· 3 min read
Seven Tips to Prevent No-Shows
Making your pre-event organization process stress-free.
I always find it quite annoying when I bake a birthday cake, cook two pans of soup, and prepare sandwiches for my daughter’s Elsa-themed 👩🏻🦳❄️🤍 3rd birthday party, only for people not to show up—without even a message or a note. When the no-show rate exceeds 20%, it becomes really disappointing. Not just for me, with all the leftover food, but even more for my upset daughter.
So, for the love of everyone who organizes events and feels the same way my daughter does, here are seven tips to prevent no-shows and how you can handle this in Dynamics Customer Insights - Journeys.
Tip #1 - Add to Calendar
We live in an era of planning, scheduling, and shared calendars. If it is not in my calendar, it doesn’t exist. Ensure people know when your event is by getting them to add it to their calendar.
>> Add to Calendar in Customer Insights - Journeys
Tip #2 - Reminders
Just like my agenda, it’s easier if I’m reminded about an event than if I have to remind myself. A good reminder flow not only helps registrants remember the event, but if done right, it will also make them feel more engaged.
>> Create a Reminder Flow in Customer Insights - Journeys
Tip #3 - Surprise Them on Another Channel
Our inboxes are flooded with messages—not just our business email inboxes but our personal ones as well. To engage your registrants, why not surprise them on another channel? Instead of a reminder email, send a reminder text message. You will definitely stand out!
Tip #4 - A Sense of Community
If registrants feel engaged with your event, they are more likely to participate. Creating a sense of community will increase this engagement even more. Using your social accounts is a good way to build this community.
Here are some examples of how to do this:
- Adding social links to your Brand Profile and using them in your emails
- Showing social content in your emails
- Sharing the hashtags you are using around your event
Tip #5 - Personalization
Engagement can also be achieved by personalizing the invitation and reminder process. This makes registrants feel special. Provide them with their own personal agenda if you use sessions, or use a Customer Voice survey to see what type of visitor they are.
>> Personal Agenda in Customer Insights - Journeys
Tip #6 - Personal QR code or Teams Link
Another effective way to personalize the reminder process is by using a personal QR code (for physical events) or a Teams link (for online events). It acts as their personal ticket to your event, which they cannot exchange with someone else. Additionally, this gives you the opportunity to get more registrants, as any colleagues they want to invite will need to register themselves.
>> Using Personal QR Codes in Customer Insights - Journeys
Tip #7 - Make it Simple to Cancel
Though it might seem counterintuitive, making the cancellation process simple is one of the best ways to prevent no-shows. It’s better to know in advance if registrants will not attend than to find out on the day of the event. So, make it easy!
>> Handling Cancellations in Customer Insights - Journeys
Wrap-Up
We all fear a high no-show percentage. These seven proven tricks will help you reduce it when organizing your next event!
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