7 Tips To Decrease Your Event’s No-Shows
It's frustrating to see empty seats and large empty spaces at events that you've worked hard on to put together, especially when you had expected a full room! RSVP's and ticket sales don't always reflect how many people actually show up at your event. Here are 7 tips to decrease your event no-shows:
Set up reminders: e-mail, automated Whatsapp messages, social media posts
Make sure that you post relevant content with your brand on social media consistently to optimize your online presence. Remind your guests about your event details. Send schedule, entry and procedure reminders a few days and a day before the event. Take advantage of e-mail and SMS messaging to get your event details right into your guests' inbox.
Give away free tickets to influencers and media representatives
If you have excess tickets or have received cancellations, consider giving away free tickets to social media influencers and the media to bump up your event visibility. Encourage them to review and share their event experience with their followers, readers, and/or viewers. This way you will utilize your spare tickets in the best possible way!
Consider providing transport or free parking
Make getting to your event easy! If you're serving alcohol at your event, consider providing cheap or free shuttle buses. If your hosting an event where you expect a lot of people to drive in, consider giving cheap or free parking.
Get People talking about the event. Leverage FOMO.
As we've mentioned in a previous post, using the Fear Of Missing Out as a marketing tool can be very effective. Not only is it good for encouraging RSVP sign-up's, it's also a great way to make sure your guests don't flop last minute!
Let guests know if you have a waitlist
Be open about and explain why it is important to show up at your event. Let guests know that an unused ticket goes to waste. If you have a waitlist, make this known publicly so that they're aware that there are other people who are waiting on tickets that would otherwise get wasted. This way, they can change their RSVP sooner and give you ample time to redistribute spaces. Having a waitlist also creates exclusivity and a sense of event popularity.
Create a personal connection through engagement
Engage with past and potential attendees pre-, during, and post-event. You can do this thru in-person networking, e-mail marketing or social media. When your patrons feel a personal connection with your brand and/or team, they are less likely to cancel on you.
Let them know that their attendance or non-attendance is being tracked
Don't keep it a secret - let them know that you are monitoring attendance and that their no-show status might affect their likelihood to get a spot at your next event. This is especially effective for in-demand events and event series.