Constructing an event registration form is a crucial part of event preparations. Designing the form with the event’s purpose in mind is essential. While some events may only require basic contact information, events organized for marketing purposes demand a completely different registration form. The registration form is an excellent opportunity to gather information about participants that can be utilized for both acquiring new customers and managing existing client relationships. Registration details can also be leveraged in marketing future events – by understanding participants’ interests through the form, you can tailor your marketing to their preferences!
Where to Start When Building an Event Registration Form?
Initiate the form-building process with essential information. Name and email are often necessary details required to successfully deliver event communications to participants. If your event is paid, consider collecting billing details through form validated fields to ensure accurate information.
Ideas for the Registration Form
After collecting mandatory information, contemplate what other details about participants would be beneficial. For business events, details such as the participant’s company and title can be valuable. For live events with catering, it’s crucial to inquire about dietary preferences. If the event’s purpose is sales-oriented, the registration form can effectively gauge participants’ interest in products showcased at the event.
Registration Form Ideas:
- Is your company currently considering event management solutions?
- Are you an existing customer?
- Is this your first time attending our event?
- What types of events are you interested in attending in the future?
- What topics would you like to see covered in the presentations?
- Would you like us to contact you after the event?
Addressing Special Needs
Assessing participants’ special needs might seem challenging for event organizers. Inquiries about mobility issues and specific requirements may appear overly categorizing. However, it is essential for event organizers to be aware of such details to ensure seamless participation for everyone. To address this challenge, add an open text field at the end of the form, titled “Message to the Event Organizer.” Participants can comfortably express any specific needs, such as the requirement for an assistant or any other assistance, rather than attempting to fit into predefined checkboxes.
Streamlining the Registration Form
Once all possible ideas for the registration form have been brainstormed, it’s time to refine it to include only the most crucial elements. The event registration form should never be so lengthy that participants are discouraged from completing it! Whether to make certain fields mandatory can be determined through trial and error. If there aren’t too many questions on the form, and it appears visually clear, consider making all questions mandatory for respondents. However, avoid making open-ended questions mandatory, as participants may choose not to register if they can’t come up with a suitable answer at that moment.
GDPR on the Registration Form
It’s crucial to remember that the information collected on the registration form constitutes personal data, so only gather necessary details. Adhering to GDPR regulations, use only those forms to which a privacy policy link can be attached, with its acceptance set as mandatory for participants. In addition to approving the privacy policy, consider whether participants need to grant marketing consent. Marketing consent should be requested if you plan to use participants’ information for marketing purposes. However, consent is not required for event communications and, for example, sending post-event surveys.
When building the registration form, keep in mind that clarity and user-friendliness are paramount. Ensure that the form is responsive across various devices, and that options are easily understandable. Consider whether participants should have the ability to edit the information they provided on the registration form later or independently cancel their registration.
