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The usual ways of ensuring a smooth event registration experience would be to implement registration kiosks, use technology to expedite the registration process, train staff to guide attendees to proper kiosks, and many more. But with the advent of the pandemic, in-person events have taken a back seat, and the new normal forbids any in-person gatherings. Just the way how events are now conducted virtually, the event registration process has also evolved. But are the organizers trying out things differently to provide a smooth event registration experience virtually? Ben Chodor, President of Intrado Digital Media says, “Organizers must let go of the usual processes of in-person events to create something exciting virtually. ” With the same thought, we elaborate on seven factors that will help organizers provide a smoother registration experience to all their attendees virtually. Implement a pre-event communication Pre-event communication is important to keep all your attendees informed. The series of communication can be conducted over emails, by sending out SMS blasts, or by using an app. Unlike in-person events, attendees can’t just find out details about the event from the kiosks, so they must be informed about every step you take as an organizer for that particular event. A great pre-event communication email or thread may include details about, How to register for the event in the easiest way? When does the registration open? What is the registration cost of the event? What is the check-in process? Who are the speakers? Pre-event communication lets you market your event app, you can include a link to download your app to find detailed information about the upcoming events. In the series of pre-event communication, you can also mention the sponsors, technology partners to double-down on your pre-event branding. Digitize the check-in process There are many organizers who ask for a manual confirmation from the attendees or might include fifty steps for the registration process, and these steps also involve human intervention. In an era of virtual events, a virtual event platform is essential for the check-in processes. While you are no longer concentrating on the length of the queue, or number of chairs, or pens and paper, you must focus more on the technological aspects of the virtual events. The more you give up on the time-consuming processes, the more you make time to focus on the technological matters. It is time to level up. Attendees who haven’t registered can use an app to register in minutes. If they want an on-demand badge, they can request for it and have one in seconds. Double train your event staff Let it be an in-person event or a virtual event, events cannot be conducted alone. It needs a team effort to make any event successful. In some cases, you may hire a few staff to help you with the event process, and with the new norm of virtual events, it is important that you double train your staff about the new rules and techniques. Now that the registration process is conducted virtually, your staff must leave a good impression on the attendees. Your staff must be able to assist the attendees with all their queries online. Train your staff with all the technological platforms for the event. Analyze the touch points and instruct your staff to help the attendees better. Encourage do-it-yourself check-in Just how we have self check-in counters at McDonalds, airports, immigration counters, mobile check-in must be encouraged before the events, too. This will save organizers the time to virtually follow-up with interested attendees, and will also allow the attendees to quickly register for the event without any hassle in a few minutes. All that the attendees must do is type their name, mobile number, and other important information, and they are registered for the event. No manual intervention, no follow-up calls or emails. Your helpdesk is right here Event signages are pretty visible in any in-person event. But what do the attendees do if they need any help virtually? Do you expect them to write an email and then probably wait for a few hours to find a solution? When you are conducting any virtual event, it is important that you answer queries faster. But if you direct the attendees to time-consuming processes, they might lose interest and drop out. Keep a helpdesk section in your app that the attendees can refer to for any type of query. In case, they need your help, just help them on a call or message. It is the organizers' responsibility to realize that seeking help was easier at in-person events, and difficult at virtual events. We can’t expect attendees to understand every process clearly. So we must be on our toes to help them when needed. Encourage pre-event registration Unlike in-person events, attendees will not have the freedom to register for an online event at the last moment. As organizers, you don’t have to worry about the seating arrangements. But it is best to encourage attendees to register for the event. This helps to analyze the total number of attendees, and what capacity of staff should you have to assist the attendees. How can you plan your online event, how should the speaker interact with the audience online, and many more? The pre-registration speeds up the check-in process and ensures a hassle-free experience. Also, pre-registration gives you ample amount of time to analyze various aspects regarding the event attendees and make changes to the event flow. Always use data and analytics The advantage of conducting online events is that every data can be tracked without any human intervention like how people move through the app. What is the peak time for registration, what are hot dwell times, etc. The data you collect will help you make changes to future events and simplify the flow. You can enhance your attendees’ experiences using the data and recorded analytics. This way you can create experiences that are hassle-free and have less human intervention. Conclusion Technology is human beings' best friend. With advanced technology, online events can be conducted in a more personalized manner with very little human interference. Organizers can dig deep and provide a more sophisticated touch to their events and grab eyeballs. With the new norm in place, it is important that organizers now adapt to the change and create exciting online events that differ from in-person events, yet provide the same touch.

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