The Easy Event Check In Guide: How to Impress from the First Hello
You’ve spent weeks (or even months) planning your event down to the last detail. Now, it’s showtime! One of the first experiences your attendees will have is the event check in process. This critical moment sets the tone. If it’s smooth, quick, and convenient, your attendees start their journey on a positive note. But if it’s long-winded or confusing, your attendees won’t walk in with the best impression.
So, how do you make sure your guests have a good check in experience? Thankfully, the days of endless paper lists and manually ticking off names are behind us. With event check in software and other modern tools, making a great first impression has never been easier.
Keep reading to explore the best options for event check in, including ideas to kickstart your event and ways to simplify event check in process with event tech and tools.
What Is Event Check In Management?
Event check in management is the process of registering and admitting attendees to an event. The goal is to ensure a swift, organized, and hassle-free entrance. Event check in management includes everything from confirming guest attendance, distributing materials like badges and brochures, and welcoming attendees to join in as active participants.
The management process involves a blend of technology and organization. As events continue to evolve in the digital age, modern tools, like event check in software, have revolutionized the way we handle guest arrivals. For example, software that integrates with a QR code event check in scanner speeds up the check in process and provides organizers with real-time data on attendance.
Check in management can also involve setting up clear signage, designating areas for specific guests (VIPs, general admission, exhibitors), and training staff to handle various scenarios. The end goal? Creating an efficient, warm, and welcoming start to your event experience!
How Do You Track People at Events?
At events, attendees can be tracked through a two-fold system: 1) event check in and 2) session tracking. Event check in makes note of attendees upon arrival, ensuring they’re registered and accounted for. Session tracking, on the other hand, monitors attendee participation and engagement in specific event sessions.
Event check in often relies on a check in app for events or dedicated event check in software. These tools streamline the registration process, perhaps with QR code event check in scanners for quick and efficient guest admission.
On the flip side, session tracking delves into the attendee journey throughout the event. Tracking session attendance tells you which sessions guests attend, how long they stay, and their level of participation. This is vital for various reasons:
- Sponsor ROI: By analyzing which sessions or booths get the most traffic, you can show your sponsors their return on investment, helping you secure and recruit future sponsorships.
- Programming data: Tracking provides insights into which sessions are most popular or engaging, assisting organizers in refining and planning future event content.
- Certifications: For events that offer educational credits or certifications, session tracking ensures attendees have met the necessary requirements before certification is issued.
By seamlessly blending event check in and session tracking, organizers can maintain a bird’s-eye view of the event flow, ensuring both operational efficiency and rich data collection. So, how do you start tracking?
How to Bust Event Check In Bottlenecks with EventMobi
The magic of an event often starts with that first step—the check in. As event organizers, it’s crucial to ensure that this initial experience is as seamless and efficient as possible. Here’s how:
- Self-service kiosks: EventMobi allows attendees to check in at their own pace using dedicated kiosks. This self-service mode is not only swift but also reduces the need for extra staffing, leading to a smoother flow of attendees.
- QR code scanning: With EventMobi, forget about the age-old manual check in methods. Attendees simply scan their unique QR codes for an easy event check in. Plus, it’s compatible with most devices, so all of your attendees can check in easily.
- On-site badge printing: Talk about first impressions! With EventMobi, attendees can get their event badges printed on the spot when they check in.
- Advanced customization: Every event is unique. That’s why EventMobi offers advanced customization options, allowing you to tailor the event check in process to your event’s specific needs and branding.
- Real-time analytics: It’s not just about getting people in. It’s about understanding the dynamics of the people who do come in! With real-time analytics, you can monitor the check in rates and gather valuable insights for future event planning.
- Multi-event management: Have multiple events or sessions running simultaneously? No sweat! EventMobi’s platform caters to complex event structures, ensuring a streamlined check in experience across the board.
By addressing common check in pain points, EventMobi offers a refined check in solution for organizers, ensuring attendees are greeted with efficiency and style right from the get-go.
Make It Easy: 17 Event Check In Tips & Ideas
It may seem simple, but there are a lot of ways to optimize your check in process. These event check in tips will elevate your next check in process from tedious to extraordinary!
Define your event check in process
Starting with a clear event check in process is key. Traditional methods like a paper event check in sheet might seem outdated, but they can be effective for smaller events. However, as events grow, digital solutions like spreadsheets, apps, or kiosk systems become indispensable.
Beyond efficiency, your chosen method sets the tone for the attendee experience, so it’s vital to consider the attendee’s convenience and your event’s scale. Use these event check in ideas to make sure you meet all your event needs!
Coach your staff and volunteers on customer service
Never underestimate the importance of good customer service. After all, your check in staff are the event’s first human touchpoint. A warm, efficient, and well-trained team can significantly impact attendees’ initial impressions. Emphasize the importance of patience, active listening, and clear communication. When attendees are greeted with professionalism and enthusiasm, it sets a positive tone for the entire event.
