Hypergrowth for your event – turning the impossible to inevitable

If you want to hypergrow your event there is one place you should look – the tech world. In a curious twist, tech entrepreneurs and event planners share more similarities than meets the eye. They’re problem-solvers at heart, they juggle all sorts of complicated tasks, and they’re dedicated to creating exceptional experiences – albeit in their unique professional realms. Both craft solutions, fix glitches, and put customer satisfaction at the forefront. They do this through a blend of creativity and customer-centric focus.

Jason Lemkin is famous for building both tech startups and running an amazing event called SaaStr. You might guess he used the same techniques to grow both his startups and his event. So what would these techniques be?

You can find some insights in “From Impossible to Inevitable” – a book on startup growth. As I was reading this book it hit me: these powerful strategies can transform and grow your events into unmissable experiences. Let’s simplify these hyper-growth lessons and see how they can rev up your event’s success.

1. Find your niche for growth: Your event is probably not a fit for everyone but it’s perfect for a specific community. By tailoring your event registration to meet this community’s unique needs, you can drive attendee engagement skyward, making your event irresistible.

2. Build revenue confidence with multiple revenue streams: Beyond ticket sales lies a wealth of revenue streams. Seek sponsorships, form exclusive partnerships, and monetize post-event content. Diversifying your revenue sources ensures financial stability. Long term this turns your event into a growing success.

3. Develop strong communities and help them build up your event: Ever experienced the magic of a vibrant, connected community? Events that cultivate this sense of belonging leave a lasting impact. Very important: prioritize networking opportunities, interactive sessions, and collaboration spaces. People wanna connect with people. Encourage attendees to share experiences via event registration and social media. This can build up buzz and amplify your event.

4. Innovate and evolve: Stagnation isn’t an option. Ask for feedback using event registration tools to shape future events. Embrace event tech – networking apps, VR and XR tech, extend access to side events – to amplify attendee experiences. Stay ahead with industry trends to ensure your event remains fresh.

5. Share stories of success: Just as successful businesses flaunt their wins, your event should shine too. Gather and broadcast testimonials from past attendees, speakers, sponsors. Whether it’s about networking success or good deals, these stories provide social proof and keep the growth wheel spinning.

In Conclusion:

Focus on niche audiences, diversify revenue sources, foster communities, innovate relentlessly, and amplify success stories. This will take your event to the next phase.

November 28, 2023 Event registration No comments yet

Top 10 best event registration software platforms

Looking for the best event registration software but feeling lost in a sea of options? Event planning just got easier! Dive into this curated list where the spotlight shines on top-notch event registration platforms. Whether you’re a seasoned event organizer or just dipping your toes into the planning pool, this guide offers a treasure trove of insights to help you navigate the diverse landscape of event registration tools. Discover user-friendly features, pricing insights, and unique offerings that make each platform a gem in its own right. It’s your passport to streamlined event management!

Oveit:

Oveit homepage

Strengths:

  1. Direct Payments for Event Registration: Oveit’s emphasis on registration and instant payments is a significant strength, streamlining the registration process for both organizers and attendees. One key element is that Oveit provides registration payments for credit and debit card, ACH/bank transfers and even crypto.
  2. Flexibility: Positioned as more flexible than other platforms, catering to a diverse range of events, from conferences to corporate events.
  3. Smart tickets, wearables, video ticketing: Oveit showcases a few features that are not available with any other contender on this list. The highlights are smart tickets (blockchain based tickets that solve ticket fraud), wearable wristbands and badges and video ticketing (an innovative way to sell tickets in live or recorded video).
  4. Freemium Plan: The availability of a freemium plan, allowing free event registration for up to 300 visitors, is a notable advantage, particularly for growing events. The PRO plans are easily accessible. The Business option offers full support for midsized and large events registration

Weaknesses:

  1. Market Recognition: Despite its strengths, Oveit is one of the relative new comers in the market (being around since 2016). The market recognition appears to be relatively lower compared to old school companies.
  2. Limited Features: Oveit focuses on providing a great registration, payments and access control platform. However, if you need event networking or logistics support, other, more expensive (and sometimes bloated) platforms could be the answer.

