Create a better Attendee Experience: 4 Things Most Conferences Get Wrong

Next month, I will be attending WordCamp Europe 2024 in Turin, Italy. It will be my first time visiting Italy and I can’t wait to see the sights, catch up with old WordPress friends and meet more people from this wonderful WordPress and WooCommerce community.

While WCEU is an exceptionally well-run event, it got me thinking about the many conferences I’ve attended and some of the very avoidable mistakes they make. It’s usually such a pity because most events I attend are very well-run, but these seemingly small details which are overlooked can make a huge difference to the overall attendee experience.

In this blog post, as an attendee, I’m going to outline some of the things conferences don’t really pay enough attention to as well as what you can do to enhance the attendee experience.

Streamline Registration

Waiting for entry at a conference is both frustrating and completely avoidable. Last year, I attended a major conference that experienced long wait lines because the registration team had to validate attendees by manually sifting through printed attendee lists. While a hardcopy attendee list is a great backup solution, there are tons of tools and services that can be used to scan a ticket or search for a name and find an attendee in an instant, resulting in faster attendee registrations.

Here are a few things you could do to ensure this process moves along faster and improve the attendee experience:

• Use a check-in tool to help find and validate an attendee’s access. You could use an integrated system like FooEvents which includes the free FooEvents Check-ins app, you could use a standalone check-ins solution that allows you to import your attendee list and manage check-ins, or you could simply create a shared spreadsheet (e.g., Google Docs) and create a basic search function.
• Avoid pre-printing custom attendee name badges. This sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. If you pre-print the name of the attendee on the badge, it means for each attendee, you would need to sift through boxes of badges, which can increase the wait time significantly. The benefit of a printed name over a handwritten name is not worth the added time. My suggestion is to either provide generic badges with space for the attendee to add their own name or write it on their behalf as their ticket is validated. This will save a ton of time. We will also be adding a self-check-in mode to the FooEvents Check-ins app that will allow you to automatically print name badges, so be sure to sign up to receive a notification when that is released.

Creating a Welcoming Environment

Have you ever arrived at a conference, gone through registration, and found yourself standing in an open area with absolutely no idea where to go next? This happens to me at almost every conference. It usually takes the better part of an hour to get a sense of where everything is (e.g., coffee station) and get your bearings. While this is not a train smash, it’s a first impression, and not the best one.

Ensuring your attendees are welcomed, informed, relaxed, and provided with some form of next step can dramatically enhance the attendee experience.

Here are a few ways you could help shape this experience:

• Hand them a welcome letter at registration. It should be short, friendly, and provide them with some form of clear direction for the next step in their journey. This could be an invitation to join the other attendees for complimentary coffee or instruction to make their way to the opening track. Be sure that it is easily visible and not buried between pamphlets.
• Provide a map. Seriously, an actual map with directions and a big ‘X’ indicating where they should go next. This will save them time in learning the lay of the land and provide them with clear next steps. You can also indicate where the toilets are, and of course, where the coffee stand is.
• Implement a welcoming committee. Have a person standing just beyond the registration desk and ask them to greet attendees and help anyone who looks like they may need assistance. You can even print a special ‘Welcoming Committee’ t-shirt or banner to make sure attendees know they can be approached. This will also help alleviate pressure on the registration desk who are usually the go to for unsure new arrivals.

Improve Signage

This is a huge one. I have gotten lost in the corridors of many conference venues, trying to find a specific track or workshop. While you may be comfortable with the floor plan and locations of the various facilities, tracks, workshops, lounges, toilets, and coffee stations, it will all be new and foreign to your attendees. Adequate signage and visible floor plans are essential.

Here are a simple, inexpensive ways to add to your existing signage and make sure your attendees don’t miss the next keynote:

• Include a floor plan of the venue in the attendee’s welcome pack. This will help them plan which keynotes they will attend and allow them to efficiently map the route via the coffee stand.
• Print and laminate floor plans of the venue, using stickers to highlight the attendee’s current location. Disperse the maps throughout the venue at strategic locations (exits, communal areas, doors, open area, toilets etc). The map should highlight the various halls, workshops, toilets, dining areas, coffee stands, exits, event management etc.
• Make maps and directions available by scanning a QR code. Include the QR code in the welcome pack and placed at strategic locations throughout the venue.

Ensuring Effective Communication for a Positive Attendee Experience

It’s crucial to have a well-thought-out communication plan and platform in place prior to the event. This will ensure your attendees are well informed and allow you to communicate changes effectively. Mistakes will happen, how you address these mistakes and communicate with your attendees will be the difference between success and disaster.

Here are a few ways you can manage and automate more effective attendee communications:

• Make a list of all vital information an attendee needs to know. This can include speaker schedules, WiFi details, floor plans, coffee shop locations, start and end times, dining plans, etc. Create a PDF for each and upload them to an online drive or publish them on your website. Make sure your attendees know where to find this information. You can do this by adding it to the welcome pack when they register, include a QR code on all signage, or you can simply schedule a series of emails and text messages at strategic intervals throughout your event.
• One of my favorite FooEvents integrations is with AutomateWoo. It allows you to send automated email campaigns based on when the event starts and when an attendee checks in. Here are a few examples of the types of communications you could automate during the event:
  • Send greetings and welcome messages upon check-in.
  • Send automated reminders before flagship keynotes.
  • Send an SMS to the customer letting them know lunch is served.
  • Provide attendees with additional information and resources that can be used at an event.
  • Offer real-time notifications of activities taking place during the event.
  • Send automated thank-you emails to everyone who attended the event with links to the event’s presentations, notes, or recordings.
  • Send a certificate of attendance/completion after a person completes a race or course.
  • Request a review of your event or business.
  • Create a follow-up message to touch base with attendees or customers at specific time intervals e.g., after attendees have completed a specific course or workshop.
  • Send out special offers or cross-promote your other events.

Conclusion

Conferences are incredible opportunities for learning, networking, and growth. However, the difference between a good conference and a great one often lies in the attention to detail. Put yourself in the attendees’ shoes and try to anticipate their experience. You can have the world’s greatest speakers presenting at your conference, but if you frustrate your attendees with the basics, it can sour the experience.

If you are attending WCEU, be sure to keep an eye out for us and come over to say hi!