We've put together a list of 10 crucial aspects to consider to make the most of your next registration platform.

1. Identify your needs

The choice of your registration platform should be driven by a clear understanding and anticipation of your needs.

This will allow you to objectively compare features and pricing.

Here are a few factors that can significantly influence your choice:

  • Is registration for my event free or paid (ticketing)?
  • Does the platform need to be able to handle group registrations?
  • Will I need features beyond registration: check-in, networking, meetings between attendees, etc.

2. Don't underestimate privacy and security!

One benefit of using a platform is that you no longer have to share your lists by email and can limit who has access to them. But the platform you choose still needs to be secure. To make sure of this:

  • Read through the main points of their privacy policy
  • Make sure the platform has a credible size and track record
  • Ask whether security audits have been carried out
  • Ask for details about GDPR compliance
  • Check that data is stored in the EU. A French company (e.g. Digitevent, Weezevent) is more likely to operate within a regulatory framework similar to yours.

3. Compare!

A sales rep's promise and pitch isn't enough on its own. Ask for a product demo and/or a test account. This test will let you form an opinion on the user experience, both for your future attendees and for the organizing team. Compare reviews on Google as well. "The platform you choose needs to be user-friendly, fast, and reassuring," explains Lucien Derhy, co-founder of Digitevent. "You need to enjoy working with it!" Behind the term "registration platform" can indeed hide several realities that are far from equivalent.

4. Don't rush into configuring the platform

The platform is a way to technically bring your event plan to life. But to do that, your strategy needs to be clearly defined beforehand. Before you start configuring anything, you need to know who your stakeholders will be and what motivates them to attend the event. Always ask yourself why, and what will make your attendees come. Based on that, you'll be able to build an optimal communication plan and deliver the right message, both in your campaigns and on the registration site.

Set clear goals, particularly around registration progress. By setting a target for the number of attendees and assuming a conversion rate, you'll know how many prospects to invite and, if needed, whether you should step up your marketing efforts.

5. Import your brand guidelines and apply them scrupulously!

Stay true to your brand image, both on the website and in your marketing campaigns.

  • Upload an up-to-date PNG logo, cleanly cut out
  • Identify the 4-5 official colors of your brand palette. Use only those, and don't improvise any variations.
  • Identify the font used by the brand (sometimes different for body text and headings)
  • identify how rounded elements should be, especially buttons. For example, the Orange brand is "square" while Natixis is much more "rounded".
  • Only use official brand visuals!

A good platform should let you create attractive, on-brand websites without requiring any design effort on your part. For example, on a platform like Digitevent, your brand guidelines are centralized to ensure consistent styling.

6. Make sure your event website is engaging and complete

Organizers can tend to forget to put themselves in the guest's shoes when designing the event website. For those who are close to the organization, certain details have become obvious to them. Before you get started, take the time to ask different people questions such as:

  • "What would convince you to register for the event?
  • "If you had to register, what information would you need" ?

Here are some examples of elements your website should address:

  • Why it's worth attending the event
  • Address and directions (parking, carpooling, shuttles, etc.)
  • Price and cancellation terms
  • Options to bring a guest or transfer the invitation to a colleague
  • How to modify your registration?

Include an FAQ and a way for attendees to contact you from the registration site.

7. Create a concise, clear registration form

The registration form should be simple and clear. The fewer questions you ask, the higher your conversion rate will be. Two tips to consider:

  • Segment your forms so each guest only sees the questions relevant to them (for example, only ask about dietary restrictions for those who indicated they're attending the "event lunch")
  • Send a follow-up questionnaire after registration to ask for other, less essential information.

8. Define your invitation and follow-up strategy

Design your invitation messages carefully. Choose a platform that lets you segment your campaigns to send different invitation sequences depending on guest type. You need to be able to follow up only with those who haven't registered yet. Plan precisely how many follow-ups you'll send and on what dates. Send each follow-up at different times and on different days to maximize your chances of reaching your target audience, and vary your arguments to make sure you hit the mark!

9. Test, test, and execute!

Be a perfectionist and take a step back. Test the entire registration journey. A good way to catch mistakes is to walk a few colleagues through the whole process. Each time, cover a different scenario (e.g. the mobile journey, the journey of a VIP attendee, etc.).

10. Produce a performance report and iterate!

During and after the event, make an effort to write up a report on your experience with the platform. Identify what worked well and what was missing (or what wasted your time). Share this report with your team and with your contact at the platform so you can learn from it and improve how you manage future events.