How to use Approval Only Events in your Marketing Strategy

Whether you’re an event marketer, a planner, or someone in the field of marketing, this strategy could be the key to more successful and impactful events.

I’ll walk you through the concept of approval-only events, explain how it works, and, most importantly, how it can benefit you. To make it real, I’ll also share a story comparing two companies that used two very different event strategies. One went with open registration, and the other used an approval-only model. Let’s dive in!

What Is an Approval-Only Event?

First off, what exactly is an approval-only event? Simply put, it’s a type of event where attendees need to be approved by the organizer before they can attend. Unlike open registration events, where anyone can sign up, an approval-only event gives you control over who gets in the door.

This might sound a little restrictive at first, but it’s actually incredibly useful when you want to make sure that only the right people attend your event. Whether you’re launching a new product, hosting a high-profile networking session, or planning an exclusive industry conference, approval-only events ensure that the attendees align with your goals.

Open Registration vs. Approval-Only: A Real-Life Story

Let me give you a real-life example to highlight the difference between these two event models.

We once worked with two companies, both wanting to host high-end events. The first company was a luxury alcoholic drinks brand, and the second was a luxury car manufacturer. They both approached their events very differently.

Company A: The Open Registration Route

The drinks brand decided to go with an open registration event. They used our system at Oveit to allow anyone to sign up and attend their event. As expected, the event attracted a large crowd, which created a lot of buzz and excitement. The party was amazing, and there were plenty of attendees.

However, there was a catch – most of the people who attended were not part of their target audience. The brand was aiming to reach high-end clients and influencers in the industry, but many of the attendees didn’t fit that profile. As a result, while the event was fun, the brand’s message got a little lost, and the follow-up wasn’t as effective as they had hoped.

Company B: The Approval-Only Approach

The second company, the luxury car manufacturer, took a different path. They used an approval-only event model. They promoted the event to a broad audience but only approved attendees who matched their ideal customer profile. They carefully selected individuals based on criteria such as industry relevance, potential business partnerships, and interest in high-end cars.

The result? The event had fewer attendees than the open registration event, but every single person there was highly engaged and relevant to the brand. The conversations were more meaningful, the interactions with the brand were deeper, and the follow-up efforts led to much higher conversion rates. The attendees were exactly the kind of people the brand wanted to connect with.

Why Approval-Only Events Work

So, why did the approval-only event work so well for Company B? It’s simple: approval-only events give you control over your audience. When you control who attends your event, you can create a more personalized, focused experience. This leads to better engagement, more productive conversations, and stronger connections with your brand.

Here are some key scenarios where approval-only events shine:

  1. Exclusive Events:
    When you’re hosting a VIP event, you want to make sure only the right people are there. Whether it’s a private dinner, a high-end networking event, or an invitation-only gala, approval-only events help maintain that exclusivity.
  2. Product Launches:
    When launching a new product, especially something high-value or niche, it’s important to have an audience that will appreciate and understand it. Approval-only events ensure that you’re showcasing your product to the right people—potential customers, industry experts, and influencers.
  3. Industry Conferences and Professional Events:
    In sectors like healthcare, finance, technology, or law, events often require a certain level of expertise. Approval-only events let you verify that attendees have the necessary credentials and background, ensuring that discussions are relevant and high-level.
  4. Investor Pitch Events:
    When entrepreneurs pitch their startups to investors, the stakes are high. Both sides—investors and startups—benefit from a curated event where attendees are handpicked for their relevance. Investors meet startups that fit their portfolio, and entrepreneurs present to those who are likely to fund them.

Who Benefits the Most from Approval-Only Events?

So, who stands to gain the most from these types of events? While approval-only events can work for many types of professionals, they are especially beneficial for:

  • C-Suite Executives (CEOs, CFOs, etc.):
    Busy executives don’t have time for events that aren’t relevant. They want focused discussions and targeted networking. Approval-only events ensure that the right people are in the room, making it worth their time.
  • Investors:
    Investors love these types of events because they know they’ll be meeting with carefully selected startups, entrepreneurs, or companies that match their investment focus.
  • Sales and Business Development Professionals:
    Approval-only events give salespeople and business development pros access to a pre-qualified audience. Instead of trying to wade through a crowd of unqualified leads, they can jump right into meaningful conversations.
  • High-End Marketing Professionals:
    For marketers working with luxury brands or high-end clients, approval-only events ensure that the people they network with are the right fit for future partnerships and collaborations.
  • Entrepreneurs:
    Entrepreneurs attending investor or industry-specific events get the chance to pitch their ideas to the right people, saving time and maximizing their chances for success.

