How to improve attendance at a free event?

When organizing free events, organizers sometimes face a high dropout rate. However, using an online ticketing solution there are tips to improve attendance at this type of event.

Manage bookings with an online ticketing system

First of all, it should be emphasized that using an online ticket office To organize a free event it is to arm yourself with powerful tools. Organizers will be able to manage several tasks related to their event from a single location. Indeed, they will be able to launch a mini-booking site in a few minutes but also a widget that can be integrated on their own site as well as on their Facebook page. Customizable and easy to use elements.

Then, they will be able to send individual or group invitations very easily.

In addition, the platform Wilout Proposes in his Backoffice access to a dynamic dashboard to monitor the status of registrations in real time. This makes it easier for organizers to make decisions about their communication campaign and the price of their tickets.

To approach valuation, let us recall the two types of values encountered in the act of purchase:

To begin with, the objective value : it is the price of the ticket, and associated expenses (travel expenses, meals).

Then, the subjective value : it is the image that the participant has of his expenditure. This value is a more personal appreciation that is associated with the usefulness, culture, needs, and contributions of this experience.

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Valuing the registration for a free event

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As we said, free registrations are often associated with a withdrawal rate of up to 30%.

Improving attendance is therefore a real challenge for organizers.

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How to value free admission to improve attendance?

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Some pricing strategies can reduce an absenteeism rate by two! Thanks to an online ticketing system, it is possible to access relevant information on registrations and to set up several types of tickets, limit them, add or remove them as you wish.

Here are some of the methods to consider to improve attendance and generate more engagement.

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Limit seats

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Insisting on the limitation of seats can generate the interest and attendance of participants. Even if it is free, the limitation of available seats gives a feeling of exclusivity increasing the subjective value of the ticket for its holder. In this case, do not hesitate to confirm the registration of a participant a second time by email.

The symbolic sum

It is well known that when a participant pays even one euro, their registration is more valuable in their eyes. This method helps to reduce the number of withdrawals. However, if the sum is very low, a participant can easily put their loss into perspective when they decide to cancel their participation.

A time strategy

Here is an example of a strategy over time:

• Sales phase 1 : tickets are free over a well-defined period of time, for example for 40 days prior to the event
  
  
• Phase 2 For sale : tickets become chargeable in the 72 hours preceding the event

Another time strategy is to leave the free ticket available for a very limited time (48 hours or less). Knowing that they benefit from a paid ticket for free, the subjective value of the ticket increases for the participant.

However, it is essential to know the habits of your audience well in order to establish such a strategy. If they tend to register at the last minute, let them know well in advance so they can register on time.

An enriched pricing strategy

In addition to the free ticket, it can be very effective to offer a premium ticket with an option such as printed documentation, a meal, or a cocktail. During an event, participants give more value to a free ticket when combined with paid tickets (even €1.00). Indeed, getting a free ticket while others are paying gives rise to a feeling of privilege. This is especially true when the free ticket is part of a particular category.

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Actions to reduce absenteeism

Several actions can be put in place to improve the attendance of a free event.

Use a mini-site or widget for registration

Setting up a nominative registration via an online ticketing solution makes it official. By taking him out of anonymity, it generates a real commitment effect for the participant. In addition, the Wilout platform makes it easy to set up a Form associated with the registration.

Reminder email

One week before, then in the 48 hours preceding the event, sending an email to remind participants of their commitment.

Extensions for email boxes, such Boomerang, allow you to schedule an email to several recipients.

‍Reminder SMS

It is also interesting to send a text message to the participants. You can use bulk mailing solutions such as iSendPro (SMS at €0.35) or OVH (100 SMS for €7.00). In general, providers offer a free trial for sending 20 SMS messages.

Create a waiting list

Having a list of people who can replace an absent person at short notice can significantly improve attendance rates.

Let participants know that they are on this list so they can book their day.

Whether you send an email or a text message, recalling your contact details is also useful to anticipate a withdrawal and allow someone on the waiting list to take advantage of the vacancy.

Finally, we would like to remind you that thanks to Wilout's powerful data analysis table, in addition to monitoring registrations in real time, organizers can establish a balance sheet and know their attendance rate very accurately. They can also compare events to each other. These tools make it possible to refine their pricing strategy as well as their communication strategy with relevance.

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Whether free or not, the use of online ticketing promotes the success of events.

We invite you to discover The Wilout ticketing solution !