Your attendees are important for your event, aren’t they? In fact, no matter what your event type is, no matter what your focus is, no matter what kind of speakers are you bringing, your attendees are the single most valuable asset of your event, without a doubt!
Attendees gives your event a sense of purpose and direction. They provide invaluable feedback, and serve as a springboard for new event ideas and help in making your event experience better.
And let’s not forget about the revenue they bring in.
When all is said and done, attendee satisfaction should be the number-one focus of any event. This means making your events attendee-centric and understanding them.
How well you know your attendees?
The relationship that you cultivate with your attendees will determine your event’s level of success. And, as with any important relationship, its level of success will depend heavily upon how well you know one another.
But unlike most personal relationships, the organizer-attendee relationship is one that may feel a bit lopsided. After all, most attendees don’t work hard to learn about the event; everything they might want to know is likely & readily available through event website.
However, for an organizer to gather information on their attendee in order to better facilitate a working relationship can be a difficult task. And the importance of attendee data doesn’t end once it’s been collected.
Keeping accurate and accessible records of attendee transactions, preferences, needs and concerns can easily mean the difference between a relationship that profits both the parties, and one that leaves everyone feeling fulfilled.
Now that we have talked about why attendee data is imperative to cultivate the relationship, let’s discuss about how to do it with Event CRM Software.
#1. Connect with Attendees
The main purpose of Event CRM Software is to support the organizers in engaging their event attendees as well as individuals who get in touch with your event. The tag ‘attendee’ also applies to exhibitors, beneficiaries, donors, students, organization members, and any other contacts who are part of your event.
Firstly, an Event CRM Software helps the organizers better understand their attendees.
Without a clear understanding of the history and current status of each attendee relationship, the ability of event organizer to exceed the attendee expectations will be severely restricted.
Event CRM Software creates a single thread about each relationship that is accessible from a consistent interface irrespective of attendee background and status.
Often, a better solution will be sought to replace unconnected registration forms, attendance sheets, paper-files or attendee details being committed to memory.
In some instances, Event CRM Software will be connected to the external data source like registration platform, ticketing platform, event app, event networking platform and so on, to pick up every interactions across every touch point for a coherent and complete relationship picture.
As a result, event organizers are empowered to deliver a responsive service and delight their attendees which ultimately contributes towards increased attendee retention for further events.
By developing Event CRM integrated event website, a new service channel is created which helps in walking an extra mile to offer the ultimate event experience.
Increasing ticket sales is another example of how Event CRM helps organizers connect with attendees. This includes:
-Identifying the most valuable attendees and delivering appropriate service levels.-Using relationship and order details to discover new upsell and cross sell opportunities.-Opportunity management to help sales individuals connect with the right prospects at the right time.-Integrated campaigns that nurture attendees and alert when an individuals respond.-Increased lead generation using segmented lists and personalized messages that resonate with the event.
#2. Grow efficiently
By better aligning people and business process, Event CRM Software helps organizers achieve greater event ROI.
Some examples of this include:
-Replace repetitive manual tasks with smart automated workflows that complete actions and sends automated e-mailers which cuts administration and eliminates duplication.-Avoid staff jumping between systems by managing event flow in a single interface. This can include registration, ticketing, schedule management, etc.-Event CRM Software fosters a positive team culture and improves communication as individuals share information, collaborate efficiently and gain a better understanding of other areas in your organization process.-Improved productivity through better time management as Event CRM Software prompts users when important events occurs, or if actions are missed.
#3. Discover new insights
The ample amount of event data data in Event CRM Software is not the solution, but the foundation for learning new insights which can be acted upon by the organizers.
With all relationship and process data available via a single interface, it means that timely, informed decisions can be made enabling organizers with greater event ROI.
Event CRM Software helps them tap into these insights and differentiate their offering with data-driven outcomes rather than an over-reliance and gut-free decisions.
For increasing the event ticket sales, this might mean trusted pipeline reports that are used as the basis for reliable event ticket sales and production forecasts to manage the cash flow.
This way organizers can determine how responsive their audience is; enabling them to convert prospects, or adjust tactics to engage attendees who aren’t responsive.
You can rely on CRM data to answer questions that include:-Which type of ticket is being sold most?-What is the current attendee volume?-What type of attendee are the most engaging?
With the help of event analytics, it enables organizers to visualize data, follow trends, drill down to better understand performance and gain further actionable insight.
With Event CRM Software data providing a single truth, you will be able to monitor key performance indicators in real-time and use this insight to take corrective action when needed.
Not only that, modern CRM cloud technology includes embedded artificial intelligence providing further insight and driving proactive actions. This can include intent analysis from social media posts, email marketing and so on.
#4. Data safety
Event CRM Software controls access to your important attendee information by securely storing data in the cloud. With advance protection and automatic back-up in the cloud, this data is safeguarded from unexpected events.
With data held in the cloud, Event CRM Software immediately offers significantly greater protection compared to storing customer data locally in spreadsheets, or legacy on-premise applications.Examples of CRM Security controls include:-Restrict access for account managers to only view their own records.
-Another example how CRM helps to safeguard attendee data is by providing the technology that helps organisers to digitally transform and develop new event strategies.
Through smarter processes, connected apps and new insights gained from event analytics, CRM helps organisers develop new attendee-centric event planning models that supports strategic growth plans as well.
#5. Work mobility
Through organisers’ app, web-based dashboard interface ad offline access, CRM technology empowers people to get work done anywhere.
Whether you’re working from your office, or you’re on the go, you have a set of automation tools to create and edit on the go.
With staff connected to the CRM all-the-round, organisers and other staff can immediately respond to their attendee e-mailers, add leads and manage the existing ones.
If teams cannot access attendee data, business is effectively on hold if they cannot access the data when they leave the office, or are away from their desktop or laptop.
Mobile CRM means that everyone can connect, make updates and intiate action on-demand when events occur. That includes:-Managing the registrations and attendee lists.-Monitoring the engagement and taking the needy steps if needed.-Setting up meetings and following up.
Providing a great customer experience requires teamwork and the right tools to help users engage with customers.
Mobile CRM apps that are fast, easy to use, intuitive, and fit a mobile lifestyle are rapidly adopted. Extending these solutions into attendee facing roles and processes will result in higher use of CRM and increasingly productive staff.
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