How to Set Up an Approval-Only Event with Oveit

Now, let’s talk about how easy it is to set up an approval-only event using Oveit, the platform I recommend for event management. With Oveit, you can create an event that has different ticket types, and each ticket type can be approval-only.

Here’s a quick walkthrough:

  1. Set up your event in Oveit and create the types of tickets you want (for example, “VIP,” “General Admission,” “Partner”).
  2. Enable the approval-only option for the ticket types that require approval.
  3. When someone registers for the event, they’ll fill out a form with their details.
  4. As the event organizer, you’ll receive their application and can either approve or deny it based on your criteria.
  5. Once approved, the attendee will receive a confirmation and can attend your event.

It’s really that simple. You get full control over who attends your event, and you can ensure that only the right people are there, enhancing the quality of your event.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Consider Approval-Only Events

In the world of event marketing and planning, it’s not just about getting as many people as possible to show up—it’s about getting the right people to show up. Approval-only events allow you to carefully curate your audience, making sure that every person in the room is valuable to your brand or business.

Whether you’re planning a high-end product launch, a professional industry event, or an exclusive VIP gathering, approval-only events can help you achieve your goals more effectively. With tools like Oveit, setting up and managing these events is easier than ever.

If you’re ready to take your events to the next level, I encourage you to try out the approval-only model and see how it can elevate your strategy. You might just find that having fewer, more engaged attendees is far more impactful than hosting a large, unfocused crowd.

Event ticket design with Oveit: make your tickets match your brand

When setting up an event, it’s important to have your brand really shine through. With our PRO account, you can customize the look and feel of your event ticket design to align with your brand. Our “ticket branding” feature offers you some great options to ensure your tickets are not only functional but also visually appealing.

But let’s start with the type of tickets you can design for your event:

Apple Pass, images and PDF files – Why use multiple ticket formats?

Our event registration software allows you to issue tickets in three different formats: PDF, image (PNG), and Apple pass files. Each format offers benefits for specific users and use cases in your event.

PDF tickets

PDF tickets are versatile and easy to distribute. They can be emailed directly to attendees, who can then print them out or save them on their devices. PDFs are ideal for detailed customization, allowing you to include a custom logo, cover photo, and additional event-specific information. They are also perfect for including data from registration forms, such as the attendee’s name and any add-on information like goods, services, or access rights. You can even add custom text relevant to the event, such as important information or terms and conditions. Additionally, you have the option to exclude default data like the ticket orderer or order number, giving you full control over the ticket’s content.

Sample PDF ticket

Image (PNG) tickets

Image tickets are highly shareable and can be easily integrated into digital communications or printed as keepsakes. Designing image tickets for your event can mean setting up your logo. Additionally you can design and adda cover image on our blue background and reflect your event’s identity. These tickets are perfect for social media promotion, digital invitations, and quick mobile access.

Apple Pass files

Apple pass files (.pkpass) offer a seamless and modern ticketing experience for iOS users. These digital passes can be added to Apple Wallet, providing attendees with easy access to their tickets on their iPhones. Like the image tickets, Apple pass files can be customized with your logo and a cover image, maintaining brand consistency and enhancing the attendee experience.

Sample Apple Pass ticket

Customizing your event ticket design

Our PRO and Hub accounts offer you customization options for your event tickets design. Here’s how you can tailor each ticket format to meet your needs:

Logo and cover photo

  • Image (PNG) and Apple Pass Tickets: Customize these tickets with your logo and a cover photo that matches your event’s identity. The cover photo for these formats should be 400×102 pixels to ensure a perfect fit and high-quality display on the blue background.
  • PDF Tickets: Similarly, the PDF tickets can feature a custom logo and a cover photo, with the recommended size being 652×120 pixels. This ensures your brand visuals are sharp.

