| You can be doing a phenomenal job of promoting | | | | considered and added. An example would be; Evite, |
| your networking event and gaining the interests of | | | | however, it's not my favorite. |
| your target market but if you don't have an | | | | 2. Use an RSVP e-mail address on all of your |
| effective way for people to register and | | | | promotions |
| communicate with you, many potential guests could | | | | Putting an RSVP e-mail on all of your promotions will |
| be lost. There are older, tried and true methods and | | | | enable potential attendees to contact you at their |
| more up-to-date ways that use technology to | | | | convenience. Of course, you can always use your |
| accomplish this purpose. I am an advocate of the | | | | personal phone number but only if you are ready and |
| newer, more technological methods but depending on | | | | willing to accept phone calls 24 hours a day. Please |
| your market and your goals, the right choice will vary. | | | | make sure you leave instructions on what to say in |
| At any rate, whatever decision you make, it must be | | | | the e-mail. Example; "I would like to attend and bring |
| emphasized that if close focus isn't made to this | | | | a guest." |
| area, a large percentage of those who are exposed | | | | 3. Use voice mail |
| to your promotions will never make it to your event. | | | | Even if you use the RSVP or online software |
| This mean that much of your efforts could be | | | | methods, a valid phone number with a friendly and |
| compromised and you will have wasted valuable time | | | | informative voice mail message is key. On your voice |
| and energy. | | | | mail, you should include any sign up instructions that |
| Always look to maximize your efforts because time | | | | may have seemed abstract on your flyer as well as |
| and energy lost can't be recaptured. It's gone | | | | a request for contact information so that you can |
| forever. Below, are different ways to accomplish | | | | answer any questions directly. |
| registration and open up communication; | | | | 4. Use direct mail invitations that require return mailing |
| 1. Use online event software | | | | This is one of the older-tried and true methods I |
| This is my favorite method and works for most | | | | mentioned earlier. Depending on your target and the |
| situations. Online event websites have built-in | | | | theme of your event, you can send out fancy |
| software which is easy to use by the most novice | | | | invitations in the mail and require that they be |
| event hosts. They were created by experts in the | | | | returned in order to officially register. |
| events field, so all angles have usually been | | | | |