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Opening Registration for virtual event

  • 1.  Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-08-2020 10:57
    Hello,

    How far in advance is suggested to open registration for a virtual event? We will be holding our online event in October and would typically have registration open by now, but being virtual I'm assuming we can wait until a few months out. Is there a optimal time or has anyone had any experience with this yet?

    Thank you,

    Lori
    #Flex-Creating/ManagingEvents

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    Lori Harris
    Events Project Specialist
    SAS Institute Inc.
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  • 2.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    User Group Member
    Posted 06-11-2020 10:17
    Edited by Rachel Sigley 06-11-2020 10:18
    We tend to open 2 weeks in advance. We just held an event last week and only sent out notice for registration 2 weeks in advance, then at the one week mark sent a follow up to those who didn't register. we feel like if you send it out months before people will just forget about it or not really know their schedule. So while we wanted to give as much notice, we also didn't want to be too far out. It seemed to work well for us. Then be sure to set up a reminder email a day or two before to those who registered.

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    Rachel Sigley
    Branding
    Tata America International Corporation
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  • 3.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-11-2020 11:08

    Hello Lori,

    I think Rachel is spot on. We are also sending out invites 2 weeks in advance. Depending on the group or the event we do a 1 week follow to those who didn't register. We do send out a 1 day reminder to registrants and again, depending on the group or event, we may send out an 1 hour notice email. Our participation for webinars or virtual events is right around 95%. 

    With Cvent adding "Virtual Events" to Flex has helped out some of our units who had to switch their live events to virtual. 



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    James Rose | Senior Web Developer and Content Management
    Digital Infrastructure, Implementation, Strategy, and Support
    Office of University Development | University of Michigan
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  • 4.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-11-2020 11:41
    Our registration typically opens now for our annual conference in December.  We have stuck to the same schedule and have made the announcement
    about going virtual and opened registration.

    I know it's early but our members ate educators
    and we need to get them registered during the sumner.  They tend to forget  during the academic year.

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    Edward House
    Tech Support
    Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
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  • 5.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-11-2020 13:00
    Hi Lori, 

    I think it really depends on your audience, and if you're charging or not for it. 
    If free, I think the two weeks to one months with reminder emails as James & Rachel suggested is good. 

    If you have a less tech-savvy audience, or are charging for the conference, I would give it two-three months so you have time to get your advertising materials out, and send some more informative emails also on how the tech aspect is going to work.

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    Béline FALZON
    Event Planner
    California Teachers Association
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  • 6.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-12-2020 09:05
    It depends on your audience. If it's a large conference, maybe 2 months out at the most. We only do 2 weeks ahead, and then do a "last call" the day before the event, which drives quite a few last minute registrations!

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    Lori wildman
    Senior Marketing Manager
    DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.
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  • 7.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-14-2020 20:55
    Hi Lori - Like others mentioned below, I think a month to 2 weeks prior to the event makes sense for the registration.  Up until then, you can send out reminders that the event is coming up, and closer to registration, start showing the 'registration open' date.  Hope this is helpful!

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    Kayla Sisco
    Convention Coordinator
    Impact XM
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  • 8.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-16-2020 13:05
    Lori,

    Do you host virtual awards ceremonies? Anyone else on the thread can chime in if you do!

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    Thu Nguyen
    Account Support Specialist
    INCOMM INCENTIVES
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  • 9.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-24-2020 12:47
    Thu - in reply to online award ceremonies: As our conference will be entirely online this year, we plan to pre-record a Zoom meeting featuring our award winners (writing contest), where we will announce the winners and give them a minute to accept award and make a very brief statement. We will provide a link on our website for conference attendees to watch the recorded Zoom presentation.

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    Laurie Rose
    Arts Programs and Conference Coordinator
    Edmonds Arts Commission
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  • 10.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-30-2020 15:41
    Hi Thu,

    We do not do awards ceremonies.

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    Lori Wildman
    Senior Marketing Manager
    DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.
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  • 11.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-22-2020 12:32
    we've been opening 2-3 weeks in advance. Then, day of the event sending out one reminder in the morning, and one a half hour before the event starts.

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    Kelly Ohlert
    Supervisor Operations, Groups
    Stryker
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  • 12.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-22-2020 17:35
    Hi Lori,

    Great question! We are holding our conference in late October and would usually have opened registration this week for an in person event. We have definitely pivoted our timeline now that we are going virtual but because our members are used to signing up so far in advance, I think we will meet somewhere in the middle of what other in this group are suggesting. We will offer some kind of early bird pricing around mid/late-August and then regular pricing by Late September. We will then change the price again to on-site pricing the day of the conference so that attendees are encouraged to sign up ahead of time. 

    It's so hard to know what the best option is when we are so used to people meeting in person. 

    Good luck!

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    Sharna Pascolo
    Program Director
    Texas Society of Architects
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  • 13.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Community MVP
    Posted 06-23-2020 08:17
    Hi Lori,

    I found several virtual event benchmark reports which provided metrics on when people registered (2-4 weeks out was recommended based on the metrics in a number of reports based on the type of event), best day of the week to open registration, and so on.  It is likely that the 2020 metrics will be impacted by the evolving changes in the industry due to coronavirus, but at the very least, there is historical metric-based data out there to help guide decisions like this.  You can find these reports by searching "virtual events, benchmarks".

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    Loretta Peterson
    Event Associate
    CDW
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  • 14.  RE: Opening Registration for virtual event

    Posted 06-24-2020 12:59
    Hi Lori - We are in the "depends on your audience/attendees" camp: We typically open registration mid-July for our early October conference, so people can plan travel, etc. Because of the time required to reorganize for an online presentation, we moved registration forward, but only by 3 weeks, simply because our attendees are looking to register in the summer. Also, because we are encouraging people to join us for the 3.5 days of the conference, we want to give them time to plan to save the dates. Otherwise, people may make other plans, especially if the COVID restrictions are rescinded by then. People are so anxious to get out and about and back to normal. I know I am!

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    Laurie Rose
    Arts Programs and Conference Coordinator
    Edmonds Arts Commission
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