Custom information on event tickets

  • PDF Tickets: In addition to the logo and cover photo, PDF tickets can be further customized. You can display up to the first three fields of data from the registration forms, include add-on information like additional services or access rights, and add any custom text relevant to your event. This flexibility allows you to convey all necessary information directly on the ticket, improving the attendee experience.

Excluding default data

  • PDF Tickets: To streamline the ticket’s appearance, you have the option to exclude certain default data such as the orderer’s name or the order number. This feature allows you to maintain a clean and focused design, ensuring that only the most relevant information is presented.

Creating your event ticket design

Take advantage of these customization features to design event tickets that truly stand out. Whether you choose PDF, image, or Apple pass files, each format offers unique benefits to meet the needs of your attendees while ensuring your brand shines through.

Start designing your perfect event ticket today.

How to recover your event abandoned carts and increase your ticketing sales

Do you know that about 98% of your visitors land on your registration page but don’t finish their order? That is correct, your whole event ticket sales is based on those 2% you do manage to convert into buyers. The rest of the 98% is full of event abandoned carts.

If your event relies on ticket purchases to finance its operations, this might be a very large issue that you are probably not aware of. If you could turn just 2% of the people that visit your registration section into buyers, you would double your orders, with the same amount of marketing effort. Pretty sweet, right?

So how do you do it? It’s really easy if you’ve upgraded your Oveit account to the Hub plan.

event abandoned carts

In your “Reports” you will see a button titled “Abandoned carts” which shows, of course, your abandoned orders. If you run a lot of events you will be able to filter by event, date and even a specific voucher, if it helps you track the right order. This way your event abandoned orders can easily be visualized and you can start reactivating them.

How do I reactivate my event abandoned carts?

Remember – the goal is convincing some of your visitors to become ticket buyers. Give them that extra budge needed when they’ve either forgotten they wanted to place an order, there might have been a sudden interruption or they are having some financial difficulty. 

This will not work for every type of event or any type of order but in some cases, especially B2B events where there are a lot of high priced options, this might be really useful.

Engage with limited time discount vouchers for ticket purchases

In some cases just reminding your potential visitors that they forgot to place their order might be enough. Sometimes, that is not the case and you need a little more.

Especially with large orders (expensive tickets, group purchases) you will need to add a carrot and a stick to your messaging. 

In this case the carrot would be a discount voucher. Say 15% off their order. But here’s where the stick comes into play. The voucher should be time limited. Otherwise a customer would postpone the purchase until they forget about it. Add a 48-72 hours time limit and you have some scarcity baked into your offer. This way you maximize the chances at reactivating this abandoned cart for your event.

Build a relationship – contact your customer directly and sell your event

Sometimes the best way to scale your event is to do things that don’t scale. While everyone is pushing their automation software (yup, including us), sometimes you need to create a direct link between you and your potential customers. 

Especially in the B2B events market, larger deals are discussed and closed directly. When it comes to sponsorships or larger corporate ticket packages most large events have a direct connection with their customer. This helps them understand their feedback, upsell when needed or help consult whether the purchase is a good idea for the buyer or not. And this all starts with the data in the event abandoned carts.

The data is structured in such a way for you to understand the customer profile, their potential purchase and all of the customer forms options they might have filled in. If the potential buyer has agreed to this (depending on your country or region data privacy regulations) you can reach out to your future customer via phone or email. You will find the reasons that they abandoned their order their background, their goals, and if all things align you can encourage them to purchase the event package with a time limited deal.

Alternative to Xing events

Discover the Best Alternative to Xing Events: Oveit Events Hub

With the shutdown of Xing Events (formerly known as Amiando) in 2023, event organizers are on the lookout for a reliable and efficient alternative. If you’re searching for the best alternative to Xing Events, look no further than Oveit. Oveit Events Hub is a powerful event management platform designed to simplify your conference registration, payments, access control, and sales and marketing efforts.

Why Oveit is the Ideal Alternative to Xing Events

Streamlined Event Registration and Payments

Oveit offers an end-to-end solution to streamline event registration and payments. By automating these processes, Oveit eliminates the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and saving time. With features like global billing invoicing and diverse payment options, financial management becomes effortless and efficient.

