration experience so important? Because that’s what the event industry wants: 88% of event producers, exhibitors and event marketers interviewed in a study, The Connected Event: Insight into 2012 Event Technology Trends, said improving the attendee experience was “important or very important. “

Look at other ways Macworld/iWorld benefited:

• Dashboards and timed reports enabled each stakeholder – from marketing, to registration to general management – to quickly  access the info they needed to optimize the show;
• One online self-serve portal and iOS lead retrieval made life easier for exhibitors. The Exhibitor Resource Center replaced four separate exhibitor solutions allowing exhibitors to sign-up, manage their orders and staff and access leads.
• Centralized content and data management reduced headaches for staff. Speaker submissions and exhibitor information were easily collected online and flowed directly into the online event agenda and Mobile App.

Read more about how ACTIVE Network improved the attendee experience and boosted efficiency for Macworld/iWorld show management and exhibitors.

Resources: *The Connected Event: Insight Into 2012 Event Technology Trends,” a study by ACTIVE Network and the Event Marketing Institute.

Written By: Don Munro

Event Management Software Helps Dairy Queen Register 80% of Attendees Online

We all wish we had more time. No matter what your profession is or where you land on the totem pole, it’s easy to relate to racing against the clock. But there can be a resolution – and sometimes it just takes asking what you could be doing differently to help save you time.

Dairy Queen’s event planners are a prime example of this and sought the advice of ACTIVE Regonline for help. They plan large events for franchise owners and vendors and needed event management software to help them save time and reduce manual tasks. By enlisting RegOnline, they have automated processes for data entry, accounting, and registration paperwork, and reduced the amount of mailed-in registration forms and checks. Now their event planners whip up great events and boost efficiency while registering nearly 80% of attendees online. With this online registration solution, Dairy Queen can take advantage of:

• Event registration sites, built and managed by the RegOnline Professional Services team, to ensure a smooth registration process for attendees.
• Online registration and payment processing to simplify the sign up process for attendees as well as event planners.
• Detailed attendee information is collected and can be used in reports and badge printing.
• Housing block management that tracks attendee count and availability.

Dairy Queen’s Director of Meetings, Events and Travel, Missy Schrupp, also adds that, “ACTIVE RegOnline provides substantial time-savings. Plus, our vendors and franchise owners absolutely love it because they can register for our events on their own time.” With their online registration growing each year, it’s clear that Dairy Queen will continue to please their attendees and get time back to create amazing event experiences.

Hopefully this provides some inspiration for you to take a look at your daily tasks and consider what areas can be improved. At ACTIVE Network, we strive to work with our customers to unveil their blocks and get them moving in the right direction. Once you find your resolution, then comes the fun part. Figuring out what to do with your free time!

Tell us your tips for saving time during meeting planning and, in turn, how your events have improved because of it.

Download the PDF to learn more!

Written By: Rebecca Yetzer

A Twist On Surveys

Guest Post By:
Jessica Marshall, Professional Services
Active Network | Events

Jessica Marshall of RegOnline Professional Services is today’s guest writer. She shares how a client of hers uses the functionality of RegOnline to the fullest.

For the past year, I have been working with a client who uses RegOnline for her event needs.  I’m so impressed by the way she uses her account, I have to share it with you.

We started with the usual. I set up her first two or three registration forms, followed by several rounds of training sessions. This was designed to familiarize her with the moving pieces, so she could take over setup, editing, etc.

Since then, she’s using RegOnline in the most comprehensive way I’ve ever seen.  Together we set up a parent event to display a list of all her currently active seminars. At the conclusion of each seminar, the registrant is sent a follow up email thanking them for attending.  The email includes a link to a seminar feedback survey,

Embedded in the confirmation email of the survey is a merge code that pulls in a personalized certificate for each attendee.  In order to receive the course completion certificate, the attendee is required to complete the survey.

Not only is the client able to provide potential attendees with a comprehensive list of events, she has received 100% feedback by attaching attendee completion certificates to a follow up survey. Additionally, she has saved the cost of printing and mailing certificates, by simply using our badge feature to merge all attendee and event details.

Now THAT’S using ALL that RegOnline has to offer!

To learn more about parent events, surveys, Professional Services or more contact RegOnline today (888) 351-9948.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

4 Helpful RegOnline Resources for Event Planners

Looking to learn more about your event? Have a question? There are many educational opportunities, both formal and informal, within RegOnline.

1.Free Webinars

The RegOnline team of Technical Sales Consultants conduct live training sessions on a weekly basis, providing helpful tips for new and seasoned event organizers alike.

• Every Wednesday, join in for a free Event Build Training. This webinar provides an overview of setting up forms, creating different agenda types, and walks you through the registration process start to finish.
• Every other Thursday, the team conducts training sessions with an attendee management focus. Reporting, refunds, labels, badges and much more are discussed.

Sign up for a Webinar Today!

2. Event Technology Seminars (ETS)

A few weeks back, we referenced the Event Technology Seminars commonly known as,  “ Lunch and Learns”. Our ETS team travels the country to educate existing and potential customers on how technology makes life easier while boosting event ROI.
Check out our schedule to find an Event Technology Seminar in your area!

3.LinkedIn

A widely known fact: we learn just as much from others as we do in a classroom. The Event Technology Group on LinkedIn is a forum for discussion with other event organizers. Post a question for peers to answer, learn about new industry trends, and build a network of colleagues. Join the Event Technology Group, to start discussing industry topics and trends with other event planners.