Cvent:

Strengths:

  1. Comprehensive Platform: Cvent offers an all-in-one solution for event planning and marketing, including registration, venue sourcing, and analytics.
  2. User Testimonials: Positive feedback from clients like Cornell University and Walmart Inc. adds credibility to their platform.
  3. Robust Features: Cvent provides various features, including mobile event apps, check-in and badging, webinars, and attendee hubs, making it a versatile choice for event organizers.
  4. Large User Base: Processing 240M+ registrations and managing 6M+ events indicates a wide user adoption, which often translates to a stable and reliable platform.

Weaknesses:

  1. Potentially Overwhelming: The platform’s extensive features might be overwhelming for smaller events or users with simpler needs.
  2. Expensive: The level of features and the large-scale operation may come with a higher price tag, making it less accessible for smaller organizations.

Bizzabo:

Bizzabo homepage

Strengths:

  1. Holistic Event Experience: Bizzabo aims to provide a comprehensive event experience OS, covering various event types, from conferences to webinars.
  2. User Reviews: Positive reviews from users like Piano.io and HubSpot on ease of use and growth support contribute to Bizzabo’s credibility.
  3. Revenue Generation: Bizzabo emphasizes driving revenue through events, connecting them to CRM, and providing lead capture tools, catering to business needs.

Weaknesses:

  1. Complexity for Smaller Events: The platform’s extensive features might be more than necessary for smaller events, potentially making it a complex solution for simpler needs.
  2. Pricing Concerns: While not explicitly mentioned, the emphasis on revenue generation and enterprise features might imply a higher cost, which can be a barrier for smaller organizations.

Splash:

Splash homepage
Splash homepage

Strengths:

  1. Comprehensive Event Marketing: Splash’s focus on online, in-person, and hybrid events positions it as a comprehensive event marketing tool.
  2. Design and Customization: Responsive web page and email customization options enhance the visual appeal of events.
  3. Integration with HubSpot: Integration with HubSpot facilitates seamless event management and data utilization.

Weaknesses:

  1. Limited Pricing Information: The absence of clear pricing details in the provided content can be a drawback for organizations evaluating the platform.

Eventbrite:

Eventbrite homepage

Strengths:

  1. User-Friendly Registration: Eventbrite’s three-step registration process simplifies event setup for organizers.
  2. Ticket Customization: The ability to create various ticket types and offer discounts adds flexibility.
  3. Social Media Integration: Seamless sharing on platforms like Facebook and Instagram enhances event visibility.
  4. Strong Marketplace: Eventbrite sports one of the most popular ticketing and registrations marketplace with millions of users.

Weaknesses:

  1. Pricing Complexity: While offering both free and paid plans, the variety of plans and features may be complex for users seeking simplicity.
  2. Payments Sent after Events: While some exceptions may exist the usual customer will have to wait until the event is done to receive their funds which may prove hard for most event planners.

vFairs:

Vfairs homepage

Strengths:

  1. Virtual, Hybrid, and In-Person: vFairs positions itself as an all-in-one platform for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events, providing flexibility.
  2. Industry Recognition: Being ranked #1 in the Event Management Platform & Virtual Event Platform categories on G2 adds credibility.
  3. Customizable Platform: vFairs offers a customizable platform from event registration to analytics, catering to diverse event needs.

Weaknesses:

  1. Potentially Complex: The inclusion of virtual, hybrid, and in-person capabilities might make the platform complex for users with specific event needs.
  2. Limited User Testimonials: While G2 rankings add credibility, the absence of user testimonials in the provided content is a notable gap.

SpotMe:

Spotme homepage

Strengths:

  1. Enterprise-Grade Platform: SpotMe’s positioning as an enterprise-grade platform makes it suitable for high-touch industries.
  2. Customized Registration Pages: The flexibility to build customized registration webpages aligns with diverse event setups.
  3. Real-Time Tracking and Reporting: SpotMe’s emphasis on real-time tracking and detailed reports contributes to effective event measurement.

Weaknesses:

  1. Pricing Transparency: The absence of clear pricing information may pose challenges for organizations in budget planning.

Accelevents:

Accelevents homepage

Strengths:

  1. Custom Registration Flows: Accelevents’ focus on custom flows with conditional logic and segmentation enhances the registration experience.
  2. Integration with CRMs: Seamless integration with CRMs and marketing automation tools facilitates real-time data utilization.
  3. Diverse Features: Features like assigned seating, pre-event session registration, and add-on sales contribute to a comprehensive event management experience.

Weaknesses:

  1. Pricing Information: Users might face challenges without clear pricing details, making it difficult to evaluate the platform’s affordability.