Cost Reduction and Time Savings

One of the significant advantages of Oveit as an alternative to Xing Events is its ability to cut costs and save time. Our platform’s modern infrastructure ensures stable and agile operations, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of your event. Automation helps you say goodbye to complicated manual tasks, enabling your team to concentrate on delivering a memorable event experience.

Enhanced Sales and Marketing Capabilities

Oveit is a special type of event registration platform: it’s a specialized sales and marketing tool. With features like Event Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), affiliate and partner sales tracking, and CRM integration, Oveit ensures that no sales opportunity slips through the cracks. This makes it a powerful alternative to Xing Events for boosting your event’s bottom line.

Engaging Sponsors and Partners

Oveit excels in helping sponsor and partner engagement. Its user-friendly interface helps sponsors collect valuable leads and provides tailored registration packages for key stakeholders. This makes it an excellent choice for organizers looking to foster strong relationships with their sponsors and partners.

Marketing Automation Supercharged

Oveit’s marketing automation capabilities make it a standout alternative to Xing Events. With Oveit CRO, you can significantly boost conversion rates by refining the ticketing process and preventing potential buyers from dropping off. Oveit Analytics provides deep insights into buyer behavior, allowing you to optimize your marketing campaigns and refine your event strategies based on real-time data.

API-First Event Management

Oveit’s API-first approach sets it apart from traditional event management platforms. APIs enable seamless integration with other essential tools, such as CRM and marketing software, finance systems, and event networking apps. This ensures real-time data exchange, streamlined operations, and cohesive event experiences.

Conclusion: Oveit as the Best Alternative to Xing Events

In the wake of Xing Events’ shutdown, we strongly believe Oveit stands out as the best alternative for event organizers. Our automation capabilities, sales optimization tools, and seamless integrations provide an end to end solution that enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves the overall event experience. With a strong track record and glowing client testimonials, Oveit is the ideal choice for those seeking a reliable and feature-rich alternative to Xing Events.

If you’re ready to take your event management to the next level, book a demo with Oveit today and discover why it is the best alternative to Xing Events.

Design custom tickets for your branded event

Design custom tickets

When it comes to hosting a successful event, every detail matters. From the venue decor to the guest experience, each element contributes to the overall impression attendees take away. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our latest update at Oveit: an upgraded ability to design custom tickets for your branded event.

At Oveit, we understand the importance of creating a memorable experience for your attendees and the importance of branding. That’s why we’ve developed additional options to help you customize every aspect of your event tickets to reflect your brand identity and messaging.

With our new ticket design feature, you can:

  1. Feature a Cover Photo: Make a statement from the moment your attendees receive their tickets by featuring a captivating cover photo. Whether it’s your event logo, a stunning image related to your theme, or a snapshot of your keynote speaker, a visually striking cover photo sets the tone for your event and creates excitement.
  2. Choose Delivery Formats: We understand that convenience is key for both you and your attendees. That’s why we offer multiple delivery formats for your custom tickets, including Apple Wallet, PNG images, and PDF files. This flexibility ensures that your attendees can access their tickets easily, no matter their preferred platform.
  3. Integrate Your Company or Event Logo: Strengthen your brand presence and increase recognition by adding your company or event logo to every ticket. Whether you’re hosting a corporate conference or a marketing event, incorporating your logo ensures that your brand is front and center throughout the attendee experience.
  4. Customize Addons and Registration Fields: Tailor the ticketing process to meet your specific needs by choosing which add-ons and registration fields to display. Whether you want to offer VIP upgrades or collect additional attendee information, our customizable options make it easy to create a seamless registration experience.
  5. Include Additional Text: Provide important information or convey special messages directly on your tickets with our additional text feature. Whether it’s event details, sponsor shout-outs, or a personalized welcome message, adding text to your tickets ensures that attendees have all the information they need at their fingertips.

With Oveit’s custom ticket design feature, you have the power to create an immersive and memorable event experience that leaves a lasting impression on your attendees. Ready to elevate your branded event with custom-designed tickets? Get started with Oveit today!