4.Professional Services

Need more? Hire the expertise of RegOnline Professional Services.

The Professional Services team provides consulting services for every stage of your event. The trained team can help create an effective online registration form, guide you through the process, and even be there on site.  Professional Services is the team to have on your side.

Have a great event education resource? Let us know what works for you!

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Professional Services

Guest Post by:
Jessica Marshall, Team Lead Professional Services
Active Network | Events

Is there anything missing from my registration form? Could the current set up create problems for registration or reporting? Professional Services, a premium offering of RegOnline, provides consultation to event organizers. They can help your events run smoother by providing insight into functional registration forms, on site check in, and much more.

Team Lead Jessica Marshall, shares a few reasons on the benefit of the Professional Services.

In the last month I’ve had two requests from sales for a ‘save’.  We [Professional Services] consulted with those customers after their registration was over to discuss what worked, and what could have worked better.

As much as I love these calls, we’re always able to identify areas of improvement, and I always wished we’d been contacted for a PRE-event consultation. Whether you’re a seasoned RegOnline user or trying it for the first time, a quick one hour consultation prior to your event set up could make a difference.

We’ll ask you about your event details including registration types and fees, tracks and options, communications and reports, then set up a call with you and your team to ask questions and discuss options.  Ours is such a flexible product, there’s rarely only “one right way” to run your registration.  We’ll present you with options and the outcome of taking each, then set you on your path with a clear plan of how best to set up your registration. We can help you identify mistakes before they’re made, instead of having to fix them after.

If you’re starting to put together a plan for your next event, reach out to your sales representative or account manager and ask about a consultation with Professional Services.  Our experts have the success of your event in mind, and can help you smoothly launch your event.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

Allow Us to Introduce Ourselves! Part 2

This is the second post in the “Meet the RegOnline” series.

Yesterday, you met the Development and Support Teams.  Today we will focus on our Marketing and Sales teams.

The Marketing team is responsible for generating new leads for sales to pursue. Marketing procures these leads through traditional marketing (direct mail, advertising, trade shows, website etc) and new social media initiatives including, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even the RegOnline blog. All of this is to keep information easily accessible for present and future clients. The Marketing team is comprised of a Senior Product Marketing Manager that travels the country giving Event Technology Seminars, a Business Analyst analyzing all of the stats, SEO gurus driving RegOnline to the top of search engines, and a design team that maintains the fresh look and feel of the RegOnline.com website.

The Sales Team works with the leads generated by Marketing, helps turn leads into customers, and then helps guide customers through their event life-cycle. The team is made up of numerous groups: the Lead Nurturing Team, Account Executives for large events, New Account Specialists for smaller events, and Account Managers.  Along with the Sales Team is the Professional Services group which can assist customers by helping create professionally-designed registration forms, assisting onsite, and more.

Regardless of the department, the RegOnline Team continues to power the world’s activities and connect people with the things they love, want and need to do.

Written By: Kyle Rose

Welcome to Onsite Week!

Regardless if it is a six person class or a 70,000 participant marathon, RegOnline has helped power events for years, streamlining workloads and creating order for event organizers.

As a commitment to having consistent communication with our customers, we have had the opportunity to visit various local events in the greater Denver area (our home base) that were using RegOnline. We were able to observe our product in action, from how it worked, to how it met the needs of the particular event.

And what did we learn? Well, not only are no two events alike, but every event organizer uses RegOnline in a different way. Over the course of this week, we will share a handful of stories what we have taken with us from these visits.

In the mean time, feel free to leave us a note below about your experiences with RegOnline onsite. We always love hearing from you.

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky

An Extra Pair of Eyes

What a relief! Tax season is officially over!

We are encouraged to double (even triple) check our taxes before filing with the IRS, making sure that every “i”  is dotted and every “t” is crossed. Whether you owe or are getting a return, don’t you want to make sure it is for the right amount?

A review from a knowledgeable professional can be useful in making sure all your bases are covered.  And when it comes to events, the same tenets apply.  Our Professional Services team provides the experience necessary to help maximize your events, helping make them as successful as possible.

Jessica Marshall, Team Lead of  our Professional Services, weighs in on her experiences:

In my (nearly) six years here I’ve yet to complete an event review without finding something to suggest, fix, add or adjust to the form reviewed.  It’s those six years of experience with our forms, our customers and their needs that give us the unique ability to make suggestions and look for hiccups that make all the difference in your registration and reporting.  Ours is such an easy product to set up on your own, but it’s also full of deeper features that you may not even know exist. What about group names? Conditional logic? Reminder emails? Smart-links? These are amazing tools developed with your needs in mind but you may not even know they’re there.

When we review an event we walk through each page of set up checking primarily for functionality – are there items missing? Could the current set up create registration or reporting problems? Then we take another round through the form looking for areas where those great features could be incorporated.  By using conditional logic you could streamline registration and increase the ‘wow’ factor for your registrants.  By using the event website you could post all those details clogging up your agenda page and present them prior to registration, rather than in the middle of.

I’ve often told our sales team, even if a customer intends to set up their form on their own, let us take a crack at it – our experience could make the difference between a frustrating first event and a customer awed by all we have to offer.

How can Professional Services help your next event? Email us today or contact your account manager to set up your event review!

Written By: Michelle Nikolayevsky