EventMobi:

Eventmobi homepage

Strengths:

  1. Flexible Event Management: EventMobi positions itself as the most flexible event management software, catering to various event types.
  2. Longevity: With over 12 years in the industry and a substantial number of global events and attendees, EventMobi’s longevity is a strength.
  3. Versatile Solutions: Offering in-person, virtual, and hybrid solutions, EventMobi caters to a broad audience.

Weaknesses:

  1. Possibly Overcrowded Offerings: The inclusion of in-person, virtual, and hybrid solutions might lead to an overcrowded platform for users with specific needs.
  2. Limited Specific Features Mentioned: The content provided doesn’t delve into specific features, making it challenging to assess the depth of the platform.

Whova:

Whova homepage

Strengths:

  1. Online Registration Customization: Whova’s customizable event registration forms and widgets contribute to a tailored registration process.
  2. Real-Time Reporting: The real-time reporting dashboard enhances the tracking of sales and attendance.
  3. Event Networking: The ability for attendees to connect and network via the mobile app adds a social element to events.

Weaknesses:

  1. Pricing Customization: Clear pricing information is not provided, potentially making it challenging for organizations to assess the platform’s cost-effectiveness.

General Observations and Recommendations:

  1. Pricing Transparency: The lack of clear pricing details across multiple platforms is a common concern for organizations. Transparency in pricing is crucial for informed decision-making.
  2. Feature Overload: While feature-rich platforms offer versatility, they may be overwhelming for smaller events. Event planners should assess their specific needs before opting for a platform. Sometimes less is better
  3. User Testimonials: Platforms with positive user testimonials instill trust and confidence.
  4. Flexibility and Freemium Plan: Oveit’s emphasis on flexibility and the availability of a freemium plan for up to 300 visitors is a unique strength, especially for growing events.
  5. Search for differentiators: While most platforms solve the same problems with the same basic solutions, searching for factors that differentiate platforms can help event planners discover new opportunities in their very competitive field.

In summary, the choice of an event registration platform should align with the specific needs, scale, and budget of the organization. Platforms offering pricing transparency, user testimonials, and a balance of features are likely to be well-received by a broad range of users.

November 16, 2023 Business events, Event management, Event registration No comments yet

Cracking the code: Conversion Rate Optimization for Events Registration

…or How to use Google Tag Manager to improve your Event Registrations

If you are event planner eager to improve your ticket sales, enhance user experience, and increase revenue you may be interested in this post. One of the recent changes we made at Oveit was the integration of Google Tag Manager (GTM). It’s now a streamlined and simplified process to improve your event registration. Let’s delve into how this integration can help you achieve your event goals and how it relates to the five key reasons to embrace Conversion Rate Optimization for events (CRO).

1. Enhanced User Experience – make it easy for your visitors to navigate the event registration

A seamless user experience starts with hassle-free integration. Oveit has designed the process of connecting your GTM tag to be intuitive and user-friendly. Simply head over to your Oveit’s account Google Tag Manager section. This sets the stage for attendees to navigate your event page with ease, find the information they need, and secure their tickets effortlessly. A simplified integration reduces friction and helps create a more user-friendly environment, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates.

2. Increased Revenue – optimise your ticket sales process with insights you didn’t know

By streamlining GTM integration, Oveit empowers you to optimize your ticket sales process effectively. The direct result is an increase in conversion rates, which, in turn, translates to higher revenue for your event. The strategy is akin to finding hidden treasures; even small enhancements can lead to substantial financial gains for your event, especially when you multiply the small changes with large numbers of visitors.

3. Data-Driven Insights – make decisions based on data

Oveit’s integration with GTM allows you to collect valuable data about user behavior. This data can be likened to a magnifying glass, offering deeper insights into your attendees’ preferences and actions. Informed by these insights, you can make strategic decisions to better meet attendee needs and enhance their overall experience.

4. Competitive Advantage – stay ahead in the crowded market

By using Oveit to optimize your event’s GTM integration, you gain a competitive edge in the events market. Your visitors have plenty of offers to choose from when deciding on the event they want to attend. While your competitors are navigating in the dark, you can fine-tune your strategy and stay ahead. This advantage positions your event as the go-to choice, attracting attendees like a magnet in a room full of metal objects.

5. Conversion Rate Optimization for events helps your event reach its full potential

When you finish the GTM integration, conversion rate optimisation starts showing its true potential. Your event can become the standout attraction. It ensures that your ticket-selling process becomes efficient and user-friendly. Attendees will find it easier to engage with your event, leading to an increase in conversions and overall event success.

