How to increase attendee numbers for your event through effective communication
Hitting the forecasted attendee numbers is vital for a number of reasons, most significantly the ROI of the event. Once you have established your targeted attendee number, you’ll want to outline the specific steps you and your team will need to achieve your desired outcome. If your registration to attendance conversion rate is too low, it could mean that you haven’t communicated your events value and benefits enough to maintain interest.
Events can achieve endless possibilities, whatever the objective or purpose. If nothing else, in-person events satisfy our human need to connect and collaborate with one another within a physical community environment. After having been denied the opportunity to meet in-person for so long, there has been a significant attraction around the return of in-person events earlier this year. However, according to a report by Skift Meetings, a trusted news source for meetings and event professionals, in July 2022 ‘post-pandemic event attendance stalled at 65 percent’ (Skift Meetings, Event Attendance at 65 Percent As Good As It Gets?, 2022), illustrating that although there has been this initial attraction over their return, there is now an increased struggle to maintain the hype amongst the target attendees.
The factors to consider
There are three major influences that may be affecting this decrease in numbers compared to prior the pandemic:
The generational change and an absence of those who historically came to events. Expectations of Gen Z and Millennials can be different, and their communication and networking needs are significantly different.
Digitalization is a major factor in the promotion of an event, and it is important to ensure the right data is tracked and tools used to enable event promotion.
Sustainability is becoming one of the most salient factors when it comes to events, with attendees worrying about their carbon footprint and the travel involved in attending. In a report by AMEX, 83% of respondents said their organisations take sustainability into account when planning meetings and events (AMEX, 2021).
What can we do?
Highlight the objective of your event
Is the objective of your event for sharing knowledge, networking, or entertainment purposes? People often attend events based on what they are likely to gain from them. You need to be clear about your agenda and let the target attendees know what to expect from the event. Introduce your speakers prior to your event with short and snappy video interviews and send out surveys to allow future participants to help with the content so that they can get exactly what they want out of the event.
A 365 experience
The attendee journey begins long before the event and at Dynamic, we create unique experiences, not just on event day, but throughout the whole event process. If you really want to increase attendance and engage your audience; you need to focus on every step of the event journey – from the first announcement of your speakers to the posting of the agenda. A creative concept and innovative brief, paired with a tactical marketing plan, can really boost your number of attendees, as well as help to hit your attendance targets. Dynamic also ensures one of the events team is a dedicated person to answer any questions on the lead up to the event, as well as afterwards, helping attendees feel reassured and supported throughout. Just because the event has ended, doesn’t mean the conversations around it should, which then may inspire others to join next time.
Social media channels
Posting promotional material about your event on your social media and asking colleagues to help share the posts is a great way to help people learn about your upcoming events. It is also important to use your social media channels as an opportunity to start a conversation. These channels all represent an easy way to obtain ideas for your event and help attendees feel connected before the event starts. Social media forums such as Facebook and LinkedIn have the capabilities to create groups, within which further information regarding the event and other networking opportunities could be posted and discussed. If it is a closed group that many of your targeted attendees are part of, find out who the admin is to ensure that the information is getting in front of them.
Consider going hybrid
Firstly, reach out to experts like Dynamic, to consult you on how to deliver a successful hybrid event. A blended approach of physical gatherings and sophisticated technology creates a wider reach and a more sustainable solution to events. According to a report by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), 89 percent of survey respondents identified sustainability as a priority. With our clients being more and more focused on being environmentally conscious, having a hybrid option allows people to consider attending online to reduce their global footprint. Furthermore, potential attendees may not be able to make a journey to an in-person event because of family or other work commitments, meaning that a hybrid option could utilize their time more efficiently and allow them to still attend. If your event is in-person only, make it clear what the purpose of meeting in person is, what content is being covered, and why it is so important to meet face-to-face.
2023 may contain many unknowns, but Dynamic has learnt a great deal over the past few years, both about the event industry and the world as a whole. By working collaboratively, event professionals will find many more effective communication solutions that allow people to come together with greater regularity and certainty. There are many different approaches you can try to increase the number of attendees at your event. We have highlighted a few, but if you feel uncertain, feel free to chat to one of our event professionals.