Dear Gemmers
I'd like your advice concerning Eventbrite and similar software for assistance on managing events.
1. What are the main alternatives to Eventbrite that I shd consider? Any recommendations pls?
- Potentially you could have a Facebook event, if you think that's appropriate for your audience.
- There's also Meetup but that's more for groups than a one-off event.
- Depending on your social media outlets, potentially you could provide everything on a blog / webpage and add a paypal button but that gets more complicated if you're not so used to the ins and outs of paypal, and it requires a bit of html coding usually.
- All that said I much prefer Eventbrite because it makes everything so easy.
- It will also do a bit of promotion for you to people who have booked similar events. not sure if that ever works but I like that when I login I see things I might be interested in - I do genuinely come across things I wouldn't have found out about otherwise that are definitely relevant to me.
- And of course it will let you push your event from there out through Twitter etc. (If you're on LinkedIn you might find it useful to post an update and link there too so it pops up in people's feeds who might be some of your target audience).
- Also remember it will take a % of income. If you offer paypal as a payment option that will take another % of income. So make sure you do all the sums!
A good tip is to set a couple of 'practice' events which you can keep private and have a play around with.
Also look at a few events of other people's on there and see which you think are really useful ones, or really poor ones, and why.
2. What are the disadvantages that I need to consider? Any bad experiences?
I've not had any bad experiences, only incomplete ones where not enough info was provided by the organiser.
As an organiser there are a few pitfalls.
- Be sure to check all your settings as there are different options for what information you want to collect, as well as give out. Do make sure you collect contact details for everyone, email is good for follow-up info etc; but also phone numbers in case of any last minute emergencies!
- Sounds ridiculous but it's quite easy to miss off the venue details - provide as much as poss including link to map / car parking / public transport (and maybe vnue website for further info)
- Do add full details about the event so that it can act as a marketing avenue, not just a booking facility (i.e. don't assume everyone arriving at the page will already know everything about it - in fact assume they know nothing; as far as Eventbrite goes, it's hard to give too much information but very easy to leave something out).
- Do remember to add all the pricing info (and any cancellation info either on the buyer's side or yours as the event organiser - info about refund policy etc)
- If you're likely to attract local authority folks, think about payment options as not all local authorities will issue credit card payments, so you may have to include any info about if you can invoice etc
- FYI - you can add a logo to your page too if you want / need
3. Specifically, I am planning a conference which will be both Live in York, but also accessible from anywhere via www. Does anyone have experience of doing anything similar?
I don't have much to offer on this one and other people will have more, only that
- you can use your contact list on Eventbrite to generate checking-in lists on the day and send follow up info such a presentations to afterwards
- create a hashtag and get it on Twitter (test your hashtag first to check someone else isn't already using it); you can add the hashtag to the Eventbrite info so people can start Tweeting about it before it happens too (which I like because you feel like you know people before you arrive)
Thanks for any advice you can give. I will summarise responses, anonymised, so that all may benefit.