You organise an event, arrange everything down to the last detail and then ... far fewer people come than originally thought. Bummer! And the most annoying thing: these people did register. This is called a no-show. But what exactly is it? And perhaps more importantly, what can you do to prevent or minimise no-shows? We'll help you get started.
What is a no-show?
A no-show is a person who has registered for your event, made an appointment or bought a ticket, but ends up not showing up. All without cancelling or cancelling.
Why the person is not coming anyway? There could be several reasons. For example, because this person has forgotten. Has a double appointment. Ill. Or simply doesn't feel like it. But either way, it always impacts you as an organiser. Empty chairs, wasted catering or lost sales, for example.
Why are no-shows annoying?
One participant not showing up is not such a disaster. But if you are organising a big conference and attendance is suddenly much lower, you have a problem. For example, because that way you suffer financial loss. After all, you have incurred costs for these people even though they don't use them. Moreover, you have taken into account the capacity of the event venue, setup, goodie bags and catering. Also, the impact of your event is a lot less. Surely, a plenary session with dozens of empty chairs sends a less powerful message than a packed room with interested people.
Tips to minimise a no-show
Prevention is better than cure, they sometimes say. But that does not entirely apply to no-shows. Unfortunately, you can never prevent no-shows completely. Fortunately, there are ways to minimise them.
- Tip 1: Communicate clearly and often
You probably remember the expression from your mother from the past: "How many times do I have to say it?!" She said that for a reason... People forget faster than you think. For you, the event is the priority, but for your participants probably not. Therefore, use clear communication and do it often. Send confirmations, reminders and practical information via e-mail, Whatsapp or SMS. And above all, don't forget to tell them how important their participation is. - Tip 2. Give a sneak preview of the programme
Make people curious! Spark that enthusiasm and share some information about the programme in advance. What can people expect? Think of a preview of a speaker, an exciting teaser, an announcement or tell something about a surprising element. Play into that FOMO (fear of mission out - in other words: the fear of missing out on something). - Tip 3. Create a feeling of exclusivity
Everyone wants to feel special. After all, people feel more involved in an event if they feel their presence is appreciated. For example, mention that there are limited places or that you can only attend by invitation. Power words also work well here. Words like 'exclusive' and 'unique' remain crowd-pleasers. - Tip 4. Reward attendance
Give your attendees a reason to come, apart from the content of course. Bribe them! No, silly ... bribery is of course a bit far-fetched. But still, it does pay off to give people something tangible or extra. A goodie bag, for instance. Or access to exclusive content. A certificate or accreditation points. This in fact makes people find it more attractive to come. - Tip 5. Involve participants even before the event
People like to have a say. Therefore, give them a stage before the event starts. For example, by sending in questions for a speaker. Or let them vote on a subject to be covered. Or set up a poll and share the results at the event itself. Plenty of ways to involve participants in your programme beforehand. A participant who feels involved will be more likely to come.
- Tip 6. Work with a guest list
Do you have a wanted event or conference? Then work with a guest list so that you can fill any cancellations with other interested parties. This way, you can be sure that you fill your places. And what's more: it ensures that people know their spot is of value. This too can motivate people to come. - Tip 7. Make cancellation easy
That sounds a bit crazy ... easy cancellation when you'd rather participants just come. But if you know in time that someone is unable to come, you can still respond. For instance, with the venue, the catering or by filling the place. In practice, sometimes it is too difficult for participants to cancel. The result is a no-show. So make it easy to unsubscribe. For example, with a clear button in the e-mail, a reply option or a link to an unsubscribe option.
So preventing a no-show is tricky. But with a clever combination of different elements, you can ensure that your attendance is as high as possible. Think ahead, excite your guests and make it attractive to attend. Want to know more about how to organise your event with as few no-shows as possible? Our event managers will be happy to help!