Write an FAQ for front desk staff
Questions are inevitable during event check ins. Crafting a FAQ for your front desk staff ensures consistency in addressing queries. This list acts as a quick reference, reducing wait times and helping your team manage a wide range of potential questions with confidence.
Create an event check in list
Not only does having an event check in list provide your team with a clear view of attendees, but it also aids in managing last-minute changes. This can include unexpected attendees or shifts in seating arrangements, making adaptability a key feature of a successful event.
Find your perfect event check in app
Digital solutions have transformed event check in management. An app like EventMobi, for instance, seamlessly integrates various event management and engagement features with a smooth check in experience. With real-time analytics, QR code scanning, and intuitive self-service kiosks, the app minimizes the typical check in hassles, ensuring attendees start their event experience on a high note.
Choose a payment method for onsite registrations
Flexibility in payment options is crucial for accommodating all attendees, especially for onsite registrations. Whether it’s cash, credit card, or digital payment solutions, being prepared for all scenarios results in a swift and smooth transaction. By reducing payment friction in your event check in platforms, you ensure that the registration process remains efficient.
Badge printing for check in
Badges play a multifunctional role at events. Not only do they serve as identity markers, but they’re also networking tools, branding opportunities, and highly visible real estate for your top sponsors!
Whether you choose to pre-print badges yourself, print them live onsite, or have them printed and delivered for you, your event check in printer should match your event’s size, needs, and budget. Your badging solution should result in badges that are easy to read and wear, enhancing the overall event experience.
Create a QR code for event check in
QR codes are the epitome of efficiency. By communicating detailed information with a simple scan, the QR code check in process is quick and painless. The result is less administrative work, faster check in experiences, and greater peace of mind for event organizers.
Use self-check in kiosks
Empowering attendees with self-service options can help prevent long lineups. Self-check in kiosks offer attendees the autonomy to manage their own registration, reducing staff workload. Such kiosks, especially during peak check in times, can be a lifesaver, making large crowd management more feasible.
Use clear event check in signs
Directional clarity is essential, especially for first-time attendees or large venues. High-visibility, clear signs guiding attendees to the check in area can make a vast difference. Such proactive measures reduce attendee anxiety and ensure the event starts right on time.
Set up a VIP check in desk
Every event has its VIPs, and they often expect a seamless experience. Setting up an exclusive check in desk ensures they don’t wait in long queues. This touch of exclusivity and prioritization can make your key attendees feel valued, enhancing their overall event perception.
Offer a help desk
Even with meticulous planning, unforeseen challenges can arise. A dedicated help desk serves as a problem-solving hub. With a team ready to tackle any issues—from tech glitches to lost badges—attendees know they have a reliable source of assistance, fostering trust in your event’s organization.
Test your tech ahead of time
Prevention is better than cure, especially when it comes to tech. Double-checking all equipment and apps before the event day prevents avoidable mishaps. Ensuring everything works as expected sets the stage for a smooth attendee experience, from arrival to goodbye.
Mark check in on your event map
Providing attendees with a comprehensive event map can ease navigation concerns. Clearly marking the check in area, perhaps with distinguishing icons or colors, ensures attendees can effortlessly locate the starting point of their event journey.
Make check in your first branded experience
Branding isn’t confined to brochures, signage, or stages. The check in area offers plenty of opportunities for branding–from branded clothing for your staff to branding on your check in kiosk or device. By branding your check in platforms, you create an immersive brand experience right from the outset.
Hand out gift bags
Gestures of appreciation can resonate deeply. Giving out thoughtfully curated gift bags at check in can delight attendees. Beyond gifts, your goodie bags can also contain essential information, guides, or tools that enrich the attendee’s event experience.
Track attendance with session check in
Don’t stop at the check in desk–run session check in, too! Monitoring individual sessions can yield valuable insights. Whether it’s for certification purposes, sponsor ROI, or attendee preferences, session check ins, especially via QR codes, ensure a deeper level of attendee engagement tracking. This data can be useful for future event planning.
Rethinking the Event Check In Experience
Navigating an event, big or small, begins with arrival. Event check in isn’t just a process; it’s the first touchpoint for your brand, the initial handshake of your event’s hospitality. While it may seem like a basic checkpoint, there’s so much potential to elevate the attendee experience at event check in–and now you have all the tools to do it.
The check in process is your event’s first impression, so make it count! Balance the efficiency of event check in software with the warmth of a personal greeting to deliver an experience that resonates. At the end of the day, these simple interactions and positive impressions are what attendees will carry with them until your next event.
Recommended Resource: Increasing engagement starts with event app adoption! ✊ This guide will show you how to get attendees to download, use, and see the value of your app.