In conclusion, Oveit’s integration with Google Tag Manager simplifies a crucial aspect of Conversion Rate Optimization for events, enabling event planners to enhance the user experience, boost revenue, gain data-driven insights, maintain a competitive edge, and ultimately unlock their event’s full potential. Whether your goal is to streamline the ticket sales process or better understand your attendees, our CRO infrastructure provide the tools and support needed for event success.

If you need more information on the topic, please go ahead and schedule a call with us to dive into the details.

October 19, 2023 Event registration No comments yet

We made the ticket simpler

… but just as powerful and feature packed.

As Oveit progressed we added more and more features. We started with a simple idea of making event registration simpler, help event organizers receive payments instantly and embed everything on their website.

As we progressed and crossed our first thousand users we saw more and more options we needed to add.

We understood different registration periods may have different pricing points. We saw the need to limit potential sales to an upper limit of tickets per buyer (avoiding scalpers and such). We then discovered the whole idea of group buying and we added bulk sales options. Some of our customers wanted to extend the usage of a simple ticket beyond just access and we created addons. We even added a digital wallet you can use to pay for goods in a venue and around it. To solve fraud we created smart tickets. Calendar based tickets were added to cover multi-day events. And more…

So, inch by inch, we got to this:

And this …

And a lot longer setup section. I just cropped the upper part. Imagine you had to scroll to find the save button on a ticket. On a desktop.

Meanwhile, most of our starting users wanted to set up a ticket or two, set up a price and start their event registration.

The power users, midsized and large events, needed the full range of our features and sometimes even more.

So how could we have our cake and eat it too? How can we set up a simple basic ticket setup option but retain all of our features?

We thought a lot about this and discovered that:

  1. We needed to simplify the ticket listing page and minimize the ticket groups feature. So we removed the large group input which served a minimal role. We updated the interface for our users to just drag and drop tickets and it would form a group. We changed the wording based on input from our customers;
  2. We kept only the minimal options visible in the basic ticket setup. We now ask for a ticket name and a price (if the registration is not free). All other (many) options are now part of the … well … options panel. Just expand it and you’ll see them ordered by most commonly used ones.

This is how the ticket listing section looks now:

Oveit tickets section

And this is how the ticket setup modal looks like:

Setting up a ticket is simpler in Oveit

The expanded options are visible at a click or two:

Ticketing options
Ticketing options

Much easier to follow, right? If you want to play around with it just head over to your Events section and add a new ticket.

We’d love to hear your take on it. If there’s anything you think we can improve, just schedule a call with us here.

October 11, 2023 Event registration, Oveit Features No comments yet

The calendar based ticket

Some of our customers mentioned there is something missing in Oveit. A solution for multi-multi-day events. And one for venues that sell tickets indefinitely. Turns out the solution is the same.

Here’s how it started: if you set up a two or three day conference there is a simple way to set up your ticketing process. Actually there are more. You can add day tickets or you can add packages composed of multi-days tickets. You can even use our addon feature to help visitors create their own special kind of ticket package.

But what if you want to set up an event that will happen three times a week for the next 3 weeks? Or set up ticketing for a venue that sells tickets everyday, all year round? With our previous system you’d have to set up as many ticket types as days available in the event. There were some workarounds but it was messy and error prone.

Enter: the calendar ticket

Calendar ticketing

To solve this issue we created a new way of setting up tickets. With some simple rules you can create everything you can imagine for a recurring type of event.

You can set up daily tickets, time slots, tickets that sell every few days starting at a certain date and ending at another. You can choose specific dates where the ticket will be sold.

And what’s even better – it will magically appear in a simple to use calendar interface that you can use on Oveit.com or embed in your website.

Setting up a calendar based ticket

What do you think – are you ready to give it a try? Head over to your Oveit dashboard, set up a new event, check “perpetual” at the date happening and a new option will show up in your ticket options: “Calendar”.

Calendar tickets setup

Once you open the “Calendar” option you will notice you can set the ticket to be appear:

  • Everyday (you can set up start and end dates)
  • On specific days (e.g. Monday and Wednesday)
  • On specific dates (e.g. Aug 12, 2024 and Aug 15, 2024)
Calendar based tickets settings

Choose one of the options, tweak it a little bit by using the advanced settings and you are ready to go.

October 9, 2023 Event registration, Events